Sgian Dubh Question(s)

[Riverkilt]

Last night a friend gave me a belated birthday gift at a party. She'd taken the trouble to stop at Arizona Kilts and buy me a Sgian Dubh made by the Sgian Dubh company in Ayrshire, Scotland.

I was quite overwhelmed on a number of fronts. First, I had no idea she'd any clue about things Scottish. Second, she's met Graeme and Jackie and I still can't drive down from Page to Scotsdale on Saturdays before their store closes, and third, I did not yet own an "official" sgain dubh.

Its wood handle with carved knotwork on one side and a carving of a Scotish gent on the other. It seemed one I might pick for myself.

When I got home and looked at it I saw the blade wasn't just dull, its flat. As if I should go have it ground to a blade myself if I want a sharp edge. Do all sgain dubh's come dull? This one actually had a little sticker attached that read, "WARNING This product contains a sharp blade and should be used with care." (Do lawyers run the world or what!?) But this one isn't sharp, its not even dull, its just flat where there should be a cutting edge.

And, the blade goes into the handle at a weird angle so that its about five or ten degrees off line. Are sgian dubhs purposely made like that so the handle sticks out for easier grasping? Tried to straighten it by hand and of course the metal in hard wood prevents that.

So, hope this is within the new posting guidelines....I would sure appreciate some basic info from those more into sgian dubhs than I.

I know, its the thought that counts and I can stuff it almost all the way down my kilt hose anyway...

No model number and can't find it on either the Arizona Kilts or the Sgian Dubh company websites.

Thanks,

Ron

[O'Neille]

I have one from Graeme also. The new models are blunt because they are made in GB and they can't play with sharp objects anymore. I just tonight finished grinding and sharpening mine. You could always take it to a cutlerer and have it done. The angle is probably so the handle doesn't dig into your calf. Mine is just very flat with a tiny angle that I only noticed when I was doing the grinding today. Dremel has an attachment that would work nicely for putting and edge on. I just used my red-wing bench grinder to take care of mine. O'Neille

[Riverkilt]

Thanks,

That explains it, except for the warning note about sharpness on a dull blade.

My AA sponsor is a butcher who's offered to sharpen my knives. May ask him, though not sure why I need it sharp to wear in my kilt hose. Not like I'm gonna be defending myself with it.

Ron

[JimB]

I've got one just like it, but with a black handle and smoky dark stone. I just assume the angle is for comfort. I'm going to leave mine dull so as not to catch too much crap for it if anyone in authority says anything :rolleyes:

[haukehaien]

The reason for sharpening it would be to have a knife that was actually usable; not so much for defending yourself (although it would be better than nothing, in a pinch) but for the usual everyday tasks one would use a knife for. I carry a Leatherman multi-tool all the time, and I suspect that I use the knife blades as much as any of the other tools, for opening packages, cutting twine, and so on. The sgian I have right now is Cold Steel's Braveheart, because I wanted one that was functional. I'm not thrilled about the look of it though, and am considering making a plain leather sheath and putting a new handle on it, if I can figure out how to get the Kraton off it without messing up the blade.

[Caradoc]

May ask him, though not sure why I need it sharp to wear in my kilt hose. Not like I'm gonna be defending myself with it.

It's possible that you'd want to cut something else.

I'm rather used to carrying a sharp knife pretty much everywhere. You never know when you'll need to cut open a box, one of those damned vacu-formed plastic packages that it seems most consumer electronics come in these days (the ones that *break* my scissors, darn it!) a bit of rope, twine, packing tape, et cetera.

[Riverkilt]

Okay, you guys are making sense, thanks.

Since I work with psychiatric patients every day, and occasionally angry or floridly psychotic patients, I don't carry "sharp objects," nor are they permitted at work. But I sure see the point for boxes, string, et.al.

And, as I'd hoped, figured anyone in the knifemaking business would know their stuff so if there was a bit of an angle its supposed to be there.

Ron

[raindog]

Hi Riverkilt,
Not all Sgian Dubh are blunt and useless as knives. I got one a couple of years back from a British sword supplier (if any one wants the website PM me) that has a folded steel blade (commonly called Damascus) which is superb. It takes a keen edge and is about the best quality I've ever seen on a Sgian Dubh.
It looks the part too. I haven't even got a kilt yet, but my Sgian Dubh has a purple stone on the top, so it'd be nice to match the kilt to the stone
I'm tempted to get a safety Sgian Dubh too (bladeless) for the more security tight situations.


Jeff.

[scoutniagara]

Ok, the purple stone is amethyst...the birthstone for February (wife's birthstone), but it's also a common semi-precious quartz stone in Scotland, the others being yellow topaz (my birthstone) or cairngorm. It's not uncommon to have those stones in Scottish jewellery including sgian dubhs. They are some of the extracts from the Cairn Gorm Mountains of Scotland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairngorm_Mountains

One of my sgian dubhs has a straight hilt but the other stag-handled one is "bent" out a bit. Both came blunt, but are now honed to a hair-splitting, sharp, Sheffield, steel blade. It is my pocket knife while kilted. Because it is not a concealed weapon, you shouldn't have any more problem wearing it, than a Leatherman tool.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Hmmm...

From someone who imports and sells sgians dubh, I may be able to offer some perspective.

First of all, having them come dull like that has nothing to do with them being manufactured in Great Britian. I get sgian dubhs in all the time direct from the manufacturer in Scotland and they do have edges on them. That's not an issue.

Ron, the blade on yours actually sounds a lot like the blades my company puts on their children's sgian dubs. It's almost like an old butter knife. How large is your sgian dubh? If it seems smaller than it ought to be, maybe she bought you a child's model by mistake?

I'm wondering if the sgian dubh wasn't made by Charles Buyers. They are the manufacturer of the sgians we sell, and their packaging includes the phrase "the Sgian Dubh company," but that's not actually their company name. The way you describe it doesn't sound like any model that they make, though. Not that I am aware of anyway, and I'm pretty sure I've got their whole line.

Aye,
Matt