Boy Scout Knife Policy

A typical Boy Scout pocket knife.

For some, the image of a Boy Scout is not complete without his trusty pocket knife nearby. Scouts work hard to earn the right to carry a pocketknife, and use it for a variety of things. Keeping boys safe has always been a main focus of the scouting program. To that end the Boy Scouts of America require boys to comply with certain safety rules regarding knives.

Purpose

The aim of the Boy Scout knife policy is to keep boys safe while they use their knives. For this reason, activities that require or encourage the use of a knife have remained a component of the scouting program, regardless of the potential dangers of using one, as long as they are undertaken according to the pre-established rules. Teaching a boy how to properly handle a knife and then holding him accountable to the rules that he has learned helps him develop responsibility.

Totin' Chip

The Totin' Chip card signifies that a boy has learned the required safety rules and is allowed to carry and use certain metal bladed tools at scouting functions. The scout must demonstrate to either his leader or someone that his leader designates that he understands the rules for using a knife as well as other woodworking tools, as they are laid out in the Boy Scout Handbook.

Proper Knife Handling

One of the first things a scout must be able to do is to open and close a knife properly. Knives should be closed by placing the handle into the left palm, and pushing the blade into the handle by placing the right fingers on the back of the blade. If a scout cannot demonstrate the proper technique for doing this, then he will not be allowed to use a knife. Likewise, a scout must show the proper way to hand a knife to someone.

Other Scout Knife Rules

Although the Boy Scout program allows and even encourages the use of knives by scouts, there are certain types and sizes of knives that are forbidden. Scouts are encouraged to carry pocketknives with a blade that is no longer than 4 inches. There are some states that consider any blade over 3 inches long to be a concealed weapon, so some councils require all scouting knives to be 3 inches or shorter.

Double sided blades are not allowed in scouting, as they are unnecessarily dangerous. Likewise, spring loaded knives and switchblades are considered unsafe and are not allowed in scouting.

Variations to Rules

In general, the Boy Scout knife usage policy is limited to that listed in the handbook. Individual councils, camps and even troops can have their own policies that address topics that are not covered in the handbook. This can include when and where a knife can be used, when a scout is and is not allowed to carry a knife, and how infractions against the rules are handled. Some troops handle infractions by tearing off a corner of the card for each one. Once the card has lost all four corners, the scout loses his knife privileges and must re-take the Totin' Chip class. Others simply confiscate the knife for a set period of time.

References

• Boy Scouts of America: Totin' Chip
• Scouting Around.com: Knife Guidelines