Campcraft

Campcraft

Campcraft is an activity at Birch Rock where campers learn how to use knifes, how to make fires and other survival skills. It is generally a popular after activity, most campers go to it at least a few times. There are four campcraft badges instead of the usual three for most activities. There is the junior badge, senior, advanced, and the Ranger. Along with badges, a camper can earn his knife and fire rights at campcraft so he can use his knife and make campfires outside of campcraft. Campcraft takes place on the waterfront at Injun Joe's.

Knife rights

If a camper has his knife rights he can keep a knife in his cabin and carve with a counselor's permission. This is useful on cabin nights when one needs a stick for cooking hot dogs and on trips. For a camper to earn his knife rights he must show skill with a knife and have knowledge of proper knife handling. The parts of getting one's knife rights are below.

• Carve a feather stick (a thick stick with the bark removed and flaps cut into it so it can be used as kindling)
• Learn how to sharpen a knife
• Memorize the "4 Always"
• Take an oral and practical skills test on knives

After that his knife will be given to him and he will be able to use it as long as he does not break any of the rules. If a camper has his Jr. Campcraft Badge he only takes the test each year and if he has his Advanced Campcraft he does not need to take the test agian. If anyone irresponsibly handles a knife then his knife rights will be revoked.

Fire rights

Having his fire rights allows a camper to build fires on cabin night and on trips. Otherwise he can not be directly involved with the handling of fire around camp. The criteria of getting one's fire rights is below.

• Learn the basic theory of fire
• Light a fire in 20 minutes with one match and keep it going well for another 40 minutes. A camper is only allowed one log for this test, the rest has to be foraged sticks. This is the main part of earning one's fire rights.
• Clean a fire pit
• Do the small fire rights oral test

Badges

The four campcraft badges and the badge parts that go along with them.

Junior campcraft badge

The junior campcraft badge

The junior campcraft badge is the first campcraft badge. If a camper gets his junior badge then he will not need to repeat all of his knife and fire rights parts the next year to earn them again. There are three badge parts which are listed below.

• Fire rights
• Knife rights
• Knowledge of a few basic knots
  • Bowline
  • Square knot
  • Figure 8 knot

Senior campcraft badge

The senior campcraft badge is campcraft's second badge. The badge parts are below.

• Senior Knots
• Shelter Building
• Fire test using a magnesium block rather than a match

Advanced campcraft badge

A coal burned bowl and spoon made at campcraft

The advanced badge is the third campcraft badge. It was the final badge until the Ranger was introduced in 2005. The badge parts are below.

• Natural Shelter
• Axe Rights
  • Chopping
  • Splitting
  • Stacking
  • Sharpening
• Fire test using flint, steel, char cloth, and a tinder ball

Ranger

The Ranger is the fourth and last campcraft badge. It was made in 2005. The badge parts are below.

• Bow drill fire test
• Cooking
• Shelter
• Secret training
• Totem
• Wilderness solo