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Official and Lisenced Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts of America Knives

This discussion focuses on Official Boy Scouts of America Knives; Official Girl Scouts of America Knives, and Licensed Commemorative Knives. I can only assume that the occasional "unofficial scout knife" will show up. I'll try to point them out when it happens.

Only a handful of knife makers made Official Boy Scout knives. Below is the list of Makers of Official BSA knives and when they made them:

(Makers who didn’t make four blade camp/utilities are noted*)

New York Knife (1911-1931)
Remington (1923-1939)
Ulster (1923-1940)
L F & C [Landers, Frary, & Clark] (1931-1939)
*Cattaraugus (1933-1940 - "Whit-L Craft" 3 & 4 blade whittlers)
Pal (1940-1942)
Camillus (1946-2007)
*Western (1948-1979 – Non camp/Utility, fixed blades)
Imperial (Early 1950s-1980s, primarily Camillus blade built & re-handled by Imperial)
Ulster (1963-1985 round Shield)
*Wenger (1982-2002 – Wennger SAKs with BSA logo)
*Kershaw (1980s-Present – Non Camp)
*Victorinox (2000- Present Vic Saks with BSA logo)
China (Taylor Brands. LLC) 2008-Present
Bear MGC - 2009-2011 –( non camp knives except for the 2010 Jamboree Camp knife, possible 2009 production of 2009 camp knife)

Information on Licensed products and Official Girl Scouts of America knives will follow. But for now, it is time to show some knives Official BSA knives.

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Replies to This Discussion

FeaturedPermalink Reply by Charles Sample on September 14, 2013 at 11:15

Tobias, I noticed that Case was not on your list of officially licensed Boy Scout knife makers. I just acquired from SMKW this Case officially licensed Boy Scout Mini Blackhorn.

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on September 14, 2013 at 11:46

It is a minor distinction. You have the Official Knife, Boy Scouts of America" and you have officially licensed Boy Scouts of America Knives. I have seen the Case products floating around for some time but I haven't seen them sold in Boy Scouts of America stores.

To date, at least four companies I know of have been given permisson to sell licensed (that is paid the Boy Scouts money to use their name and logo) BSA knives : Case, Frost, Remington, and Sarge.

However, none of them have knives with the Official blade etch currently in use or have their knives sold through BSA stores. Taylor brands is suspected of making the Offiical China made BSA knives. They also released numerous commemorative knives in their Old Timer and Uncle Henry Lines. These are just licensed knives and not official knives.

I suspect that Case will soon be added to my list of "Official BSA knives" as opposed to my "Licensed BSA Knives" I just don't have evidence of them being sold in the BSA stores or having the current official blade etch.

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on September 14, 2013 at 15:56

By, the way, Charles, this is the discussion for all types of "Official" Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts knife, so Case knives are definitely welcome here. The purpose is to show the variety of knives that have been sold as Official Boy Scout or Girl Scout knives as well as those Officially Licensed BSA/GSA knives.

As an example, here is an Official 100th Anniversary BSA Old Timer Buzzsaw Trapper by Schrade:

Permalink Reply by Clay Strong on September 14, 2013 at 16:37

Tobias, thank you for posting this information, i saw a knife like the third up from the bottom left on eBay the other day. i would have taken it more seriously had I known more. I hope someone here got it. By the way, i found out how to ruin my day. I made the mistake of looking back at the eBay records of bids that I have lost. LOL

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on September 14, 2013 at 17:14

Clay, the knife you're talking about is an Imperial made BSA Knife from the late 1950s. I'll need to go through my notes to find the actual years made.. The handles vary in color due to fading. The etch has worn of on my example.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on September 15, 2013 at 9:24

Real nice knife and great info. I have a question. Did they ever make a Boy/girl Scout folding Hobo?

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on September 15, 2013 at 11:31

Robert, i have never seen one or read about an official Boy Scout or Girl Scout Hobo knife. However I know unbranded or unofficial one have been sold in the stores.

The New Jersey Council is currently selling a big Hobo via the GSA shop:

http://www.girlscoutshop.com/COUNCIL-OWN-MERCHANDISE/HEART-OF-NEW-J...

No such animal at the Boy Scout Store. Pity.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on September 15, 2013 at 12:13

I know I had a pouch with a knife/fork/spoon in it, that went on a belt. When I was in the Scouts.

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on September 15, 2013 at 12:49

Hi Robert, Probably oneor the other of these examples. (No these are not mine) The top one has a folding knife and fork.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on September 15, 2013 at 14:53

It was the bottom one. They all hook together. I wish I still had them. That brings back old memories. I was even a little Cub Scout before I got to the Boy Scouts. I had a Blue uniform. My first badge was a Bobcat badge....uh, I think...lol

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on September 16, 2013 at 12:15

I just remembered where I think it's at. It may be at my camp, in with the other forks and spoons.

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on September 17, 2013 at 8:21

Officially licensed or Official Bot Scout knife? For some people it is a big deal. Others can't see a distinction. I don't know where I stand on the debate. With the current Boy Scout knife being made in China and with Case producing some of the best made USA licensed Boy Scout knives it is hard to them up. Charles's Mini-Blackhorn goes for around $20. My BSA Junior Scout was a tad more than that. (LOL) I'm not sure I'd take it camping but if Case were to make a standard size with zytel handles for around $50, I'd be willing to toss it in a back-pack or front pocket!