Safety or bladed

[Father Bill]

You know, a thought has struck me: The formal sgians that we buy often have lousy blades inasmuch as they flex. I wonder about the older ones. OC Richard would likely know for sure, as would more than a few other members here.

I wonder about the importance of that. Even my Victorinox pocket knife is sturdier than those. Is it because it's merely meant as ceremonial decoration, or because they're just cheapies sold at far too high a price for what they are, or . . .

I'd be interested in murmurs on this topic too with permission of the OP if it's not hijacking the thread and wandering too far off topic.

[KyleAisteach]

By "non-bladed safety sgian dubh" do you mean that it does not, in fact, have any blade at all?

Either way, I think the pertinent question is, is there ever a situation in which you might use your sgian dubh as a knife? If so, it should have a properly maintained, sharp blade. (Remember that a dull or weathered blade is far more dangerous than a sharp one.) If not, then there's no need for a blade at all.

[tpa]

If you are going to have a sgian with a blade, it may as well be sharp and of some use. I almost always have some sort of knife with me, a habit formed when owning a convenience store and continually opening packaging, but even without that still find I use it several times a day.

[Tarheel]

Cygnus is correct, the pen is mightier than the sword and used more often.

[The Q]

I have 5 sgian blades I am slowly in the process of making handles for.
They are as supplied blunt, I will sharpen them.
I also am making a cross between an officers sgian dubh and a sgian brew.
Eventually I'll make a pure sgian brew.

My choice of what to use depends on the occasion. If there is no requirement for the brew, and nothing to prevent it ( small children, the event premises bans all knives etc) i intend to take the knife

[Father Bill]

I'd love to see pix of these as they progress, Q. (Than-Q!)

[The Q]

I'd have to emphasise slowly!! I have too many hobbies!!

[freep]

Long ago I worked as an armed security guard. In the course of working a crowd control job one of the other guards, a new guy, asked me if I carried my pistol loaded. I was taken aback by the question. I told him I always carried it loaded because someone else with a gun and grudge might think I was serious about the whole thing.

I would suggest the same applies to any tool you carry around. Anything that might be perceived as a weapon should be able to function as such. The notion of a plastic bladed or non-bladed sgian to smacks of costume and that's not why I came. Real deal or nothing for me.

[Elf]

Thank you all for a very thoughtful thread. I have a couple knives but rarely use them in my hose. I am even less likely to wear an ornamental skein for formal affairs since I hope there will be dancing. I do not want either a blade or a substitute in my hose during such activity, although I have never actually had an incident when it disloged. A (sharp, useful) folding knife in the sporran is more appealing, as mentioned by azwildcat96. Just my two cents. I know many successfully carry.

[tripod]

I have carried a knife since I was a child, my school allowed sheath knives. A strange concept in this day where all knives are considered weapons not tools. It did allow me to realise that there are no dangerous weapons, just dangerous people.
I carry a Boker/Magnum sgian dubh supported by my brace, it's kept sharp and been used a few times. It's a tool.