Tom & Bill have nearly said it all. <br><br>Probably most of us in this forum are fairly adept in skills relating to the outdoors (including using knives). Otherwise it would not be satisfying, & we wouldn't have an interest in this subject. As Bill & Tom have noted, many kids do not have parents participating in their activities, or the parents themselves lack the skills to pass onto their children. Many kids do not have their own individual sources from which to learn such skills, and they have not had the good luck to learn them on their own.<br><br>Scouting provides a program through which children can learn outdoor skills. In effect, it is a school for outdoor skills, among other things. Its programs are designed to be appropriate to the age of the participants, taking into account such factors as physical size & strength, attention spans, learning curves, judgment, and maturity. Its standards may be a little cautious & conservative, but they do work well. Remember, scouting does not limit boys from learning skills sooner with their parents or on their own. But if they have not otherwise already learned those skills, they will eventually have the opportunity to do so in scouting.<br><br>Knives with dull edges & points are simply training tools. They're analogous to dummy cartridges in a gun for learning & practicing various operations. <br><br>Have you ever felt the grip on a 9 year old. Kids of that age are not very strong, & their fine motor skills are not well developed yet. Carving wood is often too strenuous for them. Soap is a medium which they can comfortably cut, & with good control & direction. They succeed in carving something recognizable before they tire & lose attention. <br><br>Notwithstanding our criticisms, the scouting programs work well. Although I've had quite a bit of outdoor experience, I'm continuing to learn from the scouting programs & working with children & their parents.<br><br>John<br><br>