Pocket Knife with Kilt

[McMurdo]

Reading these exchanges reminds me of my days as a Scout in the late 60s-early 70s. The Scouts in Scotland encouraged the wearing of the kilt as part of the uniform and many of us wore a kilt for normal Scout activities - but never a sgian dubh. Rather it was normal to have a respectable sheath-knife on one's belt. I can remember the knife I had - it had a blade of 4.5 to 5 inches and a hilt of compressed leather rings - it was made in Sheffield by a company called Wm Rodgers and as far as I was concerned it was the real deal. In fact I could take you to the field near Shawhead in Dumfriesshire where I lost it - it's probably still there under the turf.

I doubt if there was ever any evidence of Boy Scouts being habitual menaces with their knives, but it seems the Law in the UK now frowns on such knives and such casual wearing of them - in public at least. But back in those days it was just the normal done thing and we thought we looked pretty cool with our knives on our belts with our kilts.

This was my dad in 1950 in Blackburn north of Aberdeen in his Scout uniform. I'll have to ask him about the knife.

[Dr Bee]

This was my dad in 1950 in Blackburn north of Aberdeen in his Scout uniform. I'll have to ask him about the knife.

Your Dad certainly looks the part, as I expect my Dad did too - he'd have been 14 in 1950 and he was a Boy Scout, so roughly contemporary. In fact when I was younger the older Scouts looked exactly as your Dad does in the picture but in 1967 the uniform changed from the classic khaki shirt to a long-sleeved green shirt and the 'mounties hat' was replaced with a beret except in Scotland where we wore a grey Balmoral bonnet. I can still remember being taken to the Scout shop in Elmbank Street in Glasgow to buy the uniform - after all these years I believe the Scout shop is still there.

[Standard]

As for me, regardless of whether I'm wearing a sgain dubh in my hose I always have my Swiss Army knife in my sporran. My SAK rides in my pocket every day and I just don't feel dressed without it. For most things it's a better tool than the sgain dubh. My SD is a high quality one with brass bolsters, and a razor sharp edge since I don't believe in carrying a dull useless knife, and my jurisdiction has no restrictions on knives the size of normal SDs. Hope this helps.

[Madadh]

Always have my army issue pocket knife in my sporran. I keep it razor sharp.

[Downunder Kilt]

A mattucashlass is a type of dagger worn concealed in the armpit and primarily used for close combat, part of traditional Scottish male Highland dress. It is also referred to as an armpit dagger or a sleeve dagger in English. In Scots, the alternative name skene-ochil or skene-occles can also be found.

[Jock Scot]

A mattucashlass is a type of dagger worn concealed in the armpit and primarily used for close combat, part of traditional Scottish male Highland dress. It is also referred to as an armpit dagger or a sleeve dagger in English. In Scots, the alternative name skene-ochil or skene-occles can also be found.

I must for the sake of clarity, point out that the sgian achlais(and other versions of spelling) the armpit Scottish dagger or sleeve dagger is not part of traditional Scottish kilt attire of today.

It certainly has historical connections to it, but a knife worn under the arm pit or up the sleeve would, in normal circumstances, most certainly be illegal these days in the UK including Scotland and no doubt I imagine, in many other parts of the world too.

[Rlail]

I must for the sake of clarity, point out that the sgian achlais(and other versions of spelling) the armpit Scottish dagger or sleeve dagger is not part of traditional Scottish kilt attire of today.

It certainly has historical connections to it, but a knife worn under the arm pit or up the sleeve would, in normal circumstances, most certainly be illegal these days in the UK including Scotland and no doubt I imagine, in many other parts of the world too.

Not where I am!!!