How often do you actually use your Sgian Dubh?

[Jock Scot]

In truth, not often, but there have been a few occassions when it has come in handy. I suppose that a sgian does help round off ones kilt attire if its worn in any sort of traditional manner, so to that extent, it could be said that I use it nearly every time I wear the kilt.

[sailortats]

I always wear my sgian dubh when kilted but mine is not sharpened. I know most men feel that a dull knife is a useless piece of steel but I have a reason. I have 2 friends that are in the local police department. I no longer own a truck and must travel by public transportation everywhere I go. My police friends advised me against ever carrying a sharpened knife while on public transportation. It is an easy way to get arrested.

[MNlad]

I can't count the number of times that little blade has come in handy, from cutting tent ropes, to opening packages, to slicing sausage for a quick lunch. Then again, there's always a folder in my pocket when I'm not kilted, and a Leatherman close at hand.

[Professor Mac X]

I always wear one when kilted and use it far more often than you might imagine. For example, at a Burns Supper last winter, when one of the servers had difficulty getting a hold on a hot steam-table tray, a simple pry-and-lift with the little black knife quickly saved the day and kept the hungry line moving along nicely. I could cite several similar instances.
As Red Green says, "If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."

I can add another Burns Supper experience: when our performer of "Address to a Haggis" called to say he'd been in a car accident and couldn't make it, I had to step in. Two items saved the day: my iPhone, with its Robert Burns app (text of all poems included), and my sgian dubh, for the ceremonial carving of the haggis.

[Singlemalt]

When not kilted I always have a sharp folding knife in my pocket and use it for something almost every day. When kilted I always wear a sharp sgian and use it as often. I live on a rural property and always seem to need a blade for something from opening a bag of feed to whittling a toothpick. I would feel ill-equipped for the day if I did not have one.

[Geoff Withnell]

This seems to come up every so often. I was raised that an adult man just about always had a knife about his person, and it was a major step toward adulthood when a young man passed his Scout knife safety proficiency, and was usually given a pocket folder. So when bifurcated, I carry a small pocket folder, and when kilted I carry a functional sgian dubh. For those of us used to carrying a blade of some sort, it seems that there is always some minor task that the knife makes easier. Cold Steel does make several very functional sgian style knives, including a lock back folder that when open is a sgian style knife. Since only the handle shows, I can carry that in my hose, as well as in my pocket when in trousers.

[Panache]

Sgian dubhs are nice. They look good with a highland outfit and I own (and have made) a number of them. That said I think a pocket knife is a far, far more useful tool than a sgian dubh. I have a trusty Swiss Army knife "Camper" model that I currently carry that does everything a sgian dubh can plus a lot more without worry about it being legal/appropriate where I go. Also for hiking, dancing, and other physical activity I have found the tightness of my flashes garter's required to hold my sgian dubh in place to be uncomfortable.

I wear them when "dressing up" (though to highland games I always bring my "sgian don't" bottle cap opener as it is far more useful ) but on the whole I find it is just easier and more comfortable to put a pocket knife in my sporran and leave my sgian dubhs at home.

Cheers

Jamie

[BCAC]

To my mind, there's a lot of snobishness about this sgian dubh thing like "I'd feel naked without one", "no point in carrying a knife if it isn't sharp", "use mine all the time", "even if I'm not kilted I have a knife in my pocket".

I only wear a sgian dubh in evening attire, therefore relatively rarely, and have NEVER needed to use it as a knife. I don't have any use for a knife in my daily life, except for eating, since I left the Armed Forces.

I bought a good one though and have great pride and pleasure in owning and wearing it when it completes my evening attire.

[David Thorpe]

To my mind, there's a lot of snobishness about this sgian dubh thing like "I'd feel naked without one", "no point in carrying a knife if it isn't sharp", "use mine all the time", "even if I'm not kilted I have a knife in my pocket".

I don't find any of those to be any more "snobbish" than "I only wear mine with evening wear". We very seldom have a consesus here, and IMO that's a good thing.

I don't agree at all with the "if drawn, it better draw blood" thing mentioned earlier, but that doesn't make it wrong for everyone. I found the origin of the tradition interesting.

[CMcG]

I often find a use for my sgian dubh, but I'm also the kind of guy who carries a pocket knife when I'm wearing p@nts. Sure, I probably don't NEED a knife on my person because I'm usually close enough to one, or could wait to do the cutting, or find an alternative way of doing some task. But having a sharp knife close at hand is just so convenient! Besides, I think a sgian dubh is a unique and interesting accessory for the kilt.