Sheath for a sgian dubh questions.

[David Thornton]

I have a knife maker who like me trains a few dogs and he has decided to take me on as an apprentice for long enough to build a sgian dubh. I will be forging the blade, shaping and adding cape buffalo horn handle.

What was a traditional sgian made from? Were highlanders working with damascus? What is meant by a left handed or right handed sgian?

We are just starting to think about the sheath. What was the traditional sheath? Just a leather cover for the blade? Or is the sheath formed from another material and then covered with thinner leather? What is the genesis of the ornimentation?

Many thanks to those who have helped in the past, especially Ian.

David

[Valencian Kilted]

I have a knife maker who like me trains a few dogs and he has decided to take me on as an apprentice for long enough to build a sgian dubh. I will be forging the blade, shaping and adding cape buffalo horn handle.

What was a traditional sgian made from? Were highlanders working with damascus? What is meant by a left handed or right handed sgian?

We are just starting to think about the sheath. What was the traditional sheath? Just a leather cover for the blade? Or is the sheath formed from another material and then covered with thinner leather? What is the genesis of the ornimentation?

Many thanks to those who have helped in the past, especially Ian.

David

I'll strongly recommand u to give a look to Rab Gordon's web page:
www.rainnea.com

He makes handmade sgian dubhs with or without damascus steel, although the damasteel finishing gives the blade some kind of "aged" aspect, so that's the one I prefer. About the handle for left or right handed people,... as the shape is simmetrical I think it would be no difference between both.

And about the sheath, it's something that lays hidden in ur hose, so, u can have it decorated as well, but it's not essential. Just with the practicity of the covering to avoid accidents with ur legs would be enough!

¡Salud!

T O N O

[Caradoc]

What was a traditional sgian made from? Were highlanders working with damascus? What is meant by a left handed or right handed sgian?

We are just starting to think about the sheath. What was the traditional sheath? Just a leather cover for the blade? Or is the sheath formed from another material and then covered with thinner leather? What is the genesis of the ornimentation?

A "traditional" sgian dubh was probably a sgian ochles, or "armpit knife," made from bog oak that darkened to black.

"Damascus" steel wasn't made in Damascus. It describes pattern-welded metal that was distributed from Damascus. A sgian dubh or sgian ochles might have been made from cable damascus, as that technique of welding many small rods together into a single billet for a sword or knife was used amongst the Vikings in pre-Norman times.

A right-handed sgian dubh should have the "flat" side of the handle against the right leg on the right side, with the edge facing the wearer's back and the jimping or filework facing the front of the leg. This is so that when the knife is drawn, the jimping is under the thumb of the hand holding the handle.

I've heard people say that the jimping on a dirk or a sgian dubh is for scaling fish. It's a ridiculous claim. The jimping on a sgian dubh makes a nice place to put your thumb and get control of the edge and point. This is why I'm not fond of jimping on a dirk, or very aggressive (sharp!) jimping on a sgian dubh - I'm very much a fan of functional tools, not pretty but useless toys.

I'm also not much for highly-decorated sheaths for the sgian dubh - what's the point, since the sheath shouldn't be seen except when the knife is in a display case? Well-constructed, yes. Highly decorated, no.

Hope this helps.

[Nick]

From my reading, true damascus is more of a marbleized material that is acheived by adding the two materials in a crucible. "Pattern welded" is often called damascus because of its similarity in appearance, but it is acheived through the welding of already made pieces of iron and/or steel. Pattern welding seems to have been more popular in Europe, but eventually fell from favor due to the improvements in steel manufacture.

I love the look of PW sgians, but I have a feeling they were uncommon in period. It's a small enough knife that a monosteel blade would have been easy enough to priduce.

Having a blade directly against leather actually isn't the best for the blade over long term (most sword sheaths were wood cored), but it isn't terrible, and as long as you maintain the blade it should be fine. I think leather is a good choice for a sgian because it stays in place well.

Cheers,
Nick

[Caradoc]

From my reading, true damascus is more of a marbleized material that is acheived by adding the two materials in a crucible.

I believe you're referring to the "wootz" steels for the "marbleized" texture you mention. It's possible that wootz and pattern-welded were mistaken for each other, but unlikely.

Very unlikely, I think.

I love the look of PW sgians, but I have a feeling they were uncommon in period. It's a small enough knife that a monosteel blade would have been easy enough to priduce.

I'll agree with that wholeheartedly.

Having a blade directly against leather actually isn't the best for the blade over long term (most sword sheaths were wood cored), but it isn't terrible, and as long as you maintain the blade it should be fine. I think leather is a good choice for a sgian because it stays in place well.

Possibly a very thin wooden sheath covered in leather - the wood to protect the blade, and the leather to stick a bit better in place. I'll mention again I'm not fond of overly-decorated sheaths for the sgian dubh.

[Tartan Hiker]

Here's the sheath I made for my sgian. I found that the wood was irritating my leg after several hours (may be due to the fact that it's walnut, which has some natural toxins), so I made the extended back side to keep the handle off my leg. Very comfortable even after many hours of walking. You really cant see the leather unless you look really closely. Stays in place just fine. Oiled leather makes for an environment that discourages rust on the blade.

[Caradoc]

You really cant see the leather unless you look really closely. Stays in place just fine.

Very nice. I'll have to see about making one of those...

I find that having antler in contact with my skin for any length of time has deleterious effects on the antler, and my current favorite sgian dhu is antler-handled.

[Blu (Ontario)]

... I'm also not much for highly-decorated sheaths for the sgian dubh - what's the point, since the sheath shouldn't be seen except when the knife is in a display case? Well-constructed, yes. Highly decorated, no....

I would suggest that, while a sgian dubh can be functional, its primary role today is more symbolic. I, for one, appreciate "the art of the sgian dubh" as practiced by Rab Gordon and others. Functionality - yes... but not to the exclusion of all else. Any car can get you from point A to point B... but don't you appreciate a bit of style and comfort in your ride?? Just a thought.


blu

[Caradoc]

Any car can get you from point A to point B... but don't you appreciate a bit of style and comfort in your ride??

Oh, I do - I just haven't ever seen the point in doing things like chrome distributor caps.

If they're not essential to the function of the tool, and won't be seen during the use of the tool, I've never understood the need to make them "pretty."

A milled titanium distributor cap, sure. Carbon fiber? Good material.

Chrome? Why?