Help, a Sgian Achlais, a Dirk or fooled ?

**Dale Seago** · 23rd August 13, 12:17 PM

As a hopefully-minor digression, I once got one of these, thinking it looked sufficiently "Jacobite era" for my taste but also nice enough to wear on formal occasions:

http://www.southernswords.co.uk/late...ack-2052-p.asp

You can click on the image to see a full-screen version.

It's advertised as having a "high-carbon steel blade", and I managed to look up what steel, specifically, was used. I don't recall just what it was, but it's one used a lot in the UK which compares well with the 5160 steel used a lot in the US by custom sword and knife makers who make "functional" blades. I think some sites also described it as "battle ready".

It proved impossible to sharpen. The steel, of a composition which was actually quite suitable for a knife of this type, had not been properly heat treated, and was so soft it could not take an edge. It also turned out that the blade was chrome-plated, and the finish scratched very easily.

**Burgondy65** · 27th August 13, 11:50 AM

Dale, Geoff,

thanks for the accurate information. I'm happy the item i bought could at least be considered as a Dirk. I don't mind it probably can't be sharpened ; that was not my intention anyway. So i'm glad I at least have a "replica" Dirk for my kit. However, I strongly dislike a webshop publishing misleading information, partially or not. Based on the information from Dale, this seems to be the case. I can't comment on the steel since i'm not going to try to sharpen it.

**Dale Seago** · 27th August 13, 03:11 PM

BTW, if anyone wants to broaden their knowledge concerning dirks, here's a good article that covers the subject from the origin as a ballock knife to the dirk's now-emasculated position as a large piece of jewelry:

http://www.myarmoury.com/feature_spot_dirks.html

**Sir Didymous** · 4th September 13, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Dale Seago

BTW, if anyone wants to broaden their knowledge concerning dirks, here's a good article that covers the subject from the origin as a ballock knife to the dirk's now-emasculated position as a large piece of jewelry:

http://www.myarmoury.com/feature_spot_dirks.html

That's a great article. I read it a few times while building my own kit. I am a member of that forum, but I don't visit it as often as I would like.