Ardwolfe,

I have spent many hours teaching and supervising my own children in the proper and safe use of knives, axes, and other sharps. I am now generally comfortable in the way the use their sharps. Unsound or unsafe handling will typically evoke a verbal warning from me which will in turn usually elicit a sheepish apology and a corrected technique by the boy. That is normally all that is necessary. OTOH, if a significant danger or mishandling occurred at the outset, or if the boy does not reform, then confiscation is warranted to the extent of the risk. Note, my children are both boys, and the Scouts with whom I work are also all boys. Possibly some alteration of the approach might be indicated for girls, but I don't have the experience to know.

Scouting requires an earned license to carry and use a knife or ax at scouting activities. Boy Scouts call it the "Totin' Chip." Cub Scouts name it the "Whittling Chip." Both require learning and observing the rules for safely handling knives and/or axes, demonstrating competence and safety in use, and the promise to continue doing so. Unsound or unsafe handling of knives and axes by scout is handled (at least in my area) by any of these means: A verbal warning may suffice in some cases; for other or more serious mishandling, a corner is torn from the Totin Chip or Whittling Chip. When the fourth corner is gone, so is the right to carry a knife or ax. Thereafter the offender must again earn his Totin' Chip or Whittling Chip, and the opportunity may not occur for a long time. A seriously dangerous mishandling of the knife or ax may warrant confiscation with return at a more suitable time (such as to the parent at the end of the activity).

These approaches have worked fairly well for us. Experience teaches. I'm sure your approaches will continue to improve, although I'm not so sure you did not adequately handle the problems you were presented. Obviously you thought you were responding properly at the time. Only in retrospect has your view of the facts become more stringent. Maybe you're being a little too hard on yourself. Anyway you have addressed the problem for the future.

Good luck,

John