Sgian dubh and friends.

**Brasilikilt** · 18th September 11, 07:54 AM

Hello

I've been busy at the forge as of late, and then spending these last few warm summer nights at the 'cutler's bench', fan going full blast while filing and sanding on blades, shaping antler/wood and pouring pewter....

This is the most recent piece....

This little black knife is forged from 5160 spring steel, crown stag handle and a cast pewter bolster. It's built sturdy having a 'whittle' tang extending through the whole length of the handle which is peened over a little pewter and brass washer on the end.
It's meant to be a user, and not merely a sock ornament :-)

Here are some small-ish utility knives made with a woods-walking kilted guy (and Viking apparently) in mind.

A picture showing the steps starting with a chunk of steel, and ending with a finished sgian blade.

**hylander** · 19th September 11, 06:17 AM

Very nice indeed! I like the back knife especially. Do you ever offer your blades for sale?

**Brasilikilt** · 19th September 11, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by hylander

Very nice indeed! I like the back knife especially. Do you ever offer your blades for sale?

Heh, I suppose I should. People keep asking, and I do have more knives than I could possibly use :-) Perhaps I should take a hint?
I originally took a blacksmith class to make knives to replace ones that were stolen from my shop...The class lead to me buying an anvil, getting a forge, a mig welder.....

You mentioned liking the "back knife" PM me and we can discuss it in further detail.

**george7** · 19th September 11, 07:30 PM

I love that dark, rough stag's antler. Keep up the good work.

**tulloch** · 19th September 11, 07:43 PM

Very nice work. Do they hone easily?

**hylander** · 20th September 11, 06:19 AM

PM sent, thanks!

**Brasilikilt** · 21st September 11, 10:34 AM

Hello

Thanks for the kind words! I am still in the intermediate stage of forging and tempering blades.
I followed some fairly detailed instructions from online and combined that info with advice from more than a few veteran blade smiths.
So far so good.....The blades I have completed have taken a shaving edge and hold them rather well, unless I try chunking away at some hard dry oak :-)

Here are a few that are more of a sgian achlais/gralloch style currently on the bench with a section of boxwood thrown in, which apparently is a very traditional handle material in the UK.

You might see how these patterns are inspired by the originals in this photo:

Thanks for looking! Constructive criticism and even flat-out trash talk is welcomed :-)

Iain