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Cub Scout Adventures > 
Arrow of Light >
 Knife Safety AOL > 
AOL Pocketknife Sharpening Practice
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Arrow of Light – 5th Grade
Knife Safety AOL
Elective
Requirement 3

AOL Pocketknife Sharpening Practice

Arrow of Light – 5th Grade
Knife Safety AOL
Elective
Requirement 3

AOL Pocketknife Sharpening Practice

Snapshot of Activity

Cub Scouts practice sharpening their pocketknives.

Indoor
3
5
2
If you want to know more about The Adventure Activity Key click here.

(It is recommended to use a large whetstone that can be placed on a sturdy surface compared to using a handheld whetstone when teaching how to sharpen a knife.  If using handheld whetstones, Scouts wear a protective glove on the hand they use to hold the whetstone with.) 

  • Pocketknife for each Cub Scout 
  • Whetstone  
  • Protective glove for each Cub Scout 
  • Spray bottle of water, one for every 2 Cub Scouts 
  • Black marker 
  • First aid kit 

Before the meeting: 

  1. If you have not done so already watch the Cub Scout Knife Safety Adventures video and the section on how to sharpen a knife.  
  2. Establish an area to safely conduct knife sharpening. Remove all objects and allow for plenty of room for Cub Scouts to safely sharpen their pocketknife. 

During the meeting: 

  1. Ask parents and legal guardians to sit next to their Cub Scout. 
  2. Remind Cub Scouts of the knife safety rules. 
    • Stop – make sure no one else is within arm’s reach 
    • Away – always cut away from your finger or other body parts 
    • Sharp – a sharp, clean knife is a safe knife 
    • Store – knives closed, in a sheath or knife block 
  3. Using what you learned in the video, demonstrate how to sharpen the pocketknife.  
    • Spray the whetstone with water. 
    • Using the black marker, mark the bevel of the blade on both sides. 
    • Lay the blade on the stone at a slight angle. Push the blade forward as if you were going to shave a thin sliver from the stone. Do not push down hard. 10 to 15 passes.    
    • Next, turn the blade over and sharpen the other side, 10 to 15 passes. Keep your fingers below the surface of the stone to protect them. Continue this back-and-forth action until the edge is sharp along its entire length. 
    • Check the sharpness of the blade by cutting a piece of rope.  The knife should easily cut the rope with little effort, if not, continue to sharpen the blade.  
  4. Allow Cub Scouts to take turns practicing sharpening their pocketknife. 

Other Activities Options

You can choose other activities of your choice.

Arrow of Light – 5th Grade

AOL Kitchen Knife Care and Use

Indoor
3
5
3

Cub Scouts demonstrate proper care of a kitchen knife. 

See Details

Bray Barnes

Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies

Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments

David Alexander

Managing Member Calje

David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.

Glenn Adams

President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.

Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.