Wearing a dirk casually

[FossilHunter]

My impression is that dirks are neither traditional in modern Highland dress beyond certain ceremonial uses, as mentioned above by others, or practical as either a simple cutting tool or even a defensive weapon (unless all you have to worry about are highwaymen armed with clubs).

Because of that, I personally find them to be overly theatrical and smacking of costume much like a claymore would be. I get the impression that people who wear dirks just want to be seen wearing a dirk, which is fine for a pipe major or an officiant at a burns supper (indeed it’s the point, ha point!) but is probably of questionable taste for casual dress.

[Damion]

I wear a dirk on formal occasions when I wear medals. I sometimes wear a belt knife both when I'm kilted, and when in trousers. But a kirk is too large to wear comfortably just casually.

Yes, a kirk is a wee large to get away with wearing casually, one should only be worn on special occasions and even then it's best worn perched on the head with the bells uppermost. Anywhere else and you're likely to pitch sideways.

[Jock Scot]

If we exclude the military, pipers and the occasional re-enactor, I think for many experienced day to day kilt wearers in Scotland the sight of some one wearing a dirk with their day or casual kilt attire is almost a sure signal of ignorance of how things are done. Pure Brigadoonary if you like. There is the occasional exception!

You might on very rare occasion see a Laird dressed in day attire(tweed jacket, tie etc..)carrying a dirk. He might be wearing it on a whim, or more likely representing the estate or Clan at some minor function. These cases are very few and far and between and should not be regarded as normal practice for the majority of kilt wearers.

Again, a very few dirks will be carried on dress occasions either and care must be taken in making assumptions from pictures on the internet on how "normal" it is. Suffice to say it isn't normal, but some experienced kilt wearers might on a rare occasion wear a dirk and usually for a very specific reason.

[Jock Scot]

Post deleted. Dual post.

J.S.

[Geoff Withnell]

Yes, a kirk is a wee large to get away with wearing casually, one should only be worn on special occasions and even then it's best worn perched on the head with the bells uppermost. Anywhere else and you're likely to pitch sideways.

I hate autocorrect.

[Father Bill]

Kind of like wearing a cummerbund, medals, and bow-tie with jeans and a tee-shirt.

[FossilHunter]

I hate autocorrect.

Mine kept turning dirk into “dork.”

[kingandrew]

I'm always amazed at the variant misspellings I get when I try to type a comment on the small sock knife so often worn with the kilt. You know the "again dupe"? Or is it "skin duh"?

Andrew

[Father Bill]

I don't use autocorrect, but can't you add those words to your digital dictionary? I can with those bits of my software that have spell-checkers.

[Taj]

Regarding modern kilt wearing and modern cutlery I'm a practical man and a tool user. My knife is a tool that I carry everywhere legal to do so. My "sigan dubh" is a Spyderco folding clip knife that for lack of a more practical place to carry it kilted is at the top of my left sock. Nothing fancy, just available when needed. I sometimes practical wins over traditional.