Help, a Sgian Achlais, a Dirk or fooled ?

[Dale Seago]

It's a dirk. It's too long to be a sgian achlais.

The sgian achlais was smaller than a dirk; bigger than the later sgian dubh, but still small enough to hide under your waistcoat or jacket. Dirks often had a bye-knife and fork as shown, but I've never heard of a sgian achlais sheath having such accoutrements.


(EDIT: As far as being "suited for the battlefield", that's not likely. It's probably Pakistani made, and even if the steel itself is decent the heat treatment of the blade is likely such that it won't long hold an edge that will cut much more than butter.

And regarding the comment that "Weapons like this were worn in the 18th century by the Scottish nobility", well yes, BUT:

Those worn by the upper crust were generally fancier, with knotwork carving or other detailing on the handle and finer metal fittings. Up to The Forty-Five, the dirk was a ubiquitous tool worn by just about every Gaelic male in the Highlands and Hebrides; those too cash-poor to own a sword generally had at least a dirk.)