Martin,

Have you considered looking into a different troop/pack? Because if you didn't mention that you've already tried the scouts, I would have said the group you describe is exactly what the scouts are supposed to be. The problem is, the pack is only as good as the parents in charge, and usually you'll have some overzealous parent trying to make it into what he wants or thinks it should be. That kinda sounds like the problem you're having. I can't be sure about the pocketknife issue in cub scouts, but in the Boy Scouts it was practically required to have a pocketknife on you at all times. And we did almost everything you mentioned, and more. One advantage to being in the Scouts is that you will have opportunities to go places and do things that most of the normal public probably can't, just because they have such a huge network.

Unless there was something fundamentally wrong with the core scouting ideals that you disagree with, I wouldn't let one experience ruin it for you, I'm almost positive that the group you describe does exist in one of the scouting troops in your area. It's just like being in school, the teacher can make or break your experience in class. And rather than trying to start something completely new from scratch, why don't you just start up a different cub scout troop? At the very least you'll have the support of the BSA, and you might be able to win over some of the poor cubs stuck in that other troop.