Safety or bladed

[Really a McQueen]

Gosh, do you think that I could get a funeral for £20???

Why Jock, that wouldn't even be enough to open the bar for your wake.

[Jock Scot]

Why Jock, that wouldn't even be enough to open the bar for your wake.

I didn't leave any instructions about the wake, only the funeral!

[LKM]

As for the skean dubh question, wear what fits you the best. I feel naked without at least blade on me, normally a pocket knife, and go with the blade. I normally go with a cheep one with a metal handle and not the traditional black handle. I might replace it with a better stag horn sgian dubh some day. If you want a sgian brew for the beer tent or a blade-less safety sgian dubh go for it.

[MacRob]

A sgian without a blade is not a sgian. That has been my philosophy for thirty-three years and will remain so. Of course you have to respect local laws, no matter how silly they may be and, if I ever encounter a jurisdiction where I cannot carry one of my sgians in the top of my hose, then I will go without. So far, I have not spent time in such. When we go back to Scotland in 2018 I may meet up with that for the first time.

[Jock Scot]

A sgian without a blade is not a sgian. That has been my philosophy for thirty-three years and will remain so. Of course you have to respect local laws, no matter how silly they may be and, if I ever encounter a jurisdiction where I cannot carry one of my sgians in the top of my hose, then I will go without. So far, I have not spent time in such. When we go back to Scotland in 2018 I may meet up with that for the first time.

Whilst wearing Scottish National Attire it is perfectly legal to carry a SD in Scotland and in England(slightly different laws I think). Although you as an American( I assume by your stated place of abode) the fact is, it will not be your National Attire, therefore that may weaken your position, should push come to shove with a jobsworth Peeler. Something to consider, I would suggest?

[MacRob]

Whilst wearing Scottish National Attire it is perfectly legal to carry a SD in Scotland and in England(slightly different laws I think). Although you as an American( I assume by your stated place of abode) the fact is, it will not be your National Attire, therefore that may weaken your position, should push come to shove with a jobsworth Peeler. Something to consider, I would suggest?

American or not, I have carried sgians on two previous trips to Scotland without issue. However, my observation is that folks over there have become a bit more picky which was the reason for my comment. I also face the dilemma of what to do about my fox fur sporran, which is currently my formal sporran. My only other formal sporran is an American opossum, which is not, I believe, found in Britain or on the Continent. However, if that is all I have worry about I guess I will be OK.

[Jock Scot]

You may have more trouble in some places within the UK with your fur sporrans that ever you will with a SD!

Actually, being serious for a moment, I have never heard of anyone having problems with a fur sporran, but in this day and age, don't rule it out.

[Piobair]

In my experience, the more people fixate on weaponry, the less likely they are to look well put together. I'd rather see a kilt worn at the right length than the plastic handle of some battle ready letter opener sticking out of poorly cuffed hose. I understand that some people feel a need to have a sharp spike in their sock to kill all the wild boars at the local ren fest, but by and large you don't need a bladed sgian. If you normally carry a pocket knife, by all means put one in your sporran or even in your hose where the sgian goes.

To put it another way, If you don't normally walk around with a sharp ornamental dagger, are you really missing out by omitting it from your Highlandwear? There are plenty of redundant/nonfunctional elements that go with the kilt that are purely ornamental (like the kilt pin, various cuff adornments, ghillies, neckties, etc.), so I'm not sure I buy the "function must follow form" argument.

When I lived in Scotland this was so much less of an issue. I rarely wore a sgian, be it while piping or at various events where plenty of other people were kilted. Many of my Scottish friends did not (and still do not) bother with them. In my experience, there's less lore about "blades" over there. There's also a lot more sensitivity about knife crime, so most people don't carry them. "But this is part of national dress" is not likely to win over a 300lbs Welsh bouncer whose goal in life is not to get stabbed by a Ned running wild on Buckfast while keeping a door in a Glasgow pub.

There are plenty of beautiful alternatives, like one of Rab Gordon's collector-worth sgian brews, that will fill a person's hose with more panache than a razor sharp bauble.

[Father Bill]

Do you have links to Rab Gordon?

[Jock Scot]

Do you have links to Rab Gordon?

I have just "googled" Rab Gordon Sgian Dubhs; and his website came up Bill. I am off to bed now, but if you have no luck, let me know and I will post you details in the morning.