Question about wearing a sgian dubh

[Peter C.]

well dang,

I always thought that indent in my leg helped hold the thing in place....

Have two, wear them seldom since I work in a mental health/criminal justice environment and wouldn't be wise - or allowed.

Do wear them for special occasions.

Ron

Hey Riverkilt,

you caught me off guard with that comment - it`s good to have a laugh early in the day

My sgian dhu came from Glasgow in the 70`s and is about an inch wide so it spreads the pressure on the leg. The back of the handle is smooth and level with the back of the scabbard. The jewel is offset slightly away from the leg so it doesn`t dig in. - Basically built for comfort and I have never experienced discomfort.
So I would have thought that Arlen`s suggestion of loosening the garter was a good idea - or your sgian dhu just isn`t built for comfort.

I imagine they make them like mine because round handles or some fancy handles are just uncomfortable.

Peter

[Pour1Malt]

ai dinnae think they arr meant tae wear "all day"...

ai rarely if e'er wear yin... when ai dae... it is just fur a few hoors fur an event...

[Panache]

...My sgian dhu came from Glasgow in the 70`s and is about an inch wide so it spreads the pressure on the leg. The back of the handle is smooth and level with the back of the scabbard. The jewel is offset slightly away from the leg so it doesn`t dig in. - Basically built for comfort and I have never experienced discomfort... or your sgian dhu just isn`t built for comfort.

I imagine they make them like mine because round handles or some fancy handles are just uncomfortable.

Peter

Peter has a good point, that the cause might not just be the tightness of the garter for the flashes, but also the handle shape. I hardly notice my very slim, very smooth oxhorn handled sgian dubh from the Scotish Tartan Museum. But my antler handled sgian dubh can get uncomfortable after a few hours of walking around.

Cheers

Panache

[Nick]

Peter has a good point, that the cause might not just be the tightness of the garter for the flashes, but also the handle shape. I hardly notice my very slim, very smooth oxhorn handled sgian dubh from the Scotish Tartan Museum. But my antler handled sgian dubh can get uncomfortable after a few hours of walking around.

Cheers

Panache

In the antler-handled sgians I've made, the handle curves to the right. This may seem odd in a knife for a righty (they were), but when you think about the shape your hand takes when holding a knife, it makes sense and is actually very comfortable to hold. It also makes the handle curve away from the leg, not enough to stick out oddly, but enough to relieve some of that pressure.

[Skweres]

i tend not to wear mine, unless its a formal event and i want the whole look, other than that i just keep a leatherman in my sporran

[Nick]

A sgian is like any other kilt accessory, like sporrans or belts. Some are dressy and some are plain. If all you have is a formal sgian, it may not be the best thing to wear with daywear, but a plain one is certainly appropriate.

A while back someone posted a picture of a sgian and sheath here, where the back piece of the sheath had a narrower flap that extended up between the handle and the leg. Perhaps that would be more comfortable?

[Caradoc]

i tend not to wear mine, unless its a formal event and i want the whole look, other than that i just keep a leatherman in my sporran

I occasionally carry a Gerber multi-lock in my sporran, but it weighs about twice what any of my sgians weigh. I use a blade a lot more often than I use pliers, anyway.

[PiobBear]

I wear sgians quite a bit; they never bother me except for my antler one with a big corona; that can start to become irritating by the end of the day.

[Kiltedfirepiper]

if you stand for long periods you will tend to get more of an indentation due to the blood pooling in your legs ( edema) everyone gets it ...its just to what degree if its really noticable or not. ( remember how they always say to mesure your foot several times throughout the day to get an acurate mesurement for shoe size? )

the way my legs are shaped I have kind of a flat spot in front of my calf ( more lined up with the knee cap than the rt. side ) that the Sigan fits nicely into and there is less "denting"

try to move it to different spots on your leg... theres no hard fast rule that I know of that says it HAS to be perfectly aligned with _______ and _____ to look proper as far as I know its like everything else....where, and how you want

KFP

[LK-13]

you may also want to consider that if your socks or hose also leave impressions i your skin,
you maybe dehydrated.
just a possibility.