Review :Woolery made Sgian Dubh

[James MacMillan]

As I mentioned in here, I recently obtained the below sgian dubh in a trade with Mr Woolery. He offered his hand-made sgian dubh for my Blackwatch SWK standard.

I took him up on the trade, and below is my end of the bargain. Please excuse the quality of the flix, but I just can’t seem to get the lighting right.

I asked Mr. Woolery about the knife and here is part of what he told me.

-quote- Hey, an opportunity to talk about knives! With details!

I make all my own blades from new barstock, unless I specify otherwise (I have a few I have been playing with out of recycled steel, but yours is not one of them).

The blade is 1095 carbon steel, a simple but very functional steel. I start with a 6-foot bar of steel and cut a length for a blade. I grind by hand and use my eye as the only measuring instrument. I do all my own heat-treatment on carbon steels (stainless is a very complicated material to heat-treat at home and I don't think it is really worth it, after several dozen I have made and had professionally heat-treated then tested). It is edge-hardened, leaving a softer, springy spine and a harder edge.

Over time, the blade will develop a patina with use. My favorite kitchen knife now looks like it is made of old pewter! This is beneficial and some people will deliberately encourage patination by cutting lemons and tomatoes. You can also just apply mustard to the blade and wait overnight. I prefer to just let it develop, as the surface of the blade can then tell me stories about all the things I have used it for. The patina is a form of oxidation that will inhibit rust on the surface. However, do put a little oil on the blade now and then. For food knives, I just wipe with a tiny bit of Crisco. It stays put and is food safe. For my belt knife, I generally just wipe with a bit of the oil I use on a sharpening stone. This isn't something to stress about. Just dry the knife after use and put some oil or grease on it now and then.

I had actually made this particular blade over a year ago and had never gotten around to putting a handle on it until your trade offer caught my eye. Now I am thinking I will have to make another because I like how it turned out.

The handle is caribou antler, obtained from a local hunter. I chose the particular section for the curve that fits my calf so well (and I hope it fits your calf, too) from several antlers I had on hand. I split the antler on a bandsaw and flattened the inside surfaces. I also had to stabilize the pithy core with cyanoacrylate. Essentially, I use a high-grade superglue (there are real differences in brands, though I have never figured out why, as all are equally able to glue my fingers together - which is why I keep a can of acetone in the shop!) to fill the pores of the core. Sounds sort of low-tech, but the hard glue fills the antler matrix and becomes a harder material than the glue on its own could ever be. This also stabilizes the antler so it is less likely to warp or absorb any moisture. –end quote-

Mr. Woolery also crafted a very nice oiled leather sheath that has side spacers built in to ensure easy draw.

Sgian Dubh in sheath

Sgian Dubh out of sheath

Side of Sgian Dubh showing full tang

Sgian Dubh in hand - it fits really nicely!

Sheath showing side spacers


The handle has a very nice warm feel and also a very pleasing ivory look about it. I hand polished it using paste wax and an old t-shirt, just like he said.

It really does fit very nicely in the hose top, and is a joy to wear. I haven’t cut enough with it to tell how well it will hold an edge, but the blade and full tang treatment should make it a very durable knife.

Thanks Patrick – I am extremely pleased with our trade.

[ccga3359]

Well done Jay. BTW nice tartan is that the Navy tartan ?

[James MacMillan]

is that the Navy tartan ?

:butt:

[ChattanCat]

:butt:

Gunny,
We are all kilted, lets not bring in the forces.

[James MacMillan]

Don't take this too seriously! Nobody means anything by it! I'll defend your right to call me Gunny and wear the Navy's tartan, but be prepared for teasing!

[pipesndrumsnun]

Good trade!

[Joe Gondek]

nice looking sgian,good steel and antler handle.
you couldn't ask for a better combination

It might look better if you displayed it on Army Tartan

[Arizona Scot]

Very nice James, looks as if both parties made out well.

[David Thornton]

I looked at that and it just didn't warm to it, then I realized what it was, I would have preferred a different grind on the blade, but I REALLY like the handle. Just wish I was that talented, good trade!!
David

[Mr. Woolery]

As I told James, I made the blade over a year ago with the intention of using it myself. I never got around to putting a handle on it, so it must not have been that important to me. So, when I saw the kilt offered for trade, I contacted him and finally finished off the knife. I was very pleased with the caribou antler handle, as it has a curve that fits my calf muscle very well. I was tempted to to keep it, but had already made the offer.

My experience with carbon steels makes me really prefer them over stainless. I used to have my 440C and ATS 34 heat-treated by Paul Bos, but I just don't like those steels very much anymore. So, now I feel more in contact with each step of the process by doing my own heat-treat on steels that I know I can treat properly. This sgian dubh should hold an edge well and be very durable at the same time. (By the way, James, if you ever have any problem with the knife, contact me and I will make it right.)

I make knives for personal pleasure, not for profit. I have found that trying to make a business out of a hobby doesn't work for me. Consequently, there is a certain freedom to make what I want with no regard to whether I think it will sell. In this case, another person liked what I had made and traded a SWK for it. I was wanting to get one and evaluate how I like the style and construction anyway. (My kilt experience has all been with a wool "tank" and several self-made efforts of varying success.) Right now, $80 is more than I am able to drop on a garment, but the knife stuff is all there in my little workshop. So, a few enjoyable afternoons with tools and materials already paid for resulted in a chance to grab a kilt in my size (with the hope that someday soon the kilt will have to be taken in, as I do plan to reduce my waistline).

And if anyone else ever has reason to do business with James, I found him to be a very good person to trade with. Excellent communication, immediate shipping, and I get the idea from our online communications that he is a really decent guy. So, both sides of the transaction are satisfied.

Hope that's not too much from me.

-Patrick