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  1. #1
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    Sgain dubh handles

    Some 40 years ago I worked through how to carve these handles. I did a nice dirk, but that's another story. Anyway, being partially retired, and having time with social distancing, gave me some time to mess around with carving again. Not sure what I'm going to do with these. Probably buy some Atlanta Cutlery blades and finish them off. Maybe keep a sgian-less dubh. Left to right is cherry, then walnut. Both stained dark and shellaced. Third is Honduran rosewood with no finish as yet. Really doesn't need it. Fittings are brass, and they were a lot of relearning. I'd like to try some nickel/German silver at some point.20200725_171656_copy_768x1365.jpg
    Last edited by DCampbell16B; 7th August 20 at 06:24 PM.


  2. #2
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    Very nice work. You could definitely become a registered hobbyist here and sell some.
    B.D. Marshall
    Texas Convener for Clan Keith

  3. #3
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    12th January 13
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    Agreed, very nice. If I were in the market for a hand-made sgian, I would definitely be intrigued.
    Here's tae us - / Wha's like us - / Damn few - / And they're a' deid - /
    Mair's the pity!

  4. #4
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    My sales pitch could be "Why buy an ugly plastic sgian dubh? I'll sell you an ugly wooden one!"

    Eh. I'm not gonna put Rab Gordon or the Evans's out of business. I should look into the registered hobbyist thing though, thanks.

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  6. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by DCampbell16B View Post
    My sales pitch could be "Why buy an ugly plastic sgian dubh? I'll sell you an ugly wooden one!"

    Eh. I'm not gonna put Rab Gordon or the Evans's out of business. I should look into the registered hobbyist thing though, thanks.
    Absolutely nothing ugly about those. And wood is always superior to plastic. I think they are great.

  7. #6
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    Sgain Dubh handles

    Quote Originally Posted by DCampbell16B View Post
    Some 40 years ago I worked through how to carve these handles. I did a nice dirk, but that's another story. Anyway, being partially retired, and having time with social distancing, gave me some time to mess around with carving again. Not sure what I'm going to do with these. Probably buy some Atlanta Cutlery blades and finish them off. Maybe keep a sgian-less dubh. Left to right is cherry, then walnut. Both stained dark and shellaced. Third is Honduran rosewood with no finish as yet. Really doesn't need it. Fittings are brass, and they were a lot of relearning. I'd like to try some nickel/German silver at some point.
    Nice job on the handles but please don’t mess them up with cheap blades made out of cheap steel. The blades will be next to a sweaty leg and they will rust if you don’t keep them greased up. It’s not to hard to make your own blades out of 440C, you can get it at any knife makers supply. I have made dozens of them. All by hand as I have no belt sander. Keep up the good work. Stickman

  8. #7
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    These are wonderful. I have been dabbling in sgian dubh making and these give me inspiration, well done you.

  9. #8
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    16th March 20
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    Thanks both of you.
    Stickman, I know the effects of cheap steel, but for my purposes it fine. I'm more interested in the woodwork part, and won't be wearing it that much. If I did it for someone else that might be different. The first two were just for practice anyway. I might use one as a sgian don't maybe, but the backs are crap. I might do a wood sheath for the rosewood one just to see how it goes, which would tend to counteract the rusting. Actually running a little low on time lately though...
    McMurdo, I took some pictures as I went along which show how I went about it. Happy to pass them along if you'd like. I could post them if there was interest.
    Last edited by DCampbell16B; 22nd August 20 at 09:09 AM.

  10. #9
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    I've been doing all sorts of unusual experiments as we were confined to barracks due to the virus.

    One of the more unusual ones was to make a Sgain Dubh from scratch, the likes of which no one has ever seen before. The handles are braided grape vines that have been woven over a resin core. It is a nice, flexible material that can be bent without a steam box when used fresh. The ends are "distressed" copper. If it looks awkward to hold, it is not. In fact, it fits my hand perfectly and it has grippy parts and recesses exactly where my big paws need them. The handle is 3-3/4" long and the blade is 3-1/2".

    I made my own blade by machining down high carbon tool steel. (That is not for the uninitiated.) I gave it an edge but not a razor sharp one, although I could take it that far if there were a point to doing so (no pun intended). The blade is vinegar etched, which is almost like an anodized surface. If civilization ever collapses, I'll make that into a lethal weapon by sharpening both edges to a shaving razor. I'll leave that part to my great-grandchildren. They may need to do that, some day.

    The sheath is an even bigger flight of fancy The top is fashioned out of tree root that I broke off a huge driftwood poplar tree on the shore of Lake Erie. A big storm had ripped that sucker right out of the ground.

    I have a deep interest in Neolithic and Bronze Age history and archaeology and the images that our predecessors left behind. Someone mentioned to me that it had an "occultish" look about it but such a thing couldn't be further from my mind or interest. A lot of the ancient visual motifs of our ancestors were hijacked by Antiquarians and other oddballs during the 19th century when they cooked up their various cults. Truth is, we can only guess at what the originators of our Celtic symbols had in mind but intertwining knots like that go back to the beginning of the Bronze Age, at least and the use of natural materials like wood and vine would go back much further still.

    How Scottish is it? It's a lot more Gillie's bench than High Street Scottish souvenir shop.

    Vine Sgain Dubh Left.jpgVine Sgain Dubh Right.jpgVine Sgain Dubh Sheathed.jpg
    Last edited by Ninehostages; 22nd August 20 at 03:38 PM.
    Those ancient U Nialls from Donegal were a randy bunch.

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  12. #10
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    Nicely done. You should be well pleased with your work.

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