Having spent much time on this forum, I have gotten the impression that the origins of the sgian dubh were not in the realm of the martial arts. Everything I've read here would seem to indicate that the sgian was a fashion statement that may have evolved out of the necessity of having an edged tool for hunting or outdoor work.

It seems that there's at least one book out there that seems to suggest that the sgian along with the dirk were both used in knife fighting. Not that this would surprise me, but it's the first I've heard of it, especially in a formalized, "martial art" context. Does anyone have any comments about that?

Here's an Amazon link to the book in question: http://www.amazon.com/Highland-Knife.../dp/1581605668