Sgian Dubhs, what is appropriate?

[rondo]

...And some of us choose not to wear any sgian, day or night. It is, imho, not a requirement much like a kilt pin.
Rondo

[IsaacW]

I have a nice stag horn handle one that I never use. It is a plain and too illegal or questionable in most places. I think a bottle opener would be far more useful in most in most settings. Until I start. Hunting in my kilt

[Tobus]

I think a bottle opener would be far more useful in most in most settings.

To each his own, of course, but I find a functional blade to be FAR more useful than a bottle opener. I just don't have very many bottles that need opening, especially when out-and-about in a kilt. If I go to a pub, I'm drinking draft beer in a mug or glass. And if it's a low-class joint that actually serves me a bottle, I would assume they at least have the decency to open the bottle for me!

At the Highland Games, I sometimes buy myself bangers and mash. They typically serve it in that cheesy little cardboard tray with a plastic fork or a spork. Out comes the sgian dubh to cut the sausage into edible pieces so I don't have to look like one of those ridiculous Viking reenactors, gnawing sausage links with grease running down my beard! The sgian dubh is also handy for opening packaging (why oh why are so many everyday consumer products packaged in thick rigid plastic with heat-pressed edges?), and a million other uses. Let me see you cut your bangers or open plastic packaging with your bottle opener!

[IsaacW]

Trust me... I like a good knife. It just seems that in most places I wear a kilt, it is not helpful. Most of my kilt wearing is at work and I am a school teacher. Although I bring my share of weapons to school for educational purposes, the simple carrying of a knife for no real educational purpose would likely upset my bosses. Otherwise, I wear it out to dinner, a bar, or a party. At the Burns Night I held at home, there was a lot of bottle opening (I brew and bottle my own) and it would be helpful.

I do hope to perhaps wear my kilt out more at sporting events this next year and perhaps I will find more use for a bladed tool. I am thinking of throwing the boys at the sportsmens club for a loop by wearing kilt and tweed while shooting league this summer (at least one day depending on heat). I would also like to do some bird hunting the same.

Isaac

[Layne]

I do actually wear a kilt more often than not, when not at work (due to safety program requiring trousers); and typically carry a sgian dubh for aesthetics as well as for practicality. Recently I purchased a set containing two cased knives, one of total overall length of about 7.5" and the other about 10". The shorter of the two is near the length of the one that I am accustomed to carrying.

So, my question - what is the longer one for? Does anyone carry more than one at a time? If so, where?

[GrainReaper]

I have been wearing my DIY antler handled Sgian dubh, I have found that I'm often in need of a blade for things throughout the day, and having a 2.5 year old I'm endlessly opening boxes, popping zip ties that secure toys to packaging, cutting into that heavy heat sealed plastic that everything now days is packed in.....

I'm not a fancy evening attire type guy so I haven't needed anything other than my utilitarian blade I made. And honestly in the event I find myself dressed to the nines I really doubt I would buy a froo-froo Sgian to tuck in my hose, I would be wearing my trusty homemade one, and wearing it proudly at that.

[OC Richard]

I try to keep my kit as pared-down as possible, usually doing without waistcoat, belt, kilt pin, or sgian.

But I've noticed over the years that, when I'm out at a piping gig (which is usually the only time I'm kilted), the sgian draws an inordinate amount of attention from the General Public. So, being that I'm (in effect) putting on a show I try to remember to wear the sgian.

BTW sgian means 'knife' and dubh means 'black' so a sgian made from antler, or any other substance that isn't black, isn't a sgian-dhubh per se. (Sgian-chabar??)

BTW the plural of sgian is sginean.

[TheOfficialBren]

...And some of us choose not to wear any sgian, day or night. It is, imho, not a requirement much like a kilt pin.
Rondo

Plus one. I wear a kilt pin about every third or so time that I kilt up. A friend on here, Mike Montgomery, made me two really sharp ones. I really like them. I don't own a sgian dubh.

Wear one or don't. It's all personal preference and not "required."

from Southern California!

[Tasty Rabbit]

IMHO if your sgian cost more that $50 it's an evening/fancy sgian dubh

[Tobus]

IMHO if your sgian cost more that $50 it's an evening/fancy sgian dubh

Price has nothing to do with it!

My daywear sgian dubh is a stag antler handle version with a Damascus blade, and rides in a very simple leather sheath. There is nothing 'fancy' about it that could possibly be considered appropriate for evening wear, yet it cost well over twice the number you quoted.