All too often the uses of various 'implements' become confused, so the knife that might be used when in action is also used for day to day activities: otherwise the all too often over-armed highlander would have fallen over under the sheer weight of cutlery-dags and the like.

Think of the claybeg in the main [usually right] hand, and the dirk carried in the left along with the targe. Whilst the black knife-skean dhu is a last hidden reserve: albeit now oft carried in the sock.

As for the bayonet, extracting it is the least of the problems: in any event it is mainly a psychological weapon-as it is oddly comforting to have it sticking out in front when moving forward. At the same time the morale effect upon the enemy is quite amazing, and very few will hang about when they get that close. Even when they are your own soldiers, and you have given the order-it is quite alarming to see the bayonets of a rifle company come down from the high port to the on gard position.

The grooves on a bayonet are there to add strength.

James