My first Sgian Dubh

[Darrin1200]

I have always wanted a Sgian Dubh, but being a maker, I had to make my own.
I’m not a blacksmith, but have played with knives using finished knife blanks.

I picked up this Jantz “Jackal” knife blanks on clearance for $15.
IMG_1214.jpg

I had to make a few modifications, using an angle grinder and a viel belt grinder.
IMG_6769.jpg

Finished it off with a bronze spacer and Cocobola scales from some shop stock. It’s also using 3/32” brass pins and a mosaic pin.
It’s a little wider than traditional I think, at 1-3/16”X3-7/8” blade.
IMG_1213.jpg

Now i need to do a little research on leather work, so I can make a sheath.

[Troglodyte]

Excellent work.

You can find sgian dubh do-it-yourself kits online, and a good range of blade blanks from damascus through plain polished to scroll engraved.

These are already cut, shaped and sized for traditional sgian dubh, which eliminates the need to adapt the blade.

[Darrin1200]

Excellent work.

You can find sgian dubh do-it-yourself kits online, and a good range of blade blanks from damascus through plain polished to scroll engraved.

These are already cut, shaped and sized for traditional sgian dubh, which eliminates the need to adapt the blade.

Thanks Troglodyte.

I actually enjoy modifying, and it would be hard to find a tempered blank for $15CAD . It’s the maker in me. When I did this one, I didn’t know how the grinding would affect the temper of the blade. Doing it again, I would likely cut a 1/4” or so off the back.

I would like to try and make one from a file, but I don’t have a torch hot enough to anneal or temper the blade. Just propane.

If anyone wanted to try what I did, my supplier in Ontario still has some of the blanks.
https://www.penblanks.ca/jackal-blade

[Mike Horah]

One of the issues I have encountered is about wearing the highland dagger in my sock in a public environment ( eg on the train or London underground. )In the UK any blade over 3 inches (the Sgian Dubh is typically 3 1/2 inches) is potentially drawing the attention of the police whose concern is rising knife crime . It is true that the law says you can wear it if you have a good reason eg if you wearing full highland dress for example as you might do to go into wedding etc but it is very much up to the judgement of individual police officers who can be somewhat officious and I like to wear a kilt in less formal circumstances such as going to the theatre .

In order to avoid a needless confrontation I will not wear one of mine( I have three) publicly instead I wear an imitation solid plastic one. Sometimes I will carry a real one one tucked into my sporran and put it on when I get to the venue. I was able to do this at a formal lunch at the Royal Air Force Club in Piccadilly in February ( The Black Watch is the official Royal Air Force Tartan) where there were no issues and Sikhs are permitted to wear their ceremonial dagger under their turbans I believe.

Bu even then when entering venues or events it rather depends on the attitude of the security people at the door. Last year I was on a cruise and I was obliged to have mine kept in a safe at reception to pick up to wear at black tie events. I was not required to leave a hostage but you never know. One at least of reception staff seemed to think this was very funny.

Never mind that the steak knives in the restaurants were far longer and more deadly and never mind but they had a genuine Gurkha kukri parked outside the Indian restaurant on the ship which anyone could grab and chop off somebody’s head with quite readily(Somewhat unlikely given the average age of the people on the cruise which greatly exceeded my own at 75!. )Cutting bread is a challenge with the highland dagger and pair of nail scissors is far more deadly potentially

I suspect in the USA this issue arises seldom - if at all -l but I would be interested to hear from UK based members how they have accommodated wearing a sgian dubh to the law. I have a feeling in Scotland matters are conducted different.

[MacKenzie]

Nice work!

[BobF]

One of the issues I have encountered is about wearing the highland dagger in my sock in a public environment ( eg on the train or London underground. )In the UK any blade over 3 inches (the Sgian Dubh is typically 3 1/2 inches) is potentially drawing the attention of the police whose concern is rising knife crime . It is true that the law says you can wear it if you have a good reason eg if you wearing full highland dress for example as you might do to go into wedding etc but it is very much up to the judgement of individual police officers who can be somewhat officious and I like to wear a kilt in less formal circumstances such as going to the theatre .

In order to avoid a needless confrontation I will not wear one of mine( I have three) publicly instead I wear an imitation solid plastic one. Sometimes I will carry a real one one tucked into my sporran and put it on when I get to the venue. I was able to do this at a formal lunch at the Royal Air Force Club in Piccadilly in February ( The Black Watch is the official Royal Air Force Tartan) where there were no issues and Sikhs are permitted to wear their ceremonial dagger under their turbans I believe.

Bu even then when entering venues or events it rather depends on the attitude of the security people at the door. Last year I was on a cruise and I was obliged to have mine kept in a safe at reception to pick up to wear at black tie events. I was not required to leave a hostage but you never know. One at least of reception staff seemed to think this was very funny.

Never mind that the steak knives in the restaurants were far longer and more deadly and never mind but they had a genuine Gurkha kukri parked outside the Indian restaurant on the ship which anyone could grab and chop off somebody’s head with quite readily(Somewhat unlikely given the average age of the people on the cruise which greatly exceeded my own at 75!. )Cutting bread is a challenge with the highland dagger and pair of nail scissors is far more deadly potentially

I suspect in the USA this issue arises seldom - if at all -l but I would be interested to hear from UK based members how they have accommodated wearing a sgian dubh to the law. I have a feeling in Scotland matters are conducted different.

I avoided the issue of wearing a real sgian dubh in situations where it might be unwise (like in the pub) by making one out of wood. It’s not the greatest looking thing, but from a few feet away it’s fine. A bit of scrap wood, a Celtic-ish looking token my partner had, four strands of braided brass wire, some leather from a ruined glove glued on to look like a sheath, and a stainless steel ring from the shop in town squeezed in a vise. Cost was next to nothing, though I have since bought a piece of malachite that I need to shape to cap it off. I still need to get around to making the real thing, though I question where among the places I’d go that it would be appropriate.

IMG_0646.jpg

[Mike Horah]

Looks better than my plastic thing.

One of my hobbies for over 50 years now has been wargames with miniatures and I'm going this Saturday 12th to the biggest show in the UK of the year thousands will be there. And the theme is guess what “Highlander”. So I asked the organisers if they were OK with me coming “ kilted and booted “and they said delighted and would love to take a picture (but please make sure I wore something underneath its a family event!( Not that I wouldn't anyway -I don't go commando !) The weather looks set fair -perfect so it's just a question of what is the most comfortable footwear for standing on the concrete floor for hours.I have some black boots with memory foam embedded.

But what to do about the dagger. Do I risk the possibility of my bag being inspected (so not in my sock) and having it taken away or do I just take the artificial one? The organisers of the show do not control the overall venue. Of course there will be people there who are genuine re enactors with real weapons all much deadlier than mine but I think discretion must be the better part of valour and if I don’t own up up that it's not real who will know!!