the original multopurpose Sgain dubh

[Joe Gondek]

In another post on 21st century sgain dubhs Cajunscot wrote

Great! I'd love to see it! I only wish companies would provide the documentation as well. Being a librarian, a history teacher and a living historian with the NPS, I like documentation!

this the book


here is the sgain dubh

hope that this answers your questions

[macwilkin]

Very good, sir! I do appreciate you posting that! I suspected that the sgain dubh in question was from the South African (Boer) War, and not the Crimean War, as one vendor claimed. The original Swiss Army Knives issued to the Swiss Army were introduced in the 1890's, so the timeframe is correct.

Once again, many thanks for posting!

Cheers,

Todd

[Joe Gondek]

No problem sir
Does anyone have photos of multi tool sgain dubhs like this?

[GlassMan]

Very good, sir! I do appreciate you posting that! I suspected that the sgain dubh in question was from the South African (Boer) War, and not the Crimean War, as one vendor claimed. The original Swiss Army Knives issued to the Swiss Army were introduced in the 1890's, so the timeframe is correct.

Once again, many thanks for posting!

Cheers,

Todd

Interesting, the original Swiss Army knife is from the 1890's but the multi-tool Sgian Dubh has silver hallmarks from 1874. Yet another invention that came from the Scots but for which the credit has wrongfully been claimed by another group, in this case the Swiss.

[GMan]

Interesting, the original Swiss Army knife is from the 1890's but the multi-tool Sgian Dubh has silver hallmarks from 1874. Yet another invention that came from the Scots but for which the credit has wrongfully been claimed by another group, in this case the Swiss.

Just goes to show the influence that was brought on to the entire world, by the Scots.

[Joe Gondek]

the above mentioned tool should be called
the scottish army knife

[The Supreme Canuck]

Just goes to show the influence that was brought on to the entire world, by the Scots.

*Cough*

[Pour1Malt]

*Cough*

aye- guid read thot!

shuid be required readin'!

[macwilkin]

Interesting, the original Swiss Army knife is from the 1890's but the multi-tool Sgian Dubh has silver hallmarks from 1874. Yet another invention that came from the Scots but for which the credit has wrongfully been claimed by another group, in this case the Swiss.

Hmmm...I wouldn't make such a claim without documented evidence that Carl Elsener, the inventor of the SAK, was influenced by this sgian dubh. As Joe stated earlier, this was most likely a "private purchase" item, and not issued by the Army to all soldiers. Elsener designed the SAK because Swiss soldiers needed a screwdriver to maintain and clean their rifle, and he wanted the Swiss Army to be issued a Swiss knife. Before the Swiss were issuing German knives.

I don't think you can say that the Swiss have "wrongfully" claimed the credit for it -- how many of the sgian dubhs are manufactured? Were they ever issued (and not purchased privately) by Scottish soldiers? There are just too many unanswered questions to say that the Swiss "stole" this idea from the Scots.

Regards,

Todd

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Everything old is new again. Check out the "Officer's Sgian Dubh" at the bottom of this page:
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/blackknife.html

It's what's in my sock now!