Are you complete without a Sgian Dubh?

[Larry124]

The world we live in these days is… well, stuff happens.

A few years ago an (unkilted) friend of mine was caught up in a bar fight. He wasn’t even one of the principals. He just got swept into the free-for-all.

When the police searched him and found his pocket knife they added a concealed weapon charge to the disorderly conduct charge. That little extra got him suspended without pay from his employment.

He got it all sorted out eventually after some considerable time and expense.

I’m not saying anything about the right or wrong of it, I’m just saying that you have to think twice (or thrice) these days.

[JRB]

The world we live in these days is… well, stuff happens.

A few years ago an (unkilted) friend of mine was caught up in a bar fight. He wasn’t even one of the principals. He just got swept into the free-for-all.

When the police searched him and found his pocket knife they added a concealed weapon charge to the disorderly conduct charge. That little extra got him suspended without pay from his employment.

He got it all sorted out eventually after some considerable time and expense.

...

That is why I never ever wear, carry or possess a knife or anything else that could even remotely be considered a weapon when I go out on the town (i.e. to a bar/club, etc). Definitely circumstances should have a bearing on anyone's decision to wear a sgian dubh.

[Jack Daw]

The world we live in these days is… well, stuff happens.

A few years ago an (unkilted) friend of mine was caught up in a bar fight. He wasn’t even one of the principals. He just got swept into the free-for-all.

When the police searched him and found his pocket knife they added a concealed weapon charge to the disorderly conduct charge. That little extra got him suspended without pay from his employment.

He got it all sorted out eventually after some considerable time and expense.

I’m not saying anything about the right or wrong of it, I’m just saying that you have to think twice (or thrice) these days.

An excellent point.

[kennethrmc]

Hiya V

I'm clergy and I've thought a bit about this. I agree with J that your conscience ultimately matters much more than anyone else's view of "right" on the issue. That being said, I will wear one to Scots heritage events (fests/ dinners/ parades) but not when I'm kilted at church gatherings or services. I'm sure one could shoot all sorts of holes in that sort of a "situational" approach, but again, conscience is what counts and this feels right for me.

[SteveB]

If I am wearing hose up and flashed, the sgian dubh is almost always present. I worked November 4th as the Warden in the election. I wore my kilt and Argyle with the sgian dubh for the whole day 4 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. that it took to operate the election in my precinct. One of the responsibilities of the Warden is to check off the absentee ballots based on an outer envelope, open the envelope and place the inner enveloped ballot in a pile. Then removing the identifiable envelopes to the return bin. Then I open the ballot envelopes and place each ballot through the optical scanner into the ballot box. This process is done in front of the police officer assigned to the poll as the witness that the privacy of the ballot has been honoured. The officer assigned for this election was new to our precinct, and was surprised when I brought out my Scottish letter opener (Sgian Dubh) to process the envelopes. He asked if it was a my custom to be armed. I said that it is my custom to be armed with adequate cutlery for the dining table, such as peeling fruit and the occasional need to open a letter. He told me later that he had been curious from the beginning of the day what was sticking out of my hose, but did not feel the need to ask. He was rather pleased to get a little education about Highland attire, and some of the Scot customs.
Here in Massachusetts the Sgian Dubh's blade is short enough to carry without much problem except to a school. I have had no problem with it anywhere here.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

In my entire life I have never met a single kilted member of the Scottish clergy, of ANY denomination, who was not wearing a sgian dubh. The circumstances of the meetings have been as varied as the Royal Enclosure at the Braemar Games, a banquet at Edinburgh Castle, and a funeral service in a private chapel near Nemphlar, in Lanarkshire. In that part of the world the wearing of the sgian dubh seems to be a non-issue.

[Jack Daw]

In my entire life I have never met a single kilted member of the Scottish clergy, of ANY denomination, who was not wearing a sgian dubh. The circumstances of the meetings have been as varied as the Royal Enclosure at the Braemar Games, a banquet at Edinburgh Castle, and a funeral service in a private chapel near Nemphlar, in Lanarkshire.

...ceremonial blood-lettings.

[Howard Clark]

I almost always have a knife. Not necessarily a sgian dubh in my sock, but more often than not that is what it will be. Unless it is a sensitive place/event that it would cause trouble. Then a folder of some sort goes along.

[Bugbear]

You know... I wouldn't mind wearing one; like I said, I usually have a pocket knife. It's just that I would rather not wear a sgian dubh than to wear the wrong one and I haven't looked into it enough to know right from wrong on this topic and issue. Guess the sgian dubh bug hasn't bit me yet. I'm sure it will one of these days...
Hmmm, sgian dubh grafting knife...?

[Kerr the Walker]

Growing up in the woods and on docks, I feel rather unprepared without a blade on me. I generally carry a folder with about a 2.5" blade for general use regardless of venue unless I know for sure it's prohibited.

With sgian dubhs, I tend to follow the Situational Rule. If I'm in a place that it won't get me into trouble with the law, I wear it. Being a fixed blade, the "utility" of it gets placed in question a bit more than a folding pocket knife.

As for formal occasions, I've always got one tucked into the top of my hose. Except in churches. Something just doesn't sit right with me going armed into the Sanctuary. It stays in the truck in that case.

I've also heard a slightly modified version of the history of the sgian dubh. The version I read about was that tucking the "black knife" into your hose top was a sign of respect to your host in that you were showing him where your weapon was. However, this did not preclude one from being armed to the teeth with other hidden blades.

Seems like another case of truth by legend in any event.