It finally happened! Girl Scout knife safety course!

[Yo Mama]

I finally have the pleasure of running a knife safety course for the Girl Scouts the troop that we belong to. Trying to implement this for the last 5 years so I'm grateful to have the opportunity.

1st thing I'm doing is buying a Mora Companion for each girl. I'm going to be reviewing terminology then safety rules for cutting.

Then we will have some practice I am guessing with whittling chips but please let me know suggestions that you have. I would like them to make basic cuts as well is spearpoints with sticks to practice.

Anyone has a good outline or resources for me to look at please let me know I welcome any advice.

 

[Silent H]

You should check out the guidelines the Boy Scouts use for the Totin chip. There are a few lesson plans available online. That was my first introduction to knives, hatchets, axes, and saws and the safe use and maintenance of them.

Make sure the Girl Scouts allow the scouts to use a fixed blade. In Boy Scouts, our troop leaders always told us we weren't allowed to carry fixed blades. I'm not sure if that was actual national policy, like they said, or if it was simply troop policy. Either way I think starting with fixed blades is a good idea.

 

[lambertiana]

To make things more interesting you can do some simple bushcraft carving, such as figure four traps, or pot hangers for use over a campfire. There are plenty of instructions and videos online.

Besides basic safety and use, make sure you also cover proper sharpening. I am a boy scout leader, and many of the boy scouts I have known over the years didn't have the slightest clue how to sharpen a knife.

For an inexpensive folder you can get them an Opinel (#6 or #7 would probably be the best size for this). Opinels cut much better than just about any other knife out there, are easy to sharpen, and don't cost much. Plus, you get to choose carbon or stainless steel). From there you can move up to a basic Swiss Army knife, such as the super tinker.

 

[Yo Mama]

We ended up convincing them to get the Mora Light my Fire! 5 of them. Perfect price and will get feather sticks down easily!

 

[Mistwalker]

You should check out the guidelines the Boy Scouts use for the Totin chip. There are a few lesson plans available online. That was my first introduction to knives, hatchets, axes, and saws and the safe use and maintenance of them.

Make sure the Girl Scouts allow the scouts to use a fixed blade. In Boy Scouts, our troop leaders always told us we weren't allowed to carry fixed blades. I'm not sure if that was actual national policy, like they said, or if it was simply troop policy. Either way I think starting with fixed blades is a good idea.

It was a troop policy and a camp policy, and they didn't want to face the arguments. I was told by a few troop leaders last year that the official Boy Scout rules neither forbade nor endorsed knives of either style but most large camps do. I do some works shops with some of the boys and Scouts locally, but I have to do them independently of the troop and outside their official channels. After an impromptu class on knife skills and fire starting at our local Boy Scout cabin after dropping my daughter off for youth at our church next door, the local troop leaders shun me. I think I must have inadvertently threatened their masculinity...I really didn't mean to...

 

[Fanglekai]

You should check out the guidelines the Boy Scouts use for the Totin chip. There are a few lesson plans available online. That was my first introduction to knives, hatchets, axes, and saws and the safe use and maintenance of them.

Make sure the Girl Scouts allow the scouts to use a fixed blade. In Boy Scouts, our troop leaders always told us we weren't allowed to carry fixed blades. I'm not sure if that was actual national policy, like they said, or if it was simply troop policy. Either way I think starting with fixed blades is a good idea.

It's troop or camp policy. There aren't rules against fixed blades nationally, but in general folders are preferred.

I'd suggest having them sharpen pencils. It's good practice for controlled cuts. Other than that, practice cutting things that they'll cut when camping: paracord, rope, etc.

 

[Mistwalker]

I have a lot of knives of various makes and sizes, but I bought a blue Mora Eldin for the first workshops I'm going to do here this autumn at a local venue, to see if that helps people focus more on the skill than the knife...at least until they get to know me better.

Are they allowed to cook their own meals? Food prep is always a good solid skill, and fresh foods can involve a lot of cutting. That's how I started my daughters on knife skills at an early age.