Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

;PERSONAL KITS 167is about the very last thing that a woodsman evcThas occasion to do, our lamented grandmothers tothe contrary notwithstanding.Many hunters do not carry sheath knives, saying(and it is quite true) that a common jackknife willskin anything from a squirrel to a bear. Still, Ilike a small, light sheath knife. It is always openand *'get-at-able," ready not only for skinning gamesnd cleaning fish, but for cutting sticks, slicing breadand bacon and peeling " spuds." It saves the pocketknife from wet and messy work, and preserves itsedge for the fine jobs.For years I used knives of my own design, becausethere was nothing on the market that met my notionof what a sensible, practical sheath knife should bebut w^e have it now in the knife here shown (Fig.104). It is of the right size (4^-inch blade), theFig. 104.— Sheath Kniferight shape, and the proper thinness. I ground thefront part of the back of mine to a blunt bevel edgefor scaling fish and disarticulating joints. Thesheath being flimsy, and the buttoned band a nuisance,I made one of good leather that binds well upon the handle and is fastened together with copperrivets besides the sewing.Cutlery should be of the best steel obtainable.Knicks and dull edges are abominations, so useknives and hatchets for nothing but w^hat they weremade for, and whet them a little every day that theyare in service.Pocket Knife.— The jackknife has one stoutblade equal to whittling seasoned hickory, and twosmall blades, of which one is ground thin for suchsurgery as you may have to perform (keep it clean).Beware of combination knives; they may be pas5-