Ouch. This brings back painful memories from Boy Scouts. That is, our particularly hardcore group of scoutmasters had a profoundly effective way of stimulating boys to advance in the ranks on field trips.
The youngest ones would be whittling with pocket knives, and so soon learned the value of good steel compared to the pot metal typically used in cheap blades. Their “graduation” to a sheath knife actually meant something. From there, the big push was to First Class, where they would use hatchets and axes. A lot.
Life rank Scouts finally hit it big by “getting” to use chainsaws. Clearing and harvesting cords of mesquite wood to raise money for the troop. A long weekend of harvesting wood could pay for the much of the rest of the year’s activities.
And a lot of sore muscles. But it was worth it.
Good good memories. I remember dad never ventured off a road without his sheath knife and Colt Woodsman.
I hope somewhere, somehow, scoutmasters are continuing and passing down this knowledge. Gutting and skinning animals, comes to mind too.