Any Scout leaders or parents out there?

[Eee]

I was a Scout in the 1980s in the UK. SAKs were top of the tree back then and the saw and the can openers got most use apart from the blade.

I got my daughter (now a scout) a Byrd Wings Slipit. She's learning about slip joints with the safety benefits of a choil. The tern may be worth thinking about too.

[mikerestivo]

I don't want to add fuel to the flames, but the reason for my disappointment for the made in China issue with regard to scout knives is similar to Christmas decorations or US flags made there. Nothing to do with cost or quality, but there is an emotional tag for Boy Scouts of America that is there for me. To see BSA knives made in a country that has such a contrary definition of citizenship seems to me in poor taste.

I'm not going to march on the Chinese embassy, write angry letters to my congressman or the BSA about this. It's not that big of an issue for me in the grand scheme of things, but there is some mild disappointment there.

[kbuzbee]

I'm not going to march on the Chinese embassy, write angry letters to my congressman or the BSA about this. It's not that big of an issue for me in the grand scheme of things, but there is some mild disappointment there.

I totally get that. I think it's worth a letter or two, honestly. It's no different from US military uniforms being made in "another" country I hate that too.

Ken

[boxer93]

Hi Ted,
Nice to see all the input. Currently I am a unit comissioner in my District. I've been cubmaster, den leader and scoutmaster while my, now 22 year old, son went through scouts. I like the idea of carrying a single blade 3inch or less in plain edge. I found scouts like to cut things and whittle, a lot. The 2 spydercos I like are the calypso jr ltwt and the frn native. My son has 2 Blue BFC natives, he got his first one after making first class. He also has a blue frn native that I had 25 of engraved for eagle scouts that I know (pics here with some renderings from Alex D. http://home.comcast.net/~boxer93). They are almost all given out. I need to come up with a good replacement :) I hope (all of) you and your son(s) enjoy everything in scouting. If you'd like your son try a caly jr ltwt. I still have a few that I haven't given out to scouts yet.
Chris

[Fishstalker]

As a former scout leader and Eagle Scout, I used to tell parents to buy an inexpensive knife for a boys first knife. Inexpensive being less than $20. You can find a decent Victorinox at Walmart for that price. Anyway the reason for an inexpensive knife is because it's going to get lost. I've seen it time and time again. Now that's not to say you can't get a quality knife for $20. When he looses that first knife tell him it's time for him to buy his own knife. He will have an idea of what he likes and doesn't like, and he'll cherish that knife. Trust me he will take better care of it knowing he paid for it.

[holymolar]

The Boy Scout's motto is "Be Prepared" and I tend to think that that motto should be reinforced with a multi-tool of some kind so the scout will be prepared to do more than just whittle wood. I like for him to understand that he should be prepared to cut something with scissors, saw something with a saw blade, tighten or loosen a screw or nut, file something, tweezer something, etc. There are small, relatively inexpensive, SAK's that do some of those things. I started off my son with a Victorinox Signature Lite (just like the one I carry on my keychain that he had seen many times). It's basically a Classic SAK with the addition of a flashlight and a ballpoint pen. Several times he was the only scout in his troop who had a flashlight or ballpoint pen and he just swelled with pride when one was needed and he was able to produce it. After he got used to that SAK, I got him other single blade knives and larger multi-tools. He will carry one of the larger knives or multi-tools now but, also, always carries that little SAK - just like his dad does.

I never got him one of the SAK's with a corkscrew. It just never made sense to me that a boyscout would ever need a corkscrew.

[Minibear453]

Please don't get him a SAK. I am a scout, so not sure if I qualify, but my first knife, and first cut was with the SAK. I still have really bad memories of it. The knife takes too much energy to close, and the way it springs closed just isn't safe in my opinion. I discovered this the hard way when I was trying to close it, it slipped (the handles aren't grippy at all), and the blade snapped down on my fingers. If it were me, I'd choose something with a lock and nice ergonomics. Maybe the spyderco dragonfly in H1, or if that's too expensive, a Spyderco Ambitious?

[kbuzbee]

I still have really bad memories of it.

What do they call those? Educational opportunities? Sorry to hear your misfortunes, brother, but I'm guessing you didn't make that mistake again?

I hear you, slippies do have their own issues to deal with and the slick sides on a SAK are something to keep in mind as well.

Still, I'm not sure it wouldn't be a good first knife (for the reasons others have cited) with the proper instructions and cautions. My old carbon BSA knife had quite a snap to it as well, but the jiggled bone scales were grippier than a SAK, I'm sure.

Ken

[rodloos]

I never got him one of the SAK's with a corkscrew. It just never made sense to me that a boyscout would ever need a corkscrew.

The one reason I really liked a corkscrew on mine, is because they sell that eyeglasses-screw sized screwdriver that fits down into the corkscrew on the knife. I used that quite frequently to tighten the screws on my glasses :) .

[APS]

Also the point of the corkscrew is handy in undoing tight knots.

[Doyletoo]

I'm also a scout leader and concur with advice already given:
A SAK or Leatherman multitool will have the most utility.

BUT FIRST set whatever you want to give him as a "reward" for earning his
"Whittling chit". This is a adic knife safety certification the scouts do
Before a scout has the right to carry a knife. Very important step, and a
Must in a compliant troop.

[araneae]

I'd say an alox handled SAK would be a nice scout knife.