Remember your Totin Chip?

rgranger · Apr 7, 2017

But first you need your whittling chip..

Justin_NSA · Apr 7, 2017

I honestly don't remember this. And I made it to Life Scout back in the 60's. My dad was stationed in Germany at the time so scoutmasters were other soldiers on tour of duty.
That was a great time. We had a scout camping trip for a few weeks in the Swiss Alps one summer. It was only a bus ride away.

jwing · Apr 7, 2017

Yes, I remember the Totin' Chip. It was the first safety certification that I ever got, and even as a child I thought it was a great idea. At my Scout camp, we needed to have swimming, lifesaving, and sailing merit badges in order to take the Sunfish out in the afternoons. I carry that philosophy to this day. For instance, I support mandatory safety training for boating and automobile driving.

capta · Apr 7, 2017

When I was in my early teens I worked on a round haul (lampara) net boat. We were all required to have extremely sharp switchblade (open with one hand and the push of a button) knives in case we became entangled in the net and went overboard. We even had permits from the PD.
I guess kids today just aren't capable of being responsible with sharp tools. Sad. Oh well, send em back to sit in front of the computer screen. There are plenty of sailing games for computers.

jwing · Apr 7, 2017

capta said:
I guess kids today just aren't capable of being responsible with sharp tools. Sad. Oh well, send em back to sit in front of the computer screen. There are plenty of sailing games for computers.

My parents owned a restaurant. It was the kind of place that was great for high schoolers' first jobs and the kids really liked working for my family. We taught them all kinds of things, including safety and how to properly use knives. We never had an injury. But then the government man came and saw that minors were using slicers and kitchen knives. It cost my parents several thousand dollars in fines, and they had to cut back on the local kids' (including me) working hours, because the teens could no longer do prep work. That hurt me and my friends who were working and saving or money for college. That was back in the 1970s, so I can't criticize kids today.

SailormanDan · Apr 7, 2017

Between being an Eagle Scout and an Army combat engineer, I drive my wife crazy with safety. At least now she's at the point where she'll come and describe what she's trying to do so that I can give her a better tool for the job besides a hammer or screwdriver.

Also taught her (and folks I sail with) that "Got it?" is a question looking for an answer, not a pleasantry to be ignored. (sounds harsh when I say it that way, but nothing like dropping a hammer on your foot to learn ya')
Thanks for posting this Jackdaw, it brings back memories.

Ned Ludd · Apr 7, 2017

I gave my son a Swiss army knife for his 7th birthday and we went over safety many times. he only cut himself with it once and it was very minor. All his friends parents were freaked out, it's really sad that a kid in the mid west can drive a combine and work on the farm but an urban teen can't be trusted with a sailing knife...

JRacer · Apr 7, 2017

Jackdaw said:
Funny how discussions run together..
I was talking with another big-boat owner at our clubhouse yesterday about Safety At Sea programs. He and several other adults on his crew just went through it, and we were discussing safety knives. He was lamenting how, because half of his crew are teenagers, that he couldn't give them knifes.

I said that must not have been Boy Scouts. Remember your Totin Chip? You had to earn it to be able to handle any sharps in scouts. Violate it, and you get it taken away. Then you cannot carry your knife. No bigger shame for a scout. The knife habits you learned then stay with you; I still cannot release my hand from giving someone a knife until they say 'thank you'.

View attachment 135056

90% of my life's good habits I learned in Scouts.

Still have it! And, awarded it to many of "My Eagles" while they progressed while I was their Scoutmaster. A great time on both sides of the fence! Actually, much more rewarding for me to as their SM and see them earn, learn and become great young men.

Bill Roosa · Apr 7, 2017

I find all this kinda sad. Perhaps the kids today just don't need the skills with common tools that us old farts did when we where growing up. Can't imagine how you do any kind of cooking without using a knife though. What are the trade industries going to do when the common skills/knowledge don't exist in the population? Certainly wonder what they are going to do if there is some sort of natural disaster and the government can't provide for all their needs for a week. Hurricane Katrina comes to mind.

Just sad where society is going.

njlarry · Apr 7, 2017

In the 50-60s my troop did not use the Totin Chips but all had the cool BS folding knive hanging from our belts, ready to whittle kindling wood in the event of a national black out. Even wore them to school on troop meeting day. No one ever called the swat team and the nun never gave a thought to confiscate them. Running in the school yard was a bigger concern.

Fred Villiard · Apr 7, 2017

I was 4 or 5 when I got my first pocket knife.
When I was six, 1944, took my birthday money and savings all $6.87 to Western Auto, in Mechanicsburg Pa.
Walked in alone plunked down my money and walked out with a brand new Stevens model 15, single shot 22 and
box of shells
Grade School, 1st thru 8th grade two grades to a room, during hunting and trapping season in the 7 & 8 grade clock room you could find 8 or 10 shotguns and rifles. Most of the boys hunted as they walked to school and home.
Times sure have changed .

AWalker · Apr 7, 2017

Yes I remember. My 12 year old Boy Scout has his now. I carried a pocket knife every day since about junior high school. I feel lost without it.
It pains me that my son can't carry one all the time. He always has one when not in school though.

njlarry · Apr 7, 2017

Proud of you Fred. Great story. We really were lucky to be raised by the greatest generation.

kimelmore · Apr 7, 2017

I still have my official BSA pocket knife...I keep it on the boat in the tool bag. Too bad I can't carry it all the time. Imagine if some former scout had his with him on that terrible day in 2001. Things might have gone differently. but I digress

DougM · Apr 8, 2017

I remember the knife I had in scouts, but don't really recall the safety protocol,other than being taught by my dad.
I also vividly remember the firearm safety rules he taught me from the time I was big enough to carry a shotgun and go hunting with him.
When I was in high school (over a half century ago), some of us, including teachers, had all our hunting gear in the trunks of our cars, and would go hunting after school. Try that today. What a different world we live in.

JRT · Apr 8, 2017

I think kids have the same capability today as any other kids from another time. The true issue I see is that parents are not parents they are friends and best buds. I'd say my son is way ahead of his none BSA friends in skills, respect and responcibilty. He carries himself differently too with calm confidence. He shows it everytime with how he handles any blade and is very pround of his Totin Chip.

jwing · Apr 14, 2017

DougM said:
When I was in high school (over a half century ago), some of us, including teachers, had all our hunting gear in the trunks of our cars, and would go hunting after school. Try that today. What a different world we live in.

That's a common thing during deer shooting season in my neck of the woods, even in 2017. What's different is how big the cars are now (full size pick up trucks) and more teenage girls are slaying the varmints. A high percentage of girls outgrow hunting. From what I can see, they would rather do their texting while driving than while sitting in trees waiting for deer to wander by.