sgian achlais

**Erikm** · 13th February 13, 02:18 AM

Anyone know of where I can find a sgian achlais? Or anyone ever make one?

**Guinness>water** · 13th February 13, 07:34 AM

Its hard to find out much about the sgian achlias. I have only seen a couple people who make them. Scotiametal and Taylor-knives

I am very interested in this knife. I wanted one but couldnt afford to buy one so I made my own. Its not nearlly as pretty but works good enough.

**unixken** · 13th February 13, 08:07 AM

You might also check with Terry. Perhaps he could make you one. He made me a wonderful Sgian Dubh, and a Dirk. Perhaps he'd do you a Sgian Achlais. He's an advertiser on here. Look for his red "a real sgian dubh made in Scotland" icon, down the right side of this web site.

Ken

**Erikm** · 13th February 13, 01:25 PM

Thanks everyone

something about the sgian achlais just makes it my favorite knife, I really like it Guinness was it hard to make? I have made a few sgian dubhs. Thanks I check out all the links everyone gave.

**Woodsheal** · 13th February 13, 01:37 PM

Actually, any small-to-medium sized utility-style knife of the period will work for a sgian achlais, like this one (why spend a ton of $$$...?):

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Catego.../1/KNIFE-ENG-F

Another possibility:

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Catego...1/2/KNIFE-RB-D

**Guinness>water** · 13th February 13, 02:03 PM

Erikm,
It wasnt too hard to make. A lot of cutting and grinding. With a steel wheel an ammo can and a leaf blower, you can make a workable forge. The tempering is a waste of time in my opinion.

Woodsheal,
those are great ideas. If I had seen those earlyer, I wouldnt have gone through the trouble of making mine.

Correct me if I am wrong, but wasnt the Sgian Achlais the predesessor to the Sgain Dubh? After the 1715 rising wasnt it against the law to carry a concealed large blade? So the Scots started carrying smaller blades and put them in the top of their hose to be seen?

I've also heard the story about being polite to display all weapons when in someones house.

**Erikm** · 13th February 13, 06:18 PM

Thanks Woodsheal for posting those are both nice, I'm guessing it would be easy to add a clip to wear under the arm?

**TheOfficialBren** · 13th February 13, 06:39 PM

Not to hijack but can't a decent knife be made from an old file? It seems like one of the knife makers on here did that a while back.

**Woodsheal** · 14th February 13, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by Guinness>water

Correct me if I am wrong, but wasnt the Sgian Achlais the predesessor to the Sgain Dubh? After the 1715 rising wasnt it against the law to carry a concealed large blade? So the Scots started carrying smaller blades and put them in the top of their hose to be seen?

I've also heard the story about being polite to display all weapons when in someones house.

The sgian achlais would be considered a weapon due to its concealment. The little sgian dubh was never a weapon, but rather a skinning knife - stuck into the hose top for convenience. Later it became the decorative item it remains today (right around the same time that the dirk degenerated into a silly be-jeweled gimcrack). There were no knife bans after any of the Jacobite risings, and I don't buy the "courtesy display of weapons" myth, either....