New pouch

[Larry Luck]

Here is a pouch recently completed by my son, Michael. 

He and about 15 of his Cub Scout packmates (all 3rd graders) have been working since the summer on pouches and they are starting to get them completed.  The boys traced templates on cardboard, which I traced onto leather and cut into kits.  Each boy was assisted to some degree by his parents.  Some very little, others more.

Michael punched the holes and did the stitching, dyed the bag, and polished it.  Unsure of his X-acto knife skills, I cut the eagle piercing on the flap.





Here in Williamsburg, our boys have ready access to Colonial Williamsburg and the craftsmen there.  The sound of a Brown Bess going off is pretty common, so the idea was an easy sell with the boys and their parents.

As the other boys finish up, I'll post more.  I'm working on a craft manual for other Scouts to use, and will make it available to other Scouts and leaders when it is done.

Next summer, maybe powder horns.

Larry Luck

[S.Willis]

Very nice. He and the other boys must be very proud.

[Frank Barker]

Michael sure did a nice job on that pouch. That's what scouting is all about. This experience will inspire and stick with these kids for a long time, some even a lifetime. Some will be the up and coming craftsmen of tomorrow. Nothing like getting an early start..........Thanks Larry and Michael for sharing this with
us..................Frank

                                                                                   

[Randy Hedden]

Larry,

Back when I was a scout master I had a blacksmith make some simple "C" shaped fire strikers, one for each scout in the troop. Then myself and my assistant scout masters started scrounging up old Sucrets and Altoid cans until we had one for each scout. At a scout meeting I produced a large flint nodule and the scouts proceeded to chip/flake off enough flint shards so each scout had one or two for their fire starting kit. We gave the scouts the fire starting kits with enough char cloth and tinder to use for starting a fire with.

From then on the scouts built their fires at our monthly campouts using the kits we gave them. They didn't have to start their fires with the fire starting kits, they wanted to use them. Today those scouts from back then are now in their mid twenties to early thirties in age and when I run into any of them they still talk about the fire starting kits.

Randy Hedden

www.harddogrifles.com

[longrifle]

Very nice job on the pouch.

[wwpete52]

Wow! What a GREAT job he did!

[FlintRock Rob]

Larry,

What an excellent pouch your son made! I did much the same thing for some friend's kids last summer, although none of them were as gorgeous as this one. 

[Larry Luck]

Thanks, guys.  I've shown Michael the post ("you mean I'm on the Internet?!") and he was grateful for the comments.
Larry Luck

Randy, I forgot to remark on your great idea on the strikers.  Another aspect of this culture to teach the boys.  Thank you.

[JohnnyM]

What a great idea!  It teaches craft skills that are tied in with the history of firearms.  Even if these kids. later as adults, never own a firearm, at least they will associate the gun with an earlier positive experience and keep an open mind against all the propaganda.

The flint and steel kits are great too!  The missing link!  When I was a cub scout (40 years ago), the outdoor skills books talked about striking fire with flint and steel but never gave explicit instructions.  They made it sound like 'strike a spark to tinder and, viola!  fire!  I tried it many times on my own, no luck.  Of course I didn't have char!  No one mentioned char, because the writers or speakers didn't know about it.  Wasn't 'til I was in my twenties and got blackpowder fever that I learned from fellas like you about how to really do it!

Kudos, gentlemen.

Regards,
Johnny

[Tim Crosby]

 Looks great, Nice work. I'm sure you are very proud of your son and he of you. Keep up the good work it will pay off through many a life time.

 Tim C.

[trentOH]

By the time they are Webelos, building an Arrow of Light arrow will be too tame to consider!Building a bow to shoot them,however..........


Mr. Hedden, darned nice work with that troop!

[markwi]

The bag looks nice, more of that type of thing is needed now days. Mark

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

What a nice bag - sure a lot nicer than my first one - or last for that matter.  I like the colour and the way your son finished up the welt.  this won't be the last from him, I'm certain.