Re: Knives and kids.

Assuming these are Cub Scouts:

They are taught about knives in the Bear rank - 3rd grade. It is not a
course in whittling, or mumblety-peg. It's in the book, and generally,
you're showing the boys how to handle the knife as a tool and how NOT to
get cut. That said, I wouldn't even think about showing Wolves how to use
knives even privately - too risky. It's usually a worry-fraught meeting
teaching the Bears to do it. Not to admit this, but we generally have
about .75 kids/year bleed. One year, the Den leader's son caught his dad
with an ill-timed swipe while whittling on a closet dowel. Quick
first-aid lessons resulted - I don't know what happened when the den went
home :)

Follow your book - it's the safe way. Start 'em on soap; you can then
show 'em how to remold the resulting shavings into usable soap with a
teensy bit of water and some drying time. Also, try 'em on whittling
their Pinewood Derby cars...we instituted 'Best Car Obviously Done by a
Kid' award last year - the kids loved it, and we had some, um, imaginative
cars. The PW Derby cars are generally made from soft enough wood to do
this - occasionally, they're made from hard pine and you should get
another car to replace those - they're easier to whittle.

Good luck

Byron Hynes wrote:

> I have been asked to teach some kids about knife safety and basic use.
>
> I don't want to start a debate on what age should be allowed to carry
> knives, or whether lock-blades are safer than sheath knives, etc.
>
> I would like to know if anyone has suggestions for creative, fun and
> safe ways to convey basic knife safety or knife usage to a younger
> audience.
>
> - Byron Hynes
> bph@ntnet.nt.ca

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