Knife skill activities to try with your Scouts section

To get your Scouts used to using a tool with a blade practice some simple tasks.

• Kindling: Create kindling by carefully carving thin strips off a piece of seasoned wood.
• Feather sticks: This is slightly harder than making wood shavings as the thin strips need to remain attached to the main piece of wood. These can later be used for getting your fire started.
• Digging stick: Whittle a stick into a point by taking small pieces of wood off the end of a piece of wood. This can be used for digging or making holes to put shelter poles in the ground.
• Chopsticks: once Scouts have some experience of using a tool with a blade you could try this chopstick making activity in small groups