Here is a picture of the sheathed Sgian Dubh:



First a little background:

Howard made the Damascus steel several years ago, whilst researching different steel combinations to use in pattern welded damascus. It is 112 layers, and contains 3 kinds of high carbon tool steel (1086m/L-6/5160), the hardness is R(c) 57-59. The original stack of materials was seven layers, folded four times, doubling the layer count every time. The hammering was all done hot. The forge welding (diffusion bonding, to be precise) was done at quite high temperatures, in the case of this material, around 1300C. The blade was then hot forged to shape from the layered material.

There is extensive heat treatment processing involved. That is Howard’s forte', the heat treatment and metallurgy of high carbon and pattern welded steels. He has done many, experiments and much research into the subject. Including publication in "Materials Characterization", and "Wear", professional journals. These articles were co-authored with John D. Verhoeven, Professor Emeritus, Iowa State University.

The handle material is African elephant ivory, from a 1960 trophy hunted bull. It is secured with 4-40 screws and there is a very thin layer of clear silicone rtv gasket sealer to keep out moisture. The small spot on the left scale was an injury to the tusk when the elephant was very young!

The tang edges are rounded and the ivory rebated. The edges are finished so that they are not flush with the edge of the tang of the blade, and are "rebated" or the handle scales are smaller in profile than the tang. The ivory will change size with temperature and humidity and we have both in our Midwest summer. If the edges were finished flush, then in the winter when the ivory shrinks, the sharp edges of the tang would be exposed.

I am lucky enough to have Howard make me this one off sgian dubh. This is not what he does, and will not be taking orders for them. Howard is a Master Smith in the American Bladesmith Society, and a voting member of "The Knifemaker's Guild", and presently makes a living making sword blades for the performance oriented Japanese style martial arts market.

Ok, a lot of background. Now for the un-sheathing:

Note the signature of an anvil with HC initials.





The blade, this is what 112 layers of steel look like.



I couldn't be happier