Staghorn handle sgian dubh.

**Barb T** · 11th August 05, 12:09 PM

Several years ago, my daughter bought a really fab sgian dubh when we were in Scotland. When it's stuck in your kilt hose, it looks like a carved stag horn sgian dubh. But, it's really just a carved horn with no metal blade. The other end of the horn is carved into a flat, blunt "blade" that holds the thing in your kilt hose. What I really like about it is that it's _light_. Every other sgian dubh I've tried is _heavy_ and tends to drag your kilt hose down on a long parade march, even if your flashes are cinched up tight.

I can't persuade her to part with it (for obvious reasons!!). If I'd been a piper at the time, I would have bought one, too. But, alas, to my regret, I didn't and now wish I had. Anyone know where I can buy one??

Barb

**Hal** · 11th August 05, 09:22 PM

Greetings, Barb!

You might try searching on the 'net under "knife making supplies". Many of the suppliers I've seen carry various horn (and synthetic horn) pieces for making handles.

Perhaps a "handle piece" for a larger knife might grind/sand down to a size/shape that would work for you? The material itself isn't that difficult to work with... And it's relatively inexpensive.

Just a thought.

Hal

**Archangel** · 12th August 05, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by Hal

Greetings, Barb!

Perhaps a "handle piece" for a larger knife might grind/sand down to a size/shape that would work for you? The material itself isn't that difficult to work with... And it's relatively inexpensive.

Just a thought.

Hal

...but, it really, really, stinks.

**dano9672** · 12th August 05, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by Archangel

...but, it really, really, stinks.

BWAAHAA! Yea, that's a good material to use hand tools with for sure.

**Piper** · 14th August 05, 08:10 AM

Atlanta Cutlery carries a passable blade, for about $15 if I recall. They also have a Damascus Steel version for about $34. I've made a couple of sgain dhus (sgains dhu?) using their blades. The one that I normally carry I made from a blade made by a guy I know from the Rendezvous circuit, and an antler crown from a whitetail rack. I used poured pewter to hold the blade in place. Turned out quite well, for a little under $30, and some of my time. The Atlanta Cutlery based knives come out cheaper, because the blades cost less.

**Brasilikilt** · 23rd August 05, 06:43 PM

Piper
I've had my sights on the Atlanta cutlery sgian dubh and Scottish dirk blades for quite a while now as they are they only Scottish blades I could find in carbon steel.
I was considering buying the really cheap completed knives off e-bay and simply rehandling them, but I suspect the steel in those blades is probably not much better than melted down hubcaps and beer cans!

**Archangel** · 24th August 05, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by Piper

Atlanta Cutlery carries a passable blade, for about $15 if I recall. They also have a Damascus Steel version for about $34. I've made a couple of sgain dhus (sgains dhu?) using their blades. The one that I normally carry I made from a blade made by a guy I know from the Rendezvous circuit, and an antler crown from a whitetail rack. I used poured pewter to hold the blade in place. Turned out quite well, for a little under $30, and some of my time. The Atlanta Cutlery based knives come out cheaper, because the blades cost less.

I was considering this same route. Actually been in contact with Atlanta over these, there's a bit of complication to ship to Canada. Also held off until new credit card month started, these games and fairs have done big damage.

Can you give some idea of what you did in more detail? Maybe show some pictures?

(Just so's this is on the up and up, I'm planning to make these to sell. I've made knives and sheaths before and have my own plans/designs.)

**Dreadbelly** · 24th August 05, 08:21 PM

It's not that I have an aversion to bladed weapons... I just like blunt objects and hold them with a great deal of affection.

Would be so improper to keep a blackjack or a sap stuffed in to your sock in the same manner as a black knife?

**Wompet** · 1st October 05, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Piper

Atlanta Cutlery carries a passable blade, for about $15 if I recall. They also have a Damascus Steel version for about $34. I've made a couple of sgain dhus (sgains dhu?) using their blades. The one that I normally carry I made from a blade made by a guy I know from the Rendezvous circuit, and an antler crown from a whitetail rack. I used poured pewter to hold the blade in place. Turned out quite well, for a little under $30, and some of my time. The Atlanta Cutlery based knives come out cheaper, because the blades cost less.

Like Archangel, I am also thinking about making a couple of sgians dubh (sp), but only for my one brother and myself. My other brother (who would rather have a trebuchet

) and I were looking at the Atlanta Cutlery blades, but weren't sure of the quality. We also hadn't quite worked out how to firmly fix the blade in an antler crown handle and have an end result that would look good.

**Brasilikilt** · 1st October 05, 08:30 PM

Here's one I literally threw together with what bits and peices I had laying around.......a bit of a "test run" before I order the Atlanta Cutlery blades and also so I could have something loosely resembling a sgian dubh to stick in my sock as I was tired of using my mora and other smaller camp knives as a substitute for a sgian dubh.

Here's a question.......when I get my Atlanta Cutlery blades, would any of you be interested in seeing the results if I document the whole process with pics and such....A how-to for the sgian dhub if you will?
Let me know and I'll get to work on it :-)