Visiting Scotland: Sgian Dubh's and Do(bh)n'ts

[gwynng]

I'm visiting Scotland in September and was wondering the do's and don'ts of sgian dubh wearing. I'd like to respect tradition and wear one, but not sure of the legality of carrying a blade in the UK.

I have a decent, if a little dressy one, and a dreadful "safety" model that came with a package years ago. A sgian brew seems like a good alternative, but haven't got one of those. Definitely know to pack anything pointy in checked luggage.

Advice?

[cessna152towser]

If I were you I would not bring a sgian-dhu.
Technically the sgian-dhu is illegal as wearing one equates to the carrying of a knife, however in normal circumstances the police would normally turn a blind eye to the wearing of a sgian-dhu. Where you are more likely to have problems would be in liquor licensed premises or attending events where you may be asked to leave the sgian-dhu in the cloakroom. Sgian-dhus are rarely worn with the kilt here in Scotland, usually only as part of a formal outfit for attending a wedding or playing in a pipe band. I regularly wear kilts but very rarely wear one of my sgian-dhus, probably only once or twice a year if something special is happening.

[Jock Scot]

If in doubt, don't. Common sense is your watch word here. In truth I have never had a problem carrying a sgian almost anywhere in the UK and I usually do when wearing the kilt. There are places where I would not carry one, though! As I understand it and I am no legal man, "national attire" gets round most things if sensibly done, although as a non Scot some police may not consider that you would qualify there (sorry!). All it takes is for you to be in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong policeman and with the zero tolerance to knives in Scotland(not sure about the rest of the UK, but the police are pretty "hot" too, I think) then problems might occur.

[Grizzly]

As Alex and Jock have said above, if in doubt don't wear it.

However it is perfectly legal to do so. The law is as follows -

In areas with "zero tolerance" weapons policies, or heightened security concerns, the wearing of the sgian-dubh as part of traditional Scottish dress has sometimes created controversy. One such incident was the banning of sgian-dubhs from a school dance in Scotland.
As with many other knives and cutting tools, air travellers have to put their sgian-dubh in checked baggage.
In Scotland, it is legal under the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 Sec. 49, Sub-sec. 5(c) to wear a sgian-dubh, or other weapon, as part of any national costume.[6]
In England and Wales, it is legal under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (section 139)[7] and the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 (section 4)[8] for someone wearing the national costume of Scotland to carry a sgian-dubh - see knife legislation.

Fixed bladed knives are frowned upon and to quote the above laws may get you more hassle than its worth.

[Hopper250]

It sounds like the sgian-brew is the way to go, if you carry at all.

[gwynng]

Thanks gents. That was exactly the advice I needed. I want to be respectful and proper of national dress traditions, but well within the law too. I thought there was probably a law regarding knives in the UK. Since I plan on being in a variety of places, country, city, and museums to pubs, it seems wise to leave it home.

Just one less thing to pack!

cheers,
Gwynn

[Dale Seago]

I think this can be a very valuable thread that probably deserves to be made a "sticky" for the benefit of others.

However, since it deals with the sgian as something which may be perceived as a weapon (its origin as a utility tool for dealing with things already dead notwithstanding!), it might be better placed in the "Weapons As Kilt Accessories" subforum:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f316/