Sgian Duhb?

[In Wood]

Of you knife makers out there, have any of you made a Sgian Duhb before?
I am looking to make myself one for an event this September.
My thoughts are either purchase a blade and make the handle or... Make the whole thing from stag antler (as they were origionaly made).

Your thoughts and suggestions please.

 

[fred gordon]

My understanding is that the handles were traditionally carved from Juniper wood. The reason the handles are black is that the knives were kept hidden under the armpit and body sweat turned the wood black. Anyone know?

 

[Toddy]

Oak turns black in the presence of iron.....such as the blade.
The underarm knife, (often hidden in the side seam of the jacket or waistcoat) the sgian ochlas, is usually black handled too.

The flourishing excresences of Military pomp, and later Victoriana, turned a simple everyday dagger and small knife into 'bling'
Much like the overdone sporrans and huge great bejewelled plaid brooches.

Fashion and the times

Interesting about the Juniper wood Fred

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Shewie]

Gailainne made a lovely one a couple of years ago for a wedding present I believe, took him ages to complete but it was a lovely piece of work.

 

[John Fenna]

I bought a couple of blades a while back - one damascus, one stainless - and for the damascus one I made a handle and sheath out of Ebony (a swine to work) and the other I made a stacked handle out of unknown sample woods and a leather "slip" sheath. Neither have had much use and live on the wall as ornaments - mainly!

 

[In Wood]

Yes, I want this for a wedding. Mine! :yikes:

But I want it to be special to me, not Blingy.

The origional ones were made, as I read, from antler, as the poorer folk (which I definitely am) could not afford steel, so they made them from what they had and I have some antler.

I thought about making a one, all in one section and perhaps doing some Celtic scrimshaw work on it. I wont be using it for cutting, so I thought a nice simple one would do me.

Pictures John?

 

[John Fenna]

Pictures John?

I will try and find some...
.

The ebony one - shaped with a Mora, decoration by Aldi dremel clone.
That is all I can find at the mo.....

 

[Toddy]

Where did you read about antler being used ?
Even in the neolithic they used stone.

Genuinely curious

cheers,
Toddy

 

[In Wood]

It was on a web site, I will see if I can find it and post a link.
Something along the lines of the history of the Sgian Bubh, how it came about, leaving weapons when entering a friends house, the concealed weapon was not if the friend attacked but if a rival clan attacked the home stead etc. "the black knife" and the balck did not mean in colour, it referes to it being "hidden".
I will look through my history later and have a scan for you Toddy.

 

[Toddy]

Never heard of one Interesting though

I do know that the little sgian dubh gets a lot of mince added to it's importance.
At the end of the day it was the only knife a person was allowed, and it was their at hand, cutting their meat, wee sharp tool of a knife derived from the medieval dagger.

Pretty much like today's non locking folder with a blade less than 3.5 inches kind of thing.

The sgian ochlas (several spellings of that too) was removed from the side sheathing and it too was worn in the 'other' sock at times, especially when in someone's house. I mind seeing them worn that way when I was a child, *and* I remember hearing adults being offended at a young man who hadn't removed his and worn it openly. It was considered oafish behaviour.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Bigfoot]

^
The spelling I see more often is "achlais", which is derived from the Gaelic for armpit. I vaguely recall hearing of a "sgian oglach" which would be regarded as a young lad's knife.