I need a "wooden handled" sgian dubh

[Tony]

Don't know about illegal, but did see a reference that Cairngorms stones were tapped out in the 1950s.

Is Cairngorm smoky quartz really any better than Brazilian smoky quartz?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Don't know about illegal, but did see a reference that Cairngorms stones were tapped out in the 1950s.

Is Cairngorm smoky quartz really any better than Brazilian smoky quartz?

Actually, they are all pretty much the same stone, with the exception of colour. True "cairngorm" is a yellowish quartz, and this is inevitably the colour of the stones in older dirks, sgians dubh, and Scottish jewelry. Proper cairngorm can range in colour from almost clear to almost brown. Often, to enhance the colour, gold foil is placed behind the stone, This is also done to enhance its brilliance.

It was my understanding that collecting cairngorm ceased in the 50s and 60s because the cost of extraction was more than the quartz was worth. This was caused by cheap quartz coming onto the market from all over the world, and by a general decline in the top end of the Scottish accessories market.