Here is the question to ask. What are you going to be using your sgian dubh for?

For me, I use mine mostly for cutting open box tops, and the inexpensive stainless steel blades that you find on most commercially available sgians dubh are just fine for that.

If I were going to be skinning an animial with one, then I would of course want something a little better suited for that task.

I find that most people who wear a sgian dubh with their kilt use it for nothing other than decoration. And really, in this case, all that will be visible is the top couple of inches of the handle.

So, the question to ask is how much money do you want to spend on a quality blade that you will probably never use? Or would you rather spend that money on some other part of your outfit? They even make sgians dubh that have no blade at all -- the grip and the sheath are one peice.

That being said, I do know some men for whom it is a matter of principle that if they are going to carry a knife it must be a quality knife, so that they could use it to cut through anything should they ever need to. If this is you, shop around.

The best sgians dubh I have seen were not in any Scottish catalog, but being offered by individual blacksmiths at festivals and games (like the ones that Doc showed us). And you pay for the quality.

The disadvantage to just getting a small knife to wear that was not made specificaly as a sgian dubh is that the sgians dubh are typically made with a flat back to fit comfortably against the side of your leg when worn. You won't always find this with a non-sgian dubh knife.

Aye,
Matt

P.S. -- I've worn a sgian dubh in NC and just about every state in the southeast for 8 years at least, in just about every kind of location, including schools, and never had an issue with it. To most people, when they see a man in a kilt wearing a sgian dubh, it's considered part of the outfit, not a weapon. Now I might not try it at the airport, but...