“Penknives may have formed as much part of the scouting experience as badges and campfires, but according to advice from the Scout Association they must no longer be brought on camping trips, except when there is a ‘specific’ need.” [Times Online via Free Range Kids]
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Isn’t camping in itself a “specific need” for a knife?
Oh, no, you see the camping activities themselves will be thoroughly planned down to the minute and tightly controlled, so that the specific need will be identified, monitored and terminated according to scheduling. “11:03 – 11:05 Sock rolling; 11:05-11:06 Intro to whittling, please ensure waivers releases and permissions are signed and notarized and provided to our in house counsel 24 hrs in advance of this activity”
Scouting in America does generally prohibit the knife shown in the article, a sheath knife, and has for generations. The problem with these is that in a fall, the integrity of the sheath is what keeps the blade out of the boy; and sheaths sometimes fail. However, when the situation dictates for training purposes, scuba diving, etc. they are permitted.
Folding knives are practically part of the uniform. Belts come equipped with clips for holding a knife. Open carry is desired so we know who has what. The local police are cool with our youth in our city park properly carrying and using knives when they are in uniform.
Could Scouting do something boneheaded with knives? Well, there was a time in the 70’s when a boy could make Eagle rank without ever camping a single night, so they are capable of significant stupidity in losing sight of their mission.
As an Eagle scout I can only shake my head in disbelief. I still have the sheath knife I carried as a scout in the 60s and 70s. The restriction of knife carry by scouts was inevitable given the efforts elsewhere (school) to prevent humans from learning how to use the very tool that helps archaeologists differentiate our ancestors from the rest of the animal kingdom.
I do know the efforts at de-knifeification work as I had to convince my son that it was in OK for him to have a pocket knife in his possession now that he graduated from high school.
I consider a small penknife to be an essential part of my bling (actually my only bling) and if I were an authoritarian type I would require everyone to carry a knife.