Scout Folding Knives

Classic Scouts Knives were a big part of being a scout back in the day.  The enabled scouts to do all types of camp craft.

There is still something special about these knives and are desirable for sentimental/nostalgic value and for their pure utility.

Brief History

The first Boy Scout knife was introduced about a year after the founding of the Boy Scouts of America in 1910.  Since then hundreds of different types of knives were made for scouting use.  Some had BSA symbols added to the handle and some had special scout etching on the blades.

Most Boy Scouts knives share similar designs with Military Folding Knives that predated them.

Up until 2007, Boy Scout knives were made in the US by prominent knife companies.  Well known brands such as Camillus, Schrade, Remington, Imperial, and Ulster all made Boy Scout knives.  After Camillus stopped production of Scout knives in 2007, the BSA switched to sourcing Chinese made knives.  

Camillus Scout Knives

Following World War 2, Camillus started making official folding knives for the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in 1947.  Camillus also made a number of knives for the US military.  They continued making knives for the BSA and military until 2007 when Acme United Corporation bought out the company.

Camillus Scout and Military knives can still be found on eBay and vintage trading sites. 

Victorinox Scout Knives

Victorinox has been making excellent knives since 1891.  Many of the traditional Scout knives were modeled after these knives.  Victorinox is also one of the few remaining knife companies that still makes quality Traditional Scout Style knives.  They also make other models that are very suitable for scouting and are discussed below. 

Military Knives

Many of the traditional Scout Knife designs were modeled after Military pocket knives.  These were often used by Scouts and many Scouts preferred the Military Models over the official BSA ones. 

These can be found on eBay, gun shows and other similar markets. 

Modern Boy Scout Style Knives

Victorinox is one of the few knife companies left making quality Traditional Scout Styled Knives.  Most of the other newly manufactured options on the market are manufactured in China.  This is good and bad.  The good is there are plenty of very affordable knives on the market.  The bad is that quality is generally inferior to what grandpa had when he was a Scout. 

Vintage Carbon Steel Blade Knives

There is NO School like the Old School.

Most modern knife blades are made with a stainless alloy.  Stainless steel shouldn't rust, allowing for more environmental abuse and less maintenance.  This makes them great for younger Scouts.

 Old Carbon Steel Knives have blades made with High Carbon Steel.  These knives have advantages that may not be appreciated by all, but are worth considering when choosing a knife.

Pros of Carbon Steel Knives

• Keeps a sharper blade

  • Stays sharper longer

  • Easier to sharpen and keep razor sharp

• Allows for Flint and Steel Fire Techniques

• Forms Patina (likely comes with one)

  • Beauty in age 

  • Patina forms a protective coating 

Cons of Carbon Steel Knives

• Rusts

  • Requires maintenance

• Harder to find

• Often fairly used and blade may be broken, chipped or significantly ground down 

• Nice ones are likely considered to be collector items and priced as such

Other Scout Knives

Although NOT traditional Scout Folding Knives, Camillus and Buck make nice quality Official BSA Knives.