Thanks Jimmy, your posts remind me of the great historical info we used to get from Rob, God Bless him. This is interesting reading.

The Scots could not bear weapons and had to turn them in to the government forces, but they were allowed to keep small knives that did not exceed a certain length; thus the sgian dubh was born, a small weapon to be carried in the top of the hose.
this is not unlike Australia today, while I have no wish to carry a handgun (now illegal anyway) there are laws that even forbid carrying a small knife, and the laws are getting tougher.

Times have not changed so much!