Sgian solution - A Review

[English Bloke]

... the problem instead is the violent attitudes and behaviour prevalent in our society... Rab

Quite right Rab. I have pretty strong views on this but as Jamie said, it's not appropriate to discuss it here. Suffice to say we are short an effective deterrant when trying to counter knife crime. Banning the Sgian wont make a blind bit of difference. The good guys will all comply as usual but the bad guys will still continue carrying and using.

[Phil]

The good guys will all comply as usual but the bad guys will still continue carrying and using.

Exactly, gun crime has mushroomed since legal ownership was banned after Dunblane and there are more pit bull terriers on our streets than ever were before they were banned following the death of a child. Sadly such knee-jerk responses by politicians do nothing to solve the real problems in our society. As to the carrying of a sgian dubh, I personally feel uncomfortable wearing one to church as I feel that there are no circumstances when it is appropriate to carry a weapon (because be in no doubt that is what it is) there. As to other occasions, I still feel that it is the last vestige of the heavy armament (dirk, sword, pistols, powder horn etc.) traditionally worn with highland dress and continue to carry it for that purely decorative reason and none other.

[Zardoz]

Exactly, gun crime has mushroomed since legal ownership was banned after Dunblane and there are more pit bull terriers on our streets than ever were before they were banned following the death of a child. Sadly such knee-jerk responses by politicians do nothing to solve the real problems in our society.

At least y'all get that part of it.

[Panache]

Gentlemen,

I offered a bit of friendly advice concerning knife threads back on post #12

If you really want to talk about the regional variations and the socio-political aspects of weapons laws then perhaps you could use the PM system instead of the Moderators having to shut down yet another thread.

This thread is supposed to be a sgian don't review.

Consider this a last warning

Respectfully

Jamie and the Mod Squad

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

As to the carrying of a sgian dubh, I personally feel uncomfortable wearing one to church as I feel that there are no circumstances when it is appropriate to carry a weapon (because be in no doubt that is what it is) there.

I am afraid that I would have to disagree with you about the sgian dubh being a weapon. It is a hunt servants tool, in the same way that a butter knife is a tool. The sgian dubh traditionally had a specific function, the skinning of game. Traditionally the butter knife also had a specific function, spreading butter on bread, rolls, or toast. That some 150 years ago it became fashionable to wear the sgian dubh tucked into the top of the hose of the land owning (and deer shooting) gentry caused it to be even less of a tool and more of a fashion accessory (that's why this discussion is under Kilt Accessories rather than "Arms and Armour"). Frankly, had picnicking been all the rage in mid-Victorian Scotland, it is just as likely we'd all be stuffing butter knives into our hose.

So, is the sgian dubh a weapon? Historically, and in the general social sense, no. Not any more so than a hammer, a bottle of champagne, or a butter knife are weapons.

As far as the wearing of a sgian dubh in church goes, well my local vicar finds cell phones far more offensive...