Ideas for the ABS

[Joss]

Originally posted by raker in this thread:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=261165
One of the new objectives of the ABS is to try to get the Boy Scouts to award a badge for the making of a forged knife. If we can get them started early enough to understand that a knife is a tool to cut with, then in time we will be able to get some common sense laws, maybe. It sounds like a good idea to me anyway.

I think that this is an outstanding idea. I hope that also applies to the Girl Scouts. One thing the ABS should work on is develop a female customer base.

I'd be interested in reading of ideas to help grow the popularity of the custom knife and the forged knife.

One thing I noticed is how few of the MS are female (one more this year) or minorities. I'm not suggesting anything like a diversity program barf: ) but those are obviously markets that could be better addressed, and I'm wondering how we could go about it.

JD

 

[Bruce Bump]

Knifemaking would be the best craft I can think of for the Boy Scouts. I got my interests in knifemaking because of a boys group. I was a leader of 10 years in Royal Rangers (assembly of God) We went on to FCF (frontier camping fellowship) It was great fun as well as spiritual. Some of the best times of my life.

 

[Darren Ellis]

Originally posted by Joss
I think that this is an outstanding idea. I hope that also applies to the Girl Scouts. One thing the ABS should work on is develop a female customer base.
JD

Joss, I second that statement! I was already planning to write a letter to the ABS to express that concern! If it is done for the Boy Scouts, it should certainly be done for the Girl Scouts as well. Looking at the ratio of male to female bladesmiths certainly shows a problem in that area.

There are many females out there that could probably give a lot of male knifemakers a run for their money if they got bitten by the bug! Also, knifemaking can be viewed and pursued from many avenues, and I feel (and this may be completely unwarranted) that more female involvement could lead to interesting artistic developments in the craft.

If we can get them started early enough to understand that a knife is a tool to cut with, then in time we will be able to get some common sense laws, maybe.

Definitely, and this applies to women as well! I guarantee that more women view knives as only a weapon than do men. If more were involved in this craft, maybe that view would slowly change over time. In addition, more women being interested in knifemaking might spur more female knife collectors...that certainly wouldn't be a bad thing either.




-Darren

 

[burke531]

Don't forget the little people in 4-H. If there is a 4-H program in your area sign up to do a class. In my area they are always looking for people to do classes for the kids. I was greeted with open arms even after I said I wanted to do a knife making class. After I explained about the forging part of the whole deal they nearly begged me to go ahead with it. I'll let every one know how things went in a few weeks. IF I survive twelve 11-14 year olds.

 

[Darren Ellis]

Originally posted by burke531
Don't forget the little people in 4-H. If there is a 4-H program in your area sign up to do a class. In my area they are always looking for people to do classes for the kids.

Hi Bill,

Please do post an update of what you did and how it went as well as what you might do differently next time, I'm interested in this, I may look into something like this in the near future once I get some free time. Anything we can do to promote this craft to younger generations is a good thing, male and female. If we can show even a few that knives are more than just a weapon, that could do a lot to help with public awareness in the future.

-Darren

 

[Frontier Forge]

Its my understanding that a couple years back yje bsa(cub and boy scouts)were indeed offer patches in blacksmithing, knifemaking itself could incorperate a few patches in one. Wood working(handles) Leathercraft (sheath) Blacksmithing (blade) And perhaps more its been 26 years since Ive been a scout.