Sgian Dubhs, what is appropriate?

[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.

[Tobus]

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??)

I'm pretty sure the dubh descriptor is not in reference to actual colour.

[Layne]

No question that such a small item draws much attention. My wife and I slip away to New Orleans for the weekend about once a month. We routinely stop in to shop at Antiques de Provence, and the owners (still) follow me through the store, LOL. Though we only live 50 miles away, I have been asked by one of the owners (repeatedly), "I bet you have trouble with that at the airport". My wife has suggested that maybe its best that I just learn a Scottish accent and play along.

[tripleblessed]

No question that such a small item draws much attention. ...and the owners (still) follow me through the store, LOL.

Haven't had that problem....with my hair and beard, I get followed even on the rare occasions I'm not kilted.

On the issue of what to wear, I'm firmly in the camp of wearing ONLY a functional blade. Always. Whether or not
one is wearing a sgian, one should be firmly cognizant of one's space for reasons of personal safety, and that handles
the worry of someone grabbing it. Since I was six, I have RARELY been without at least one knife on me. Too many
uses; so many times it has saved the day (not in martial terms) to cut tape, open a package, get me back in the
house if I've left the keys in other sporran/p@#*s. Where I grew up, boys were not grown until they could be trusted
to SAFELY handle a knife, including paring/cleaning of fingernails. And control tempers; that is, by eight or nine.

As far as the bottle openers, in many areas, the handle indicates being armed. I've always been told, humorously,
of course, don't bring a knife to a gun fight (be prepared), and I add, seriously, don't walk into a possibly dangerous
area with a bottle opener. Much better to have nothing more than confidant carriage and good awareness.

[Tobus]

No question that such a small item draws much attention.

Does it? I've never, ever had any attention paid to my sgian dubh by the public. Never a question about it, not even a glance at it (that I could sense, at least). It's almost disappointing, as I actually wish someone would ask about it so I could show them the nice Damascus blade and talk about it.

Maybe it's just a regional thing, as there are a lot of men who walk around here with knife sheaths on their belts. Nobody seems to notice or care.