Safety or bladed

[Father Bill]

Found it! Thanks Jock. http://www.rainnea.com/sgian-dubhs.htm

[The Wizard of BC]

There is always another alternative.

Do what i did. Cut the 'blade' portion of a safety sgian off, use a dremel tool and carve out some if the middle of the handle. Then cut off the end of one of these.





Now you have something truly useful.

It's not a Sgian Dubh - not a Sgian Brew - It's a Sgian Shoe!

[LRRP]

Excellent!

There is always another alternative.

Do what i did. Cut the 'blade' portion of a safety sgian off, use a dremel tool and carve out some if the middle of the handle. Then cut off the end of one of these.





Now you have something truly useful.

It's not a Sgian Dubh - not a Sgian Brew - It's a Sgian Shoe!

[MacRob]

In my experience, the more people fixate on weaponry, the less likely they are to look well put together. I'd rather see a kilt worn at the right length than the plastic handle of some battle ready letter opener sticking out of poorly cuffed hose. I understand that some people feel a need to have a sharp spike in their sock to kill all the wild boars at the local ren fest, but by and large you don't need a bladed sgian. If you normally carry a pocket knife, by all means put one in your sporran or even in your hose where the sgian goes.

To put it another way, If you don't normally walk around with a sharp ornamental dagger, are you really missing out by omitting it from your Highlandwear? There are plenty of redundant/nonfunctional elements that go with the kilt that are purely ornamental (like the kilt pin, various cuff adornments, ghillies, neckties, etc.), so I'm not sure I buy the "function must follow form" argument.

When I lived in Scotland this was so much less of an issue. I rarely wore a sgian, be it while piping or at various events where plenty of other people were kilted. Many of my Scottish friends did not (and still do not) bother with them. In my experience, there's less lore about "blades" over there. There's also a lot more sensitivity about knife crime, so most people don't carry them. "But this is part of national dress" is not likely to win over a 300lbs Welsh bouncer whose goal in life is not to get stabbed by a Ned running wild on Buckfast while keeping a door in a Glasgow pub.

There are plenty of beautiful alternatives, like one of Rab Gordon's collector-worth sgian brews, that will fill a person's hose with more panache than a razor sharp bauble.

Well thank you for your opinion. I own several handmade sgians from Scotland, with handles made of materials ranging from Roe deer antler to 6,000 year old bog oak. Having worn the kilt regularly for thirty-four years I feel well turned out regardless of what rides along in my kilt hose. And, everyone is entitled to do what they want, subject to laws and regulations, which was my point. If it is not allowed I will not wear one. If it is I will. So what is really the point of your comment other than to cast dispersion on those who do? I am sure that Mr. Gordon's sgian "brews" are fine, they just are not my cup of tea. And sgian dubhs are not weapons they are utility knives.

[McMurdo]

Do you have links to Rab Gordon?

Here is Rab's website

http://www.rainnea.com/

[LRRP]

Brock Blades made me a custom sgian dubh. his web site is: http://www.brockblades.net/

Cheers!