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 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 Ranger. Along with badges, a camper can earn his knife, fire, and ax rights at Campcraft. Campcraft takes place on the waterfront at Injun Joe's.
Contents
Knife rights
If a camper has his knife rights he can keep a knife in his cabin and, with a counselor's permission, use it whenever he wants. Campers with their knife rights may also bring their knives 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 again. If anyone irresponsibly handles a knife then his knife rights will be revoked.
Fire rights
If a camper has his fire rights then he is allowed to build fires when they are needed around camp. Campers without their fire rights are not allowed to be directly involved in building a fire or keeping a fire going.
- 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
As with knife rights, fire rights can be revoked and they need to be re earned every year unless you have your Junior Campcraft Badge in which case you can do a small oral test to get them back. A camper with his Advanced Campcraft Badge never needs to re earn his fire rights.
Badges
The four Campcraft badges and the badge parts that go along with them.
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.
- Natural Cordage
- Senior Knots
- Shelter Building
- Fire test using a magnesium block rather than a match
- Survival 101
Advanced Campcraft Badge
The advanced badge is the third Campcraft badge. It was the final badge until the Ranger was reintroduced in 2005. With his advanced badge a camper never needs to re earn his knife, fire, or ax rights. Ax rights are not very useful, the only time a camper uses an ax really is on canoing trips. The badge parts for the Advanced Campcraft Badge are below.
- Natural Shelter
- Axe Rights
- Chopping
- Splitting
- Stacking
- Sharpening
- Fire test using flint, steel, charcloth, and a tinder ball
- Advanced Knot Test (tying behind your back)
- Coal burned bowl and spoon
- Survival 201
Ranger
The Ranger is the fourth and final Campcraft badge. It was brought back in 2005 for Sam Deeran to earn. The badge parts are below.
- Bow drill fire test
- Survival 301
- Leatherworking
- Cooking
- Knots
- Secret training
- Totem staff
- Wild Food Day
- Wilderness solo
