Safety / fake Sgian dubh

[elperrogrande]

Who uses a fake blade? I was at the Montreal highland games and saw a few people that had a stag or antler sgian dubh Sticking out of their hose and it just looked so cool to me. I have antlers a friend gave me and a blade from a cheap sgian and could make one but since it is just for show and I do cross boarders to go to the u.s I was thinking of just cuting a piece of the antler and thinning half of it a tinny bit and us is for show.

[CollinMacD]

Some have bottle openers instead of blades.

[Panache]

Some have bottle openers instead of blades.

It is pretty easy to find a bottle opener at your local hardware store. I used to use the cheap paint can opener version, grind down the other end to make it the same size as the shaft, drill a hole in the handle I fashioned, and then used two part epoxy to secure the opener into the handle.

You can do the same with a comb if you have a mind to.

Cheers

Jamie

[Steve Ashton]

Or make yourself a "Sgain Shoe"



]

I use the safety Sgains in my rental fleet. I often have young men rent a kilt for prom and a safety sgain is better on the school grounds.

[Taskr]

I'm getting close to carving my first handle (overthinking the design). Without a blade of any type I am instead considering an oak rectangle of suitable depth to set inside the hose. Simple, sturdy and harmless.

[elperrogrande]

I was actually working on the handle and because by trade I am a mechanic the end of a small wrench would be cool.

[BertMcG]

Here are some I’ve done with antlers. One with a bottle opener, I like the wrench idea. I found some Celtic themed buttons online and epoxied them on the antler.

[OC Richard]

Wow Bert those are very nice, the stag handles with the Celtic buttons.

I do sometimes wear a traditional Sgian Dubh out of a sense of tradition, and I can see the purpose in wearing a bottle opener or other handy thing, but I can't see the purpose wearing a handle that has no function other than being a handle.

[Hirsty]

The chap once showed me his alternative one - a beautiful stag horn handle with a memory stick at the end. I really wish I'd taken a picture of it.

[Taskr]

OC Richard,

Tend to agree. The rectangle of oak will be made from a piece a scrap from the finish from construction of my first house. The handle is being carved from a piece of maple tree that I dropped as a kid and my father aged for his woodworking. I will be entirely decorative, but will have its story. I do like the wrench idea; perhaps there is some small tool from my father than might replace the oak.