In Scouting, there is no need or use for a sword of any kind. The “biggest” blade that a Scout might use would be a kitchen knife in the preparation of food. With Freemasonry, things are a little different and a Lodge had a guard outside the lodge’s meeting place with a drawn sword to keep away “cowans and eavesdroppers.”
In Scouter’s Lodge 236, we have decided to use wood in a way to tie in those skills we learn in Scouting. I did some research on the internet about the Tyler’s Sword and found that most of the swords being used by Lodges are either military sabers or swords created commercially for use by fraternal organizations. Masonic tradition says that the Tyler’s Sword is to resemble the flaming sword(s) the G-d placed with angels at the Garden of Eden to guard against Adam and Eve from returning after being expelled. It would be interesting is we could design a sword that could actually have flames but we know that that would be ridiculous let alone very dangerous to people and property. Therefore, we have to come up with a “symbolic” flaming sword. History shows us that “flaming” swords were developed and used. These swords were, of course, made of steel but the blades, instead of being straight-edged, were made to have wavy-shaped blades. In Europe, this style of blade was called “flamberge.” These swords were quite large, sometimes as long as 4 to 5 feet long. They required a wielder of that sword to be quite large and strong. In the Far East, wavy-blade swords were also created but the were not so large and heavy as the European Flamberge swords. These swords are known as “kris.” The blades are quite lethal-looking and apparently are quite damaging not only when piercing a person’s body but also in the withdrawal of the blade.
Scouter’s Lodge 236 has taken the idea of the flamberge sword and had one created in wood. Our Tyler’s Sword has a wavy blade, I believe that the blade and hilt is oak and the cross-guard is black walnut. At the top of the hilt or pommel, we have added a square-and compasses pin. On the cross-guard, we’ve added a plain Scout fleur-de-lis pin. These pins are on both sides of the sword. Down one side of the blade, I found small wooden letters and have spelled out “SCOUTERS LODGE.” Our Scouter’s Lodge 236 Tyler’s Sword was crafted by Isle of Man Woodworking of Delta, Pennsylvania.
