Functional Sgian

[xman]

Tobus mentioned that he must carry a functional pocket knife in his sporran which raises the question in my mind again, "Who has a functional sgian dubh"? It seems to me it's a small hunting knife. Does it have to remain ceremonial? Is Robby Burns day the only exception?

X

[BoldHighlander]

I don't own a knife of any kind, size, or shape that isn't functional.
If I have a given task at home & my sgian is handy, then I'll use it

[skauwt]

with knives being illegal in the UK carrying a functional knife around with you can lead to a jail sentence in most cases
so for UK folk a proper sgian dubh is purely ornamental

[guitarmatt]

with knives being illegal in the UK carrying a functional knife around with you can lead to a jail sentence in most cases
so for UK folk a proper sgian dubh is purely ornamental

And so I'm ironically waiting for my return to the states before getting a "real" sgian dubh. So my vote is for function as well as form.

[Zardoz]

with knives being illegal in the UK carrying a functional knife around with you can lead to a jail sentence in most cases
so for UK folk a proper sgian dubh is purely ornamental

How sad is that!

On topic:

If my hose are pulled up, I always tuck the sgian dubh in there. Except for the fancy dress one my mother-inlaw got me in Scotland all of mine have a useful edge. That being said, My sgians have been purchased as ornamental jewelry, based on the look of the handles, not the quality of the blades. I've carried a pocket knife for as long as I can remember, so while I have pulled out the sgian dubh if it was handy, I generally have a nice sharp folder clipped in my sporran for any cutting chores I might encounter.

[Wompet]

Except for the fancy dress one my mother-inlaw got me in Scotland all of mine have a useful edge.

All of my sgians have an edge, including my dress one.
(It didn't come with a sharpened edge, but it has one now. )

[thescot]

with knives being illegal in the UK carrying a functional knife around with you can lead to a jail sentence in most cases
so for UK folk a proper sgian dubh is purely ornamental

Does that mean that you can carry a sgian or that you can't? Or that you can carry one as long as you don't use it? Or as long as it's not functional?

I am not being cute, I am seriously confused.

I carry a functional sgian all the time, and I use it for the things that I would use a pocket knife for. I always carry a pocket knife when not kilted.

[skauwt]

Does that mean that you can carry a sgian or that you can't? Or that you can carry one as long as you don't use it? Or as long as it's not functional?

I am not being cute, I am seriously confused.

I carry a functional sgian all the time, and I use it for the things that I would use a pocket knife for. I always carry a pocket knife when not kilted.

apoligies for the confusion
i can carry a perfectly functional sgian but its got to stay in its sheath and prevably in the kilt hose at all times while out and about ..
..and indoors be used in a manor non threatening eg open a letter or cut a piece of string, chop a haggis but other than that its just a item of traditional wear

[guitarmatt]

I googled a bit about legality of the sgian dubh in the UK and this seems to sum it up pretty well:
http://www.tartansauthority.com/high...rn/sgian-dubhs

It looks like in most situations carrying a functional sgian dubh is perfectly legal, but use common sense for where it might not be appropriate.

[skauwt]

I googled a bit about legality of the sgian dubh in the UK and this seems to sum it up pretty well:
http://www.tartansauthority.com/high...rn/sgian-dubhs

It looks like in most situations carrying a functional sgian dubh is perfectly legal, but use common sense for where it might not be appropriate.

thats right with traditional Scottish dress you'd be fine with it,
im unsure how those laws apply with a causal kilt set up mind you ,i reckon it would be purely up to how any police person is feeling that day as id imagine if crazy folk wanted to carry knives then the kilt would be too easily used a excuse to do so
i myself have a sgian with a rather sharp blade though id never use it with food or anything else its in its sheath all the time id thought about buying a fake but for me it wouldn't feel right
i should note my view of functional blade is one that can be used with various tasks even though i guess my sgian is a functional blade to some to me its just a piece of sharp jewellery