Has carrying a sgian dubh ever caused anyone problems?

**Braveheart88** · 21st June 07, 02:46 PM

I want to get a sgian dubh, but my mom thinks that it might make people nervous for me to carry a knife. Has anyone had any problems with this?

**Don Patrick** · 21st June 07, 02:51 PM

Not with a dirk, but I have with with knives in general. Courthouses, airports, some schools, anywhere they use metal detectors. I lost a couple of nice knives that way.

**Gary Krueger** · 16th September 07, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by Don Patrick

Not with a dirk, but I have with with knives in general. Courthouses, airports, some schools, anywhere they use metal detectors. I lost a couple of nice knives that way.

There is about a 5 to 10 inch difference between a dirk and a sqian dubh. The dirk is a long knife or a short sword...and is carried in full view from a leather "holster" affixed to the kilt belt in some cases. But it is carried in full view. Sqian Dubh means the "dark knife" or "hidden knife." In the days of the great kilt it was hidden under the tartan that passed over your shoulder. It was a weapon of final resort and close infighting as I understand it.

I could be wrong but that's what I have learned over the years.

I never wear one into a school...although I do wear it into church and other areas...I have never been bothered about it. At the local renfest, here in Michigan, it is policy to forbid any weapon of any kind except for those of the performers... since the pipe bands are only occasional performers, we don't wear them into the festival.

You can buy a Sqian Dubh type bottle opener etc and they even make them without an actual blade, just large plastic part that fits into the scabbard.

You wouldn't want to carry one on an airplane...in fact all that type stuff goes into my stowage luggage. The kilt, etc and pipes are always carry on but the sqian dubh goes in the large suitcase to be stowed. Ya gotta be smart about when and where you wear it.

**Dirka Skene** · 21st June 07, 02:57 PM

It shouldn't cause a problem in a casual setting.

**Panache** · 21st June 07, 02:57 PM

My advice,

Ask yourself:

Do I really want/have need of a real knife? A

or

Do I want a really attractive decorative item to enhance my kilt outfit ? B

If A You want a real knife, then you should check your local and state laws and codes about carrying a blade. Then decide if it is worth it.

If B You want something attractive to enhance your kilted outfit, look into a blank/ false sgian dubh or a "sgian don't" (a knife handled bottle opener, comb, or whatever) which can be a fun woodworking project.

I wear mainly "sgian don'ts". I have been asked VERY seriously by a police officer if I was wearing a knife in my sock at my son's elementary school (I was wearing a "sgian don't"). Had I been stupid in my interactions with this officer it might have gone VERY VERY badly for me.

I remember when I got my first kilt, a gray mocker Utilikilt. I had flashes and hose but I just couldn't wait to get a sgian dubh. It seemed a big deal at the time. After a year of wearing kilts I see the sgian dubh for what it is, a small part of Highland dress, interesting, but not essential.

For the record, I get a heck of a lot more use from my bottle opener than I ever had with either of my two real sgian dubhs which is why I wear that one most of the time.

Just my two cents.

Cheers

Jamie

**Robin** · 21st June 07, 03:15 PM

Only once...a police car almost knocked me off my feet when I walked on the side walk in the city centre.

I bypassed the Dutch weapon law with my custom made sgian dubh (Rab Gordon SG208a)...no blood groove and no fish scalers. It's now just a knife...not a weapon

Btw...I hardly ever wear a sgian dubh when casual.

**Monkey@Arms** · 21st June 07, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by Robin

Only once...a police car almost knocked me off my feet when I walked on the side walk in the city centre.

I bypassed the Dutch weapon law with my custom made sgian dubh (Rab Gordon SG208a)...no blood groove and no fish scalers. It's now just a knife...not a weapon

Btw...I hardly ever wear a sgian dubh when casual.

Hey Robin, those things cut on to the the spine of the blade are called "jimping." They provide some slip-resistance and are also decorative, but fish scalers they are not.

Best regards,

Jake

**Don Patrick** · 21st June 07, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by Monkey@Arms

Hey Robin, those things cut on to the the spine of the blade are called "jimping." They provide some slip-resistance and are also decorative, but fish scalers they are not.

Best regards,

Jake

Jake,

Some depending on how they are set up are for scaling fish, others for stabilizing your thumb, then even others for sawing light metal. Couldn't resist that - it's the knife collector in me I guess. Sorry.

**Monkey@Arms** · 21st June 07, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by Don Patrick

Jake,

Some depending on how they are set up are for scaling fish, others for stabilizing your thumb, then even others for sawing light metal. Couldn't resist that - it's the knife collector in me I guess. Sorry.

Well this is my fault for going off topic. You are correct, of course, that that grooves on the spines of blades can serve many purposes. Most sgians I've seen have file marks. Here's an example of a lovely Rab Gordon, like Robin was talking about.

Just curious, have you ever seen a functional fish scaler on a sgian dubh?

Best regards,

Jake

**Kiltman** · 29th July 07, 09:18 AM

I had a problem a couple of years ago at the Spokane Indians Ball Game. The Spokane Scottish Dancers were a demo group before the game. After the demo a policeman asked me to put the 'knife' in my 'purse'. He said some folks were worried that I was carrying a weapon!
I seldom wear it now. Never to schools or public events. While I'm hiking I might take it along; and always to the Spokane Highland Games.