Where to get a nice sgian dubh or similar

[Katia]

In about a week I'll be going to Scotland, and have a friend whose birthday gift I am going to buy there. The plan is to go and just see if i see anything cool, but since I have a bad habit of not finding anything "cool enough" or "good enough" for dear friends, I also need a plan of specific things I might look for. One thing I thought of getting him was a nice sgian dubh. (He's not Scottish and doesn't put on Highland dress so won't be wearing it, but has an interest in weaponry and would use it as a display piece/memento from me. It doesn't necessarily need to be a sgian, a dirk or similar is fine... but I have a feeling that the larger I go, the more the cost will go up.)

Any recommendations for shops/makers in Glasgow and Edinburgh? Or places to look for vintage? (We'll also briefly be in Stirling and Rothesay and Hunters Quay, and I might have a bit of time there for shopping, but not sure.) Do some of the makers come to Highland Games? I know we'll be at Bute and Cowal, possibly the Crieff Highland Games... the rest is up in the air.

I don't want to break the bank too much, so above 100-150 pounds will probably be too rich for my blood (less, of course, is never amiss). But I'm obviously not looking for your common cheap plastic sgian that everyone at the highland games will be carrying. Is it even possible to get something not-obviously-touristy at this price point? I think a more traditional style would work better for him, rather than some of the contemporary designs (though I'd consider having a look). And I'd prefer to avoid horn handles if possible. I'm not that much into the Damascus blades and I'm not sure he would be, either. At least somewhat functional would be fine-- he'd likely not be using it, but I'd never give him a crappy useless blade.

(And though this is just in the weapons thread because of referencing sgian dubhs, any other suggestions for gifts would be welcome. Unfortunately, a nice bottle of Scotch is probably out, as he is soon moving to a country where he can't take it with him, so I'd have no (legal) way to get it to him. He'd mentioned interest in a Glengarry cap a couple times, so I'll have him measure his head. Other than that: his job has him moving all over the world, so he has a lot of nifty mementos from friends and places all over, so anything unusual/interesting/beautiful could be a good idea and right up his alley.)

Thanks.

[Father Bill]

From my experience, Sghians are pretty well everywhere in Scotland, but they're generally the touristy type. Mine, I ordered custom and it took a couple of months.

In terms of a Glen, you don't have to measure his head if you can get a look at a favourite hat and see if the size is still marked inside.

[stickman]

I wish you luck finding a good sgian. Most of the ones I have seen are junk that have the blades glued into the plastic handle. That is why I started to make my own, about 30 years ago. I hand carve the handles out of hardwood and the tang goes all the way through the handle and is fastened with a nut. I use mostly ATS 34 or 440 Stainless for my blades which keeps them from rusting when they are against a sweaty leg. Most are brass mounted though I do mount some in silver. All have real stones in the pommel. Don't know how many I have given away. All the guys in my old pipe band have them. If I knew how to post pictures I would do so, but I am a Computer Dodo. At present, I am making another set of bagpipes out of Katalox, a very hard dense wood. My brother asks why I need another set of pipes (I have three) when you can only play one at a time. But at my age I have to stay busy even though I have to push myself.

[Katia]

In terms of a Glen, you don't have to measure his head if you can get a look at a favourite hat and see if the size is still marked inside.

Yes, I should have thought of that when he still lived here! Any of his military caps would have been just right to have a look at. It's okay; it doesn't have to be a surprise as he knows I'm going to bring him something and am thinking about a Glen, and I already asked him to measure his head and about color preference.

I wish you luck finding a good sgian. Most of the ones I have seen are junk that have the blades glued into the plastic handle. That is why I started to make my own, about 30 years ago. I hand carve the handles out of hardwood and the tang goes all the way through the handle and is fastened with a nut. I use mostly ATS 34 or 440 Stainless for my blades which keeps them from rusting when they are against a sweaty leg. Most are brass mounted though I do mount some in silver. All have real stones in the pommel. Don't know how many I have given away. All the guys in my old pipe band have them. If I knew how to post pictures I would do so, but I am a Computer Dodo. At present, I am making another set of bagpipes out of Katalox, a very hard dense wood. My brother asks why I need another set of pipes (I have three) when you can only play one at a time. But at my age I have to stay busy even though I have to push myself.

Yes, I sort of had a feeling that anything really nicely made was going to come with a price. I will have a look around, though, just in case.

I don't think you ever have too many sets of pipes, though.