Safety / fake Sgian dubh

[Tobus]

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.

Those are my thoughts as well, Richard. If wearing a real blade is an issue, it's innovative and creative to replace it with something else like a bottle opener, shoe horn (which is probably handier than a sgian dubh for a lot of people), or other tool. But wearing a fake handle turns it into a prop. When it reaches that stage, what's the point? A sgian dubh is not a necessary or required piece of gear, and it's perfectly acceptable to not wear anything in one's hose at all. I would even venture to say that a lot of native Scots choose not to wear a sgian dubh these days anyway.

I wear a sgian dubh and use the blade for all sorts of things, but if I couldn't wear it, I'd look for what other things I could attach to a handle. Cigarette lighter? Vaping device? USB thumb-drive? Comb? What about a hollow tube with a screw-cap end that could be used for storing car keys, toothpicks, money, lip balm, and other small items that might be easier to access rather than digging around in the bottom of a sporran? Then it's both functional and creative.

[OC Richard]

The other thing is that whenever I wear a sgian to a piping gig somebody always asks about it and I have to take it out and show them the blade.

I would feel silly if I pulled my sgian out of my sock and was merely a prop.

Thing is, piping gigs have two components. One, I'm providing music. For weddings and funerals I'm analogous to a film score in that I'm providing the soundtrack for their event.

Two, I'm representing Highland culture. I take that aspect seriously. People will come up and ask about the pipes and about the costume and it's a valuable teaching moment.

[Luke MacGillie]

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.

I have been crossing the border with the full complements of equipment of an 18th Century Highland soldier since the 1980’s, full compliment ;-) . Sometimes with a letter from a Canadian Museum, sometimes not. Never had an issue. A skene Dubh is not going to raise an eyebrow, especially if the rest of your ethnic dress is in the suitcase. It’s a border crossing, not an airline flight.

[Ivor]

Am i not right in saying that a sgian dubh is a traditional part of highland dress? I believe many here wear non-traditional attire such as “cargo kilts” so there should be no need to have a sgian dubh but correct me if I am wrong. If you do not intend to dress in a traditional manner then there seems no reason why you should have a sgian dubh. Airport security will even confiscate nail clippers etc. so it is hardly surprising that sgian dubhs are a no no.

[Dollander]

If wearing a real blade is an issue, it's innovative and creative to replace it with something else like a bottle opener, shoe horn (which is probably handier than a sgian dubh for a lot of people), or other tool. But wearing a fake handle turns it into a prop. When it reaches that stage, what's the point?

I do understand that sentiment. But while my choice of a bottle opener over a traditional knife was primarily for legal issues (given New Jersey's knife laws, I'd rather not risk the however slim chance of facing a felony charge every time I dress up), it was still about aesthetics. The rare occasions I drink beer involve it being served to me in an open glass, and I don't get dressed up enough to wear a sgian just to meet up with some coworkers in a bar anyway. In retrospect, it would've been far less expensive to just make the entire thing out of wood instead of buying the "blade" and sheath, since its lack of practical use means it is indeed, ultimately, a prop.

sgianandsheath.jpg

Like I pointed out in a thread questioning the necessity of kilt pins, plenty of aspects of dress are purely decorative. Balmorals and glengarries can be sized to the wearer's head, eliminating the need for a drawstring, so why bother with the ribbons down the back? Plain garters will likewise hold one's hose up just as well as flashes or garter ties. Or beyond Highlandwear, shirt designs have long since advanced beyond the need to tie the collar shut, but we still wear neckties. And I don't know anyone today who'd even consider using their pocket square for personal hygiene, despite that being it's original purpose. There's also the non-functional buttons on jacket cuffs, broguing on shoes, and the list goes on. So is a facsimile of a sheathed knife in one's sock really any different?

[Miller6582]

I've never had an issue with wearing a regular sgian dubh in Scotland, however I am about to fly across to America to attend a wedding and don't fancy being relieved of any of my items by the TSA or HM Border Force so I opted to have a sgian brew made as it still looks the part but still fulfils a function. Included a photo of the current collection.

IMG_9915 2.jpg

[Guthrumironhead]

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.

I have that button design tattooed on my upper left arm. I really like what you did there.