Dixie Gun Works

[Kiltedmusiclover]

Gents let us get back to the topic at hand. That would be
the sgain dubh and kilt accessories available at the Dixie site.
The topic of backup weapons
and it's comparisons to guns are topics that are better suited for other
places on the internet.

[ChromeScholar]

I'm going to order one of the sgian dubh blades. I just have to decide what type of material to make the grip out of...

[ChattanCat]

Guess this thread didn't get locked!

[ChromeScholar]

Not as long as it stays on topic, anyway.

[PiobBear]

I'm going to order one of the sgian dubh blades. I just have to decide what type of material to make the grip out of...

You can use almost anything, simply by drilling a hole in it and epoxying the tang in; no need for scales, rivets, etc. Boxwood carves nicely, and is a traditional material; dirks used to be called "dudgeon daggers" as the old term for boxwood was dudgeon. I've heard that it can be blackened with a tincture made of soaking steel wool in vinegar. Antler is quite traditional for daywear or informal sgians; some of the earliest known examples of sgian-type knives were fitting with antler hilts. They tended to be roughly made and often as not had clip point blades, and often matched larger grailloch (hunting) knives as a set, usually in a smaller sheath incorporated into the gralloch knive's scabbard; in other words, a small skinner. Again, a tool. I've read that initially officers in Highland regiments refused to wear sgian dubhs as they were beneath their station; those were for ghillies and servants, not gentlemen. Quite evidently they had no such qualms about the dirk, broadsword, or targe.
Do a search in the DIY section for sgian dubh projects, there are some very talented people posting to the boards.

Personally I'm quite comfortable with references to traditional Celtic weapons and their use...even if their only practical application today is the quick dispatching of the occasional haggis or wedding cake. I think it's quite germane, as the second most frequent question I'm asked is "is that a knife in your sock?", quickly followed by "Why?".