Safety or bladed

[Downunder Kilt]

I have carried a knife since I was a child, my school allowed sheath knives. A strange concept in this day where all knives are considered weapons not tools. It did allow me to realise that there are no dangerous weapons, just dangerous people.
I carry a Boker/Magnum sgian dubh supported by my brace, it's kept sharp and been used a few times. It's a tool.

Just wondering when the sgian dubh became a dagger, Would greatly appreciate any historical details that shows it was twin bladed rather than a single bladed knife, Cheers

[Cygnus]

If I had the skill to make one, I'd create a sock adornment with a socket on one end and a hollow "pommel" in which to keep various screwdriver bits.

I usually find I need a screwdriver more often than I need a knife...

The thing that I most often need but don't have, however, is a pen - but I'm not sure I'm willing to keep something full of ink in my expensive kilt hose!

[Tarheel]

Cygnus is correct, the pen is mightier than the sword and used more often.

[tripod]

Just wondering when the sgian dubh became a dagger, Would greatly appreciate any historical details that shows it was twin bladed rather than a single bladed knife, Cheers

The Magnum sgian dubh is a single edge. The blade is 4mm thick at it's widest. What appears to be a back edge is just a cut out (Sorry if wrong terminology) It tapers from about 2mm to 1mm on the back. The only problem I had with it is the sheath, so I made one for just the blade


There were a couple of pics but....

[Chip]

Before the SwissTool, I carried a Victorinox swiss army knife that had screwdrivers and a pen.

I supposed my initial post was in essence saying that if I'm going to carry something, it's going to have a function. If not a blade, the sgian brew is a great alternative. Of course, I love the idea of a socket driver set, too, if that utility comes up more often than either of the previous two!

[terry m]

Thank you everyone for making this so interesting. All the answers and viewpoints are real food for thought. Like many of you I belong to a time when most kids and adults carried a penknife of some kind.
We go camping a lot in summer so I love the idea of the sgian brew. For access to uk pubs in the evening I feel the bladeless type would be best in the eyes of the doormen.
As a newcomer the more I have read of your replies and elsewhere I realise the sgian dubh is a whole subject on its own.
Thanks for your views everyone.

[tpa]

For access to uk pubs in the evening I feel the bladeless type would be best in the eyes of the doormen.

I would have thought that for pub visits, casual dress is the order of the day, in which case any sort of sgian dhu is unnecessary, as are flashes, kilt belts (as opposed to casual belts) and any form of proper kilt jacket. For me casual just means swapping jeans and socks for a kilt, hose and plain sporran.

[Katia]

Mine is sharp-ish (it was cheap 'cause I like the handle... but the first time I tried to sharpen the blade I noticed that I was just grinding it down and gave up). I've used it in lieu of my pocket knife before and it has mostly handled the tasks I've thrown at it, but I have considered getting a nicer one with a blade I can actually sharpen nicely.

I also don't see a point in carrying one if I can't use it for anything (I'm a regular pocket knife carrier). If blades weren't allowed somewhere, I'd rather have nothing than a fake.

[freep]

If I had the skill to make one, I'd create a sock adornment with a socket on one end and a hollow "pommel" in which to keep various screwdriver bits.

I usually find I need a screwdriver more often than I need a knife...

The thing that I most often need but don't have, however, is a pen - but I'm not sure I'm willing to keep something full of ink in my expensive kilt hose!

Hence the Sgian Leatherman.

Do they still make "space pens?" Those will not leak.

[KyleAisteach]

Hence the Sgian Leatherman.

Does Leatherman make a multi-tool that wouldn't strip my leg hair every time I pulled it out of my hose? I would so totally start packing one of those.