About dirks and civilians

**Sir Didymous** · 25th January 13, 07:49 PM

Okay, I'm just making sure that my reading page after page of search results on here isn't waisted on my misinterpreting the findings. As it relates to formal kilt attire, a civilian wearing a dirk should be on equal rarity to one wearing a fly plaid. Is this correct? But the actual question I have is what about non-formal situations? As a medievalist, I wear my reenactment garb every chance I can get. It has pretty much became my day wear. As a result I am rather fond of having a medium to large fixed blade on my hip at most times. I feel almost naked without it. At job number two (a butcher), I even carry my sharpening steel through a baton ring on my belt for the weight of it. When serving in my ministerial capacity I always have a pocket knife handy when I'm not wearing attire that allows for my dress dagger. (My church family has come to like my eccentric taste in attire and formal renaissance fashions seem nice to me. Suits are reserved for weddings, funerals and ecumenical services.) I wear vestments occasionally for weddings where the couple wish. Sorry for the tangent.

The question to the rabble is how common is it for a person to carry a dirk as part of day wear? And does anyone know any place one could pick up a non-formal style dirk?

**David Thorpe** · 25th January 13, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by Sir Didymous

...how common is it for a person to carry a dirk as part of day wear?

Think blue moon, free money and hen's teeth.

**Chas** · 26th January 13, 04:09 AM

Originally Posted by Sir Didymous

The question to the rabble is how common is it for a person to carry a dirk as part of day wear? And does anyone know any place one could pick up a non-formal style dirk?

In the UK, unless you were on private property (to which the public had no access) it would be illegal.

Regards

Chas

**unixken** · 26th January 13, 06:05 AM

As for where you can get one, I just had Terry make one for me, to compliment the sgian dubh that he also made for me. He's an advertiser here on the site (A Real Sgian Dubh Made In Scotland).

PICT1653.JPG

**CMcG** · 26th January 13, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by Sir Didymous

Okay, I'm just making sure that my reading page after page of search results on here isn't waisted on my misinterpreting the findings. As it relates to formal kilt attire, a civilian wearing a dirk should be on equal rarity to one wearing a fly plaid. Is this correct? But the actual question I have is what about non-formal situations?

....

The question to the rabble is how common is it for a person to carry a dirk as part of day wear? And does anyone know any place one could pick up a non-formal style dirk?

Civilian dirks in general are very rare these days, though still sometimes seen for formal wear, especially when it involves Burns Night and the addressing of a haggis. In some cases, laws prevent it, in other cases people choose not too because it is "just not done" or because they see dirks as an anachronism. It's a pity really. I think dirks are AWESOME

I know of a couple American Xmarkers who have been known to carry a daywear dirk, though my memory is a little fuzzy on the details. One of them lives in a state (California?) where that is allowed. Another is a historical reenactor and probably only wears his when is garb, so that doesn't quite count as regular civilian wear. I've also read about a few folks who like camping or hiking in a kilt and have found a dirk to be a useful tool under such circumstances.

If you're looking for a usable (i.e. sharp) dirk, but don't want to pay custom prices, check out Kult of Athena. I recently purchased a sgian dubh for a friend and found them to have good prices, selection, and quality:
http://www.kultofathena.com/daggers-historic.asp

**creagdhubh** · 26th January 13, 06:50 AM

No. Dirks are not worn with Highland day attire.

Cheers,

**CMcG** · 26th January 13, 07:54 AM

I did a bit of Google image searching and found a few pics of people wearing daywear dirks.

The first two are participating in a parade or Highland Games:

A chap originally from Glasgow, who now lives in Badenoch

Xmarker ctbuchanan

The others are either historical images, or historically inspired. If Sir Didymous likes the historical look, as he stated in his original post, then maybe he can draw some inspiration from these:

A couple photos from OCRichards collection

Stuart Morris of Balgonie
http://api.ning.com/files/ZSYYFNbF-b...otate%28270%29
http://api.ning.com/files/wf1R5MKOTP...otate%28270%29

Look to the back, right of this photo and you can see a gent in white hose with a dirk

From the Highlanders of Scotland paintings

Xmarker Woodsheal

**creagdhubh** · 26th January 13, 08:07 AM

Colin,

Your first photo is not of the Clan Chattan Chief. This would be John Lachlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh. He can be seen below with my Chief, Sir William Alan Macpherson of Cluny and Blairgowrie, TD.

I like your examples of men wearing a dirk with variations of Highland dress during the daytime, but from a traditional standpoint I think the wearing of a dirk is typically restricted to Highland evening attire. But, to each is own!

Cheers,

**CMcG** · 26th January 13, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by creagdhubh

Colin,

Your first photo is not of the Clan Chattan Chief. This would be John Lachlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh. He can be seen below with my Chief, Sir William Alan Macpherson of Cluny and Blairgowrie, TD.

I like your examples of men wearing a dirk with variations of Highland dress during the daytime, but from a traditional standpoint I think the wearing of a dirk is typically restricted to Highland evening attire. But, to each is own!

I wasn't sure who exactly the fellow in the first pic I posted was, but in the thread I pulled it from, Thistledown suggested he was a chief of the Clan Chattan confederation. Oops!

While the dirk may not be a current part of THCD daywear, I think Sir Didymous expressed a reenactment or historically flavoured approach to the kilt, hence the photo examples I posted.