A little history please?

[ForresterModern]

The sgian dhub story I heard was that it was a small weapon for defense kept openly visible with its top/handle visible above the hose. When visiting another clan's stronghold/home one surrendered all his weapons as a sign of trust in his host, except for the sgian dhub, which he was allowed to keep openly visible as an understood gesture of mutual trust, with just a little bit of mutual distrust.

Not sure how valid that one is either.

[Carolina Kiltman]

The sgian dhub story I heard was that it was a small weapon for defense kept openly visible with its top/handle visible above the hose. When visiting another clan's stronghold/home one surrendered all his weapons as a sign of trust in his host, except for the sgian dhub, which he was allowed to keep openly visible as an understood gesture of mutual trust, with just a little bit of mutual distrust.

Not sure how valid that one is either.

I added the emphasis.

Short knives carried in various places on the body were usual possessions of men from time immemorial. In Northern Europe throughout the Middle Ages, one always brought one's own cutlery (fork's were not used as eating tools then) when coming to dinner, as the host probably did not have enough for all of the guests.

Was the Sgian Dubh one of these? It could be a descendant.

That it was a skinning/utility knife carried by the Ghilles on a hunt, and picked up by those who hired them as an affectation, has to my "nose" the "smell of truth"

The romanticised one above, is probably much less likely.

[Geoff Withnell]

I added the emphasis.

Short knives carried in various places on the body were usual possessions of men from time immemorial. In Northern Europe throughout the Middle Ages, one always brought one's own cutlery (fork's were not used as eating tools then) when coming to dinner, as the host probably did not have enough for all of the guests.

Was the Sgian Dubh one of these? It could be a descendant.

That it was a skinning/utility knife carried by the Ghilles on a hunt, and picked up by those who hired them as an affectation, has to my "nose" the "smell of truth"

The romanticised one above, is probably much less likely.

And it still is the custom in many groups that a man carries a small knife. In my family and where/when I grew up, a man without a knife was considered a wuss. Did not need to be a great big thing, a little pocket knife was ok, but some sort of blade. As to the Sgian Dubh, I carry one when kilted not as decoration, but because it is the most convenient way to carry the small knife I wish to have on my person. And I suspect that is the real genesis of the Sgian Dubh, a convenient way to carry a useful tool.

Geoff Withnell