BSA Troop 5 Scout Knife Policy
Approved by the Troop 5 Committee, June 17, 2015.
Troop 5 has instituted a knife policy to help protect all scouts from accidents and/or actions related to knives.
Many types of knives are being carried by Scouts, many beyond the need in scouting. A Scout knife is a tool,
not a weapon, not a toy, not a fashion accessory, not a status symbol.
The following Troop Policy applies to all Troop 5 Scouts on all Troop activities which also include Summer
Camp and High Adventure Trips.
· Scouts may only carry folding pocket knives that are consistent with the national BSA policy. Troop 5
prefers locking blade knives to prevent blade folding incidents.
· Switchblades, Ballistic knives, Butterfly knives are not allowed.
· Any spring assisted opening technology knives are not allowed.
· Sheath knives are not allowed.
· Scout knife blade length can be no more than three inches.
· All knives must be carried and used in safe manner to prevent accidents.
· A Scout must earn and carry BSA Tot’n Chip with them if they carry or use a scout knife, hatchet, saw,
or axe at any Scouting activity.
· A scout may not trade, barter or sell knives.
· Violation of Troop 5 Knife Policy will result in reduced and/or revoked knife privileges as deemed fit by
the Scoutmaster or his designee.
· Knives that are in violation of this policy will be confiscated and must be retrieved by the Scout’s
parent or guardian.
· A Scout’s actions that are in violation of this policy may result in a Scout being sent home from the
remainder of an activity requiring a parent or guardian to pick up the Scout. The Scout’s parent or
guardian will be responsible for all transportation costs needed to remove the Scout from the activity.
The Scout will be suspended from all future Troop activities until the Scoutmaster and Troop
Committee have had a chance to review the incident and have decided on disciplinary action.
Disciplinary action can be as serious as expulsion from Troop 5.
Summer Camp
In addition to the above policy, the following applies to Summer Camp.
· When arriving at Summer Camp, all Scouts will turn in their Tot’n Chip to the Scoutmaster in Charge.
· A Scout can only request his Tot’n Chip from the Scoutmaster in Charge when his knife is needed for a
Merit Badge class he is attending.
· The Scout will turn in his Tot’n Chip as soon as he is done with that class, that day.
Definitions
A switchblade (also known as an automatic knife, switch, or flick knife) is a type of knife with a folding or
sliding blade contained in the handle which is opened by a spring when a button or lever on the grip is
pressed.
A ballistic knife is an automatic knife with a detachable blade that can be expelled from the handle/frame as a
projectile by means of a spring-operated or gas-driven mechanism. These knives have been banned
nationwide in the United States since 1986.
A Butterfly knife is folding pocket knife with two handles counter-rotating around the tang such that, when
closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the handles.
Spring assisted opening technology uses an internal mechanism to open the blade from a closed position
when slight pressure is applied to the thumbstud or the flipper. Trade names include Forward Action Spring
Technology, A/O Knife, Torsion Assist Knife, Assisted Knife, Spring Assist Knife, Spring Assisted Knife, Quick
Release, Quick Draw, Alternative Automatic, Outburst, SpeedSafe, Blade Launcher and the Semi-Auto.
Troop 5 has instituted a knife policy to help protect all scouts from accidents and/or actions related to knives.
Many types of knives are being carried by Scouts, many beyond the need in scouting. A Scout knife is a tool,
not a weapon, not a toy, not a fashion accessory, not a status symbol.
The following Troop Policy applies to all Troop 5 Scouts on all Troop activities which also include Summer
Camp and High Adventure Trips.
· Scouts may only carry folding pocket knives that are consistent with the national BSA policy. Troop 5
prefers locking blade knives to prevent blade folding incidents.
· Switchblades, Ballistic knives, Butterfly knives are not allowed.
· Any spring assisted opening technology knives are not allowed.
· Sheath knives are not allowed.
· Scout knife blade length can be no more than three inches.
· All knives must be carried and used in safe manner to prevent accidents.
· A Scout must earn and carry BSA Tot’n Chip with them if they carry or use a scout knife, hatchet, saw,
or axe at any Scouting activity.
· A scout may not trade, barter or sell knives.
· Violation of Troop 5 Knife Policy will result in reduced and/or revoked knife privileges as deemed fit by
the Scoutmaster or his designee.
· Knives that are in violation of this policy will be confiscated and must be retrieved by the Scout’s
parent or guardian.
· A Scout’s actions that are in violation of this policy may result in a Scout being sent home from the
remainder of an activity requiring a parent or guardian to pick up the Scout. The Scout’s parent or
guardian will be responsible for all transportation costs needed to remove the Scout from the activity.
The Scout will be suspended from all future Troop activities until the Scoutmaster and Troop
Committee have had a chance to review the incident and have decided on disciplinary action.
Disciplinary action can be as serious as expulsion from Troop 5.
Summer Camp
In addition to the above policy, the following applies to Summer Camp.
· When arriving at Summer Camp, all Scouts will turn in their Tot’n Chip to the Scoutmaster in Charge.
· A Scout can only request his Tot’n Chip from the Scoutmaster in Charge when his knife is needed for a
Merit Badge class he is attending.
· The Scout will turn in his Tot’n Chip as soon as he is done with that class, that day.
Definitions
A switchblade (also known as an automatic knife, switch, or flick knife) is a type of knife with a folding or
sliding blade contained in the handle which is opened by a spring when a button or lever on the grip is
pressed.
A ballistic knife is an automatic knife with a detachable blade that can be expelled from the handle/frame as a
projectile by means of a spring-operated or gas-driven mechanism. These knives have been banned
nationwide in the United States since 1986.
A Butterfly knife is folding pocket knife with two handles counter-rotating around the tang such that, when
closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the handles.
Spring assisted opening technology uses an internal mechanism to open the blade from a closed position
when slight pressure is applied to the thumbstud or the flipper. Trade names include Forward Action Spring
Technology, A/O Knife, Torsion Assist Knife, Assisted Knife, Spring Assist Knife, Spring Assisted Knife, Quick
Release, Quick Draw, Alternative Automatic, Outburst, SpeedSafe, Blade Launcher and the Semi-Auto.
