Piper's Dirk

[MarkEvv]

Dirk Hilt.jpgDirk Tip.jpg

So every now and then I go on ebay and look for used bagpiping items and this showed up on the search. I had never seen one before although I have since learned they are worn by military pipers in full dress. In any event, it looked interesting and since the opening bid didn't seem high, I thought I would go ahead and bid. Turned out that I won! Yay, I think.

So this piper's dirk came in the mail today. I was struck by how big it was. The seller showed a tape measure next to the dirk but it must not have registered until I saw the package in my mailbox. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be wearing this thing while piping. It looks kind of cumbersome and potentially injurious!

The hilt seems to be made of wood with brass studs. The scabbard seems to be wood covered in a sort of suede. The brass fittings are in a thistle design with a St. Andrews Figure and Cross. But what I can't get over is the little knife and fork that came with it. So I'm curious what the story is behind having this knife and fork sheathed in with the dirk. I realize this is ceremonial but sometimes the ceremonial item had a functional aspect at some point in the distant past.

Cheers!
Mark

[unixken]

Yeah, Dirks are larger than expected, the first time you hold one. I have 2 of them... a typical "store bought" officer's dress style, such as the one you picked up, and a custom-made one produced by Terry, an advertiser here on XMarks (a real sgian dubh made in scotland... see red icon to the right ==>)

[Sir Didymous]

That's a nice looking dirk. There is a long history of accessories being stored in the scabbard. I don't know if the information I have is entirely dirk related. The Swiss and Germans both used to do this on their short sword scabbards and with their hunting trousses (A large knife with other smaller knives used to dispatch wounded animals and dress the kill). That's based on the findings from the mid 1400s and 1500s. Many people in the middle ages used to carry a small pick or bodkin in the same sheath as their knife, and there have been some Japanese swords found with knife and pick in the scabbard. In renaissance Italy the knife on the short sword had a specific name, but I will have to edit it in when I can get to my reference material. It seems to be a fairly common thing to piggyback the accessories, at least historically. I'm sure there are others on here with more dirk specific knowledge, but I thought this was at least loosely relevant.

[MarkEvv]

Thanks for the information! That's very relevant and gives me some context to think about.

Thanks again. Mark

That's a nice looking dirk. There is a long history of accessories being stored in the scabbard. I don't know if the information I have is entirely dirk related. The Swiss and Germans both used to do this on their short sword scabbards and with their hunting trousses (A large knife with other smaller knives used to dispatch wounded animals and dress the kill). That's based on the findings from the mid 1400s and 1500s. Many people in the middle ages used to carry a small pick or bodkin in the same sheath as their knife, and there have been some Japanese swords found with knife and pick in the scabbard. In renaissance Italy the knife on the short sword had a specific name, but I will have to edit it in when I can get to my reference material. It seems to be a fairly common thing to piggyback the accessories, at least historically. I'm sure there are others on here with more dirk specific knowledge, but I thought this was at least loosely relevant.

[Vectorxw8]

From my reading (and I am no expert) the dirk has been a standard sidearm from the days of antiquity. I have seen several examples of dirks through time. Many that have seen battle have the “Battle Honors” etched into the main blade. The small fork and knife were as you expect are used for eating when one is at war it’s a handy thing to have and it sure beats having to eat with your fingers. Being a rather short sword the one my father has passed on to me is 16 ½ inches from tip to the end of the grip makes it a very up close and personal blade. I would think it to be a “last resort” piece in my humble opinion.

[OC Richard]

Early Scottish dirks might have no small knife and fork, or just the small knife, or both.

I'm no weapons expert so I don't know when the dirk acquired these extras. But I think 18th century dirks often have them.

The dirk you have is basically a replica of the high Victorian style dirk as worn by civilians and by Army officers in the Highland regiments. It's a misnomer to call it a piper's dirk, because that term refers to a specific sort of dirk, issued to pipers from the 19th century to today, which lacks the small knife and fork, but suggests originally having them, because of the extra mounts on the scabbard.

I'll try to find photos.

Here's the dirk worn throughout the Victorian period and up till now by officers of The Black Watch. In the pipe band only the Pipe Major would wear this style



In contrast, here is the piper's dirk, issued to the pipers of all the Highland regiments. Note the extra purely ornamental mounts on the scabbard which suggest the mounts which hold the small knife and fork on the officer's dirk



A bit hard to see, but the Pipe Major is wearing the Officer's dirk with small knife and fork, the other pipers wearing the piper's dirk without small knife and fork

[Altenberg Bagpiper]

Richard, The gilt/brass mounted one you posted a photo of is actually a Seaforth Highlanders Officer's dirk. It is very similar to the Black Watch Officer's dirk though. Jim

[OC Richard]

Thanks for that info!

I was wondering about the fleur-de-lis or trefoil sort of tip on that dirk. Is that something only that particular battalion would have? I'm guessing 2nd Battalion, due to the gilt mounts?

Now, don't the officers' dirks of the old Cameron Highlanders likewise lack the small knife and fork, but have the extra ornamental mounts, sort of like a piper's dirk? I saw a photo of the Pipes & Drums of The Highlanders taken a few years ago showing the pipers wearing a mix of the old Cameron Highlanders dirks and generic MOD piper's dirks, quite interesting.

[Altenberg Bagpiper]

The tip is a good indicator. It is on all four post-1881 officer dirks that I have of the Seaforth Highlanders. However, I've also seen it on at least one older Black Watch dirk. Better is the thin brass/gilt piece at the bottom of the hilt on each side. I've only seen that on the Seaforth Officer dirks.

[OC Richard]

The tip is a good indicator. It is on all four post-1881 officer dirks that I have of the Seaforth Highlanders. However, I've also seen it on at least one older Black Watch dirk. Better is the thin brass/gilt piece at the bottom of the hilt on each side. I've only seen that on the Seaforth Officer dirks.

Both Battalions? Also, did the officers of the 1st Battalion wear silver-mounted dirks, or were both Battalions gilt? Did the pipers and officers have a different pattern of dirk?