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Scout Leader folding knife?

W

william O

Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
96
Wondering if you have any suggestions for a good folding knife, about 4inches long, that would be good for me to carry along at my son's Boy Scout campouts. They don't allow fixed blades. I think I would prefer carbon steel with a spine that can be sharpened to 90 degrees for striking a fire steel. Thanks for any suggestions! William
 
I don't have one of these, but if I were buying a do-it-all folder, I think I'd pick this one:
wk-2.jpg


you can get them here
 
william O said:
They don't allow fixed blades.
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You sure that applies to the parents? My son is a Webelo and is not allowed a fixed. But on our campouts I carry one or two.And have even lent a fixed out to another Dad who didn't have a knife (and his son forgot his folder at home).

I think I would prefer carbon steel with a spine that can be sharpened to 90 degrees for striking a fire steel.
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If you can't carry one, you might be able to find a older carbon USA Schrade 7OT (a copy of the Buck 110) on auction sites. Although you have to be aware that some are stainless, stainless ones should be marked Schrade+ on the blade.
 
I have a WK-1, which is basically the same knife that Barberfobic1992 posted without the thumbstud. It is VERY high carbon, which is probably the most difficult thing you want in the finding of a folder; most are stainless. It would be really good for what you mention. I don't know how much you are wanting to spend; that could help us narrow it down, too maybe. Opinel makes some of their folders out of high carbon and are inexpensive. Smokey Mountain Knife Works has a pretty good selection of those.

Here is a thread I started about the WK-1 I got for Father's day from my family: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=656230&highlight=wk-1
 
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I don't think the adults are supposed to have fixed blade knives either. You'll find them, though, in your cooking kits. When I did survival stuff with the older scouts (my venture crew) we supplemented our folders with hatchets.

I used a Smith & Wesson folder. It was my first knife and there was nothing special about it. But it served me well for years.
 
william O said:
Wondering if you have any suggestions for a good folding knife, about 4inches long, that would be good for me to carry along at my son's Boy Scout campouts. They don't allow fixed blades. I think I would prefer carbon steel with a spine that can be sharpened to 90 degrees for striking a fire steel. Thanks for any suggestions! William
Click to expand...

Fixed blades aren't against BSA policy, they just aren't recommended.

I'd suggest something like an Endura or Manix 2. Maybe a JYD or Grip.
 
I carry a Spyderco military on Scout camp outs my orange handled version in particular. Most common with the dads is a leathermen carried in a belt pouch.
 
I always took a locking SAK with me, and always had a smaller fixed blade (Gossman PSK or Becker BK-11) on me. Normally had a large blade in my pack.
 
I'm assuming you want a lock back of some sort, so I thought of some others. I'm not a much of a Cold Steel fan, but I did like their older blades that used Carbon V. They made a folder called a Trailguide that you can still find on ebay and the like for $40-50. I keep meaning to get one myself, as I lost mine some time ago. They were very easy to sharpen and would get wicked sharp.

There is also a company called Mooremaker that makes some folders, lockbacks and slipjoints, with carbon steel blades. I have no experience with them, but their Roper line looks interesting:http://catalog.mooremaker.com/browseGroup.cfm?item_group_id=29383
 
ejes said:
I'm assuming you want a lock back of some sort, so I thought of some others. I'm not a much of a Cold Steel fan, but I did like their older blades that used Carbon V. They made a folder called a Trailguide that you can still find on ebay and the like for $40-50. I keep meaning to get one myself, as I lost mine some time ago. They were very easy to sharpen and would get wicked sharp.

There is also a company called Mooremaker that makes some folders, lockbacks and slipjoints, with carbon steel blades. I have no experience with them, but their Roper line looks interesting:http://catalog.mooremaker.com/browseGroup.cfm?item_group_id=29383
Click to expand...

I also had a TrailGuide from ColdSteel & like he said it's an awsome knife for the money...& I to lost my TrailGuide (in the coalmines) If you can find one get it & you'll like it :thumbup:
Here is another you might like... Bear & Son

http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerce/product.jsp?A=&range=81&Brand=8&Mode=Brand&SKU=BRS597
 
Wow, I think I would prefer the kids to have fixed blade knives before I'd want them to have hatchets.:eek:
 
Sounds like a lost cause to me.

Aren't fixed blades safer than folding knives ? What happened to all the "SAVE THE CHILDREN" nonsense ?

Selective safety, I guess.
 
shunsui said:
Sounds like a lost cause to me.

Aren't fixed blades safer than folding knives ? What happened to all the "SAVE THE CHILDREN" nonsense ?

Selective safety, I guess.
Click to expand...

We wouldn't want them to have knives that can't close on their fingers and are less prone to failure now would we? If we let them have those who knows what would happen.
 
The line they gave us in Scouts was, "If you fall head first down a hill, the fixed blade/sheath knife will pierce the sheath right into your leg......."

Yeah, right....

I think the real reason is to avoid the eventual game of Mumbley Peg that might erupt if there was no supervision.

As an adult, I'd certainly take a fixed blade, it just wouldn't be the Battle Mistress !

I'd also take a broken end of hacksaw blade strung onto the chain of the magnesium bar instead of planning to use my knife to create the sparks.
 
Get a multitool, it's definitely the most useful hands down.
As David said it's best to take a hacksaw blade, or any other carbon steel blade, rather than having your camp knife made of carbon steel-you may not have time to clean it in the field, and the hacksaw blades are cheap as dirt.
Failing which, the Spyderco Salt in yellow is a pretty good choice. If you really want to show off to other dads get a sebenza :D
 
Joben said:
We wouldn't want them to have knives that can't close on their fingers and are less prone to failure now would we? If we let them have those who knows what would happen.
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It actually make sense to me. If they learn to handle a slipjoint first then a fixed blade will be no problem. The other way around is ...more difficult.
 
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