Hello, all from the Great White North

**Ninehostages** · 13th August 20, 09:38 AM

During these lock down times, I got a bee in my bonnet to hand make some unique Scottish kit to keep from becoming crazier than I already am. There are no Highland Games and even my son, who is a "drummer-in-training" is in hiatus and my inner warrior is still urging me to fetch my Claymore from the woodpile.

I was browsing web looking for other's experiences in making Scottish Kilt accessories and I stumble upon you. I would never have guessed that there was a forum devoted to the Kilt and I am happy to join you.

I am ridiculously Celtic in my origins ... Gaelic Celtic (hardly a drop of Scandahoovian) more precisely, pre-Celtic as both my Maternal and Paternal DNA link me as cousins with different Bell Beaker cist burials in Britain. (I am also 1/4 Northern Welsh Gog. Forgive me. Yes, I'm a good singer.)

Three of my four grandparents gave me Scottish names to work from. My sir name is Scottish but not associated with a Clan or Tartan. My Maternal Grandmother's is the coolest line so I associate with them. They were Jacobites from Blair Atholl and that family fought in the Atholl Brigade at Culloden (be nice). They came here in the 18th century but have remained proud, cognizant of their "Scottishness" and have manage to maintain it in an ancient sort of bubble. They call themselves "Scotch" which is an old Canadian expression that modern Scots have suppressed. They also have the coolest, pure, deep-in-the-throat Gaelic name MacGlashan ... septs of the Stewarts of Atholl which is handy as I really like those Stewart thread counts and I have hundreds of them to choose from.

I've just finished a rather interesting sgian dubh (even made my own carbon steel blade ... hard as Hades to sharpen, that) and I will post photos at some stage. I have a unique sporran underway (no, not Panda or Koala!) that makes use of a bronze cold casting for the face. I also have just picked up a nice chunk of real bronze from our local Habitat for Humanities Re Use Center (for a whole buck) that will become a miniature Bronze Age bronze sword kilt pin. Machining has not yet started but I've already worked it in my head a couple of times. Never machine nice anything without a good plan.

Great idea for a forum. See you soon.

**grizzbass** · 13th August 20, 10:09 AM

But it's 107 today and for the rest of the week so I don't want to hear about the great white north;^)

**Macman** · 13th August 20, 10:34 AM

Welcome to XMTS from just off the left coast! I'm glad you found us!

**Ninehostages** · 13th August 20, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by Macman

Welcome to XMTS from just off the left coast! I'm glad you found us!

I was in the Navy way back when the Earth first cooled but I never made it to Esquimalt ... almost but not quite. Have been there lots on my own steam, tho.

I'll bet that it isn't 107 there, either.

The two of you can laugh at me in January.