Fake vs real dirk.

[Mikewood]

For those that wear a dirk as part of your highland apparel.
Do you have a functional dirk with a sharpened edge or a mild steel display dirk that does not have an edge.
I am looking to make myself one for the local renfest coming up but I don’t have any 1095 blade steel and the forge is broken so I could not temper it if I did have one. I do have a nice piece of mild steel I could use...

I am thinking of making one now and make. Real one later.
I guess I answered my own question.
But what do you have?

[MacRob]

When I do carry a dirk, it is always with day wear and the dirk is a functional, custom made dirk.

[Jock Scot]

Apart from the fact that civilians rarely, carry a dirk in Scotland when wearing the kilt these days, but if they did, I would expect the dirk to be an original, anything else would just be shallow.

[Tarheel]

I believe that you have answered your own question Mike. But...

My opinion on wearing a long knife on my belt is, it must be of use (when needed as a tool) and decorative is a plus. A dirk, as part of kilted attire, is not my forte but If I were to wear one, I would want a quality and authentic (as possible) blade.

Weapons (as tools) are appropriate in fewer environments these days and not as common in the public arena.

[Panache]

I strongly suspect that in pretty much every situation a blunt metal dirk will be treated EXACTLY like a sharp metal dirk.


So why bother with one without an edge?

Cheers

Jamie

[Orvis]

Assuming your renfest allows attendees to wear/display weapons such as dirks (some don't allow anybody to carry weapons except staff members who are acting as fest characters) and are portraying an historical Highlander, then I'd recommend a mild steel dull/blunt dirk to avoid somebody grabbing it and then suing you for $5 million after he/she cuts him/herself.

If you are wearing a kilt as part of modern Scottish dress, you don't need a dirk, and instead of a sgian dhu I'd recommend a sgian brew (you'll need it).

The only time I carry a dirk is when I'm attired in 18th c. Highland dress as part of a reenactment event. My recreated dirks are sharp (the way the makers finished them) and occasionally come in handy as tools (cutting ropes, for example), but I keep them close and don't allow anybody not in my reenactment group to handle them due to liability issues.

[MacRob]

Apart from the fact that civilians rarely, carry a dirk in Scotland when wearing the kilt these days, but if they did, I would expect the dirk to be an original, anything else would just be shallow.

I have carried one at Highland Games in North America since 1983. No one has ever been cut by my dirks, except me (by accident, of course), and they have been a source of interest to others. I do not understand your comment re: "shallow" Jock. Mine was made by Vince Evans and is a custom made, quite expensive, and very attractive knife. Anyway, I would not expect to carry one in Scotland, given the laws and concerns in Great Britain about edged weapons of all kinds.

[Geoff Withnell]

The ref faire I go to most often is the Pennsylvania Rennaissance Fair and they allow weapons, but they must be "peace bonded". There must be a tie wrap, or some means of securing the weapon in the scabbard, so it cannot be readily drawn. I wrap clear duct tape around the top of the scabbard and the dirk handle where they meet with the dirk sheathed. Almost invisible, and the renfair folks are satisfied. Oddly enough, they don't seem to consider sgains to be weapons, as I have never been asked to peace bond my sgian. My dirk is quite sharp.

Assuming your renfest allows attendees to wear/display weapons such as dirks (some don't allow anybody to carry weapons except staff members who are acting as fest characters) and are portraying an historical Highlander, then I'd recommend a mild steel dull/blunt dirk to avoid somebody grabbing it and then suing you for $5 million after he/she cuts him/herself.

If you are wearing a kilt as part of modern Scottish dress, you don't need a dirk, and instead of a sgian dhu I'd recommend a sgian brew (you'll need it).

The only time I carry a dirk is when I'm attired in 18th c. Highland dress as part of a reenactment event. My recreated dirks are sharp (the way the makers finished them) and occasionally come in handy as tools (cutting ropes, for example), but I keep them close and don't allow anybody not in my reenactment group to handle them due to liability issues.

[Orvis]

The ref faire I go to most often is the Pennsylvania Rennaissance Fair and they allow weapons, but they must be "peace bonded". There must be a tie wrap, or some means of securing the weapon in the scabbard, so it cannot be readily drawn. I wrap clear duct tape around the top of the scabbard and the dirk handle where they meet with the dirk sheathed. Almost invisible, and the renfair folks are satisfied. Oddly enough, they don't seem to consider sgains to be weapons, as I have never been asked to peace bond my sgian. My dirk is quite sharp.

I usually go to the Maryland Renn Faire near Annapolis - no weapons allowed! I've been to reenactments where the management seemed to be untrusting of the reenactors' ability to control their bladed weapons (when it came to some idiotic tourists or their kids trying to suddenly grab them) and they (being properly aware of liability issues) made us tie them in such a way that the blades could not be drawn from the scabbards without going through a specific set of steps. While some of the living history guys had sharp blades, most of us Highland reenactors had blunt dirks and swords to prevent the $5 million liability lawsuit conundrum.

BTW, I admire the fact that you've got a Vince Evans dirk - I've seen a few of them and they are to die for! I've got one by Glenn McClain and two by Mike McRae - all sharp.

[Orvis]

Whoops! In a previous post, I expressed my admiration of Geoff Withnell having a Vince Evans dirk. Then I noticed that it was actually MacRob that had that dirk. My apology - Murphy's Law was in full operation!