a new sgian don't idea?

[Joseph McLaren]

I've been reading with interest about the various substitutes people are making for the traditional sgian dubh. I suppose it might be more of an issue for us in the UK where carrying blades of any sort can be legally problematic (I can't speak for those in other parts of the world). I'm particularly drawn to the bottle-openers people have been using, but has anyone thought of using a shoehorn? I can think of two reasons to recommend this idea. First, many people only don their most formal of attire a few times a year, and thus their formal shoes remain pretty hard and 'un-worn-in', making a shoehorn pretty handy. Second, the curved side of the shoehorn should fit nice and flush against the leg~ comfy! I think some of the smaller ones on this page might be the right sort of thing:http://www.artistreewoodart.com/Gift...rns/shhn.html#



Whaddya think?

[Mipi]

Hm.... They are rather big (8" the shortest one) for one thing and they are to bulky IMHO.
The idea is good, but you would have to find/make something shorter and less bulky.

[Joseph McLaren]

you're right of course~ I've got an old dark wood one which used to belong to my grandfather which is much smaller. I've just checked and it fits a treat.

[DWFII]

This is a great idea...but....but the original shoe horns were made of...wait for it--'horn'! If you want it thin yet strong, that's what you want to start with.

Beyond that, if you haunt Ebay for a while you find all kinds of small silver or brass shoe horns that could be converted.

Just an idea....

[Kerr the Walker]

I think it's a fantastic idea.

The building I work in doesn't take kindly to showing up with a fixed blade on one's person, and while the bottle opener has been what I've worn in the past for similar "effect", I've gotten some strange looks for that one too. You'd think they didn't want people imbibing at work or something....

A shoe horn would be useful without risk or raising eyebrows in a negative way.

[McMurdo]

I think it's a great idea, though when formally dressed I normally have a shoe horn in my sporran, or in an inside jacket pocket, even my Montrose has a inside pocket. I'm also thinking that in a formal setting, one where you would be wearing those not often worn shoes, you would want to have a sgian dubh in your hose not a shoe horn. My reasoning is that Formal Highland attire is very traditional and a sgain dubh is considered part of the outfit.

[george7]

How about a flashlight

[Bugbear]

Saddly, I do not yet have a sgian dubh nor don't, and it is probably better to not have anything than to have something aughful. Kind of like McMurdo, I have a fold-up shoe horn and lint brush combination that fits well in a jacket pocket... just in case.

I think it might be a good idea for situations where you can not wear a sgian dubh, but I also like the idea of a flash drive, sgian dubh... just in case.

[Chas]

I am trying to make a sgian comb - a sgian dubh handle attached to one of those combs you find in ladies' salons - the ones with the long tail. So far very little success. I am using a cheap sgian dubh handle, but it is too plastic, too shiny to take the glue. I will probably have to carve a wooden one.

Regards

Chas

[Mipi]

I am trying to make a sgian comb - a sgian dubh handle attached to one of those combs you find in ladies' salons - the ones with the long tail. So far very little success. I am using a cheap sgian dubh handle, but it is too plastic, too shiny to take the glue. I will probably have to carve a wooden one.

Regards

Chas

Another good idea. You don't have to use ladies salons one; the tail is narrow and gives very little surface for glue. I would start with ordinary mans comb and glue 2 slabs (wood, antler, micarta..) over one and. The teeth would offer a lot of surface for glue to hold.

But.... the thing is I hate combs. They tend to pull my hair, so I use small hair brush. I’m afraid it wouldn't fit into hose! Even small one is rather big and I've broke away handle for easier carrying it when travel.