What exactly is a mattucashlass?

**Luke MacGillie** · 5th January 20, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by Orvis

I agree with Luke as far as the hideout knife was concerned. I, too, have a replica of this knife as illustrated in Wallace's "Scottish Swords and Dirks", p.77 (Luke, is your sgian one of Glenn McClain's blades? It looks very much like mine). With the scabbard worn hooked over the arm opening of a waistcoat (or secured within the sleeve of a jacket in some other manner), it would make a most effective concealed secondary weapon in case the Highlander were disarmed of openly-carried weapons. When I studied Gaelic, I never ran across the term "mattucashlass" for this weapon. I've known it as a "sgian-achlais" (armpit knife, from Dwelly's Gaelic-English Dictionary, p. 822). I also agree with Luke that the sgian dubh did not appear as an item of Highland dress (for those who could afford it) until the very end of the 18th century-beginning of the 19th century, and probably evolved from the gralloching knives carried by huntsmen. After all, who needed a little sgian dhu when one had a biodag (dirk) and maybe a sgian-achlais?

This is one of Glen's and early one. I got it from him using my HS Graduation money! So its one of his earliest. He has borrowed it back from me more than once. Its been on the Cover of Muzzle Blasts, and I think also in Muzzleloader and the Contemporary Longrifle Association magazine.