Wearing a dirk casually

[kingandrew]

Father Bill,

I don't want to thread-jack, but the only place I run into this auto-correct issue is when I am typing comments on this forum. I don't run any auto-correct software on my own and I don't have trouble with typing even very oddly-spelled words on other forums I visit. I don't know why this is, nor can I imagine why "sgian dubh" would not be entered into the glossary for a forum devoted to kilt wearers. But this is my experience.

However, it does occasionally provide some unexpected humor, as in the "kirk wearing" above in this thread. I recall many years ago a web search engine that auto corrected British Airways into "brutish airways," a term that describes experiences I've had on a few different carriers.

Andrew

[Steve Ashton]

There is no spell checker associated with the forum software.

[Jack Daw]

The most recent time I had use for a dirk was to cut our wedding cakes, and I wasn't wearing it before or after. Frankly, I'm afraid of the damage to furniture (or myself) if I sat down with it on.

[Me cousin Jack]

Hey, if the guy wants to walk around with a long skinny dick in his hand, I say let him, I keep mine in my sock.

[Me cousin Jack]

Damn spell check

[CollinMacD]

I am relatively new to all of this, but learn something every time I read posts from so many knowledgeable people on this forum. So, what I am expressing are my own views based on many posts that I have read here from the experienced kilt wearers.

As a Jacobite Re-enactor, the Dirk as well as the French Musket, Basket Sword, Murdock Pistol, are all acceptable and accepted, however, they must be correct. You certainly would not carry a Murdock Pistol with modern dress, would you? You even don't wear a modern "Piper" Dirk, unless your a piper. It's my own rule of thumb, you need to go to the expense of purchasing the correct historical period clothing and accruements, for type for you impression you are doing, and it should be historic.

As far as wearing modern day, why would you want to wear this hardware. I have been told several times, when wearing a modern day kilt, both formal and more casual a belt is not necessary, so you wear a belt so you can wear a dirk, why, I will never understand. So wearing a belt is just as bad as wearing the dirk? Please correct me, when a belt is worn?

In most States in the US, the wearing of knife longer then 3-4 inches is illegal, unless part of a historical recreation, under controlled conditions, which means the knife should be secured in the sheath or for hunting or fishing. To just wear one is considered illegal. Most states are very specific the folding pocket knife is acceptable as a utility tool. Since I am a US Customs Officer, I am very sensitive to how a knife is displayed and where it is displayed. Nothing good ever comes from a weapon displayed in the open, there always is a time and place it should not be, in public it is not the correct place. It puts many people on edge, which can cause an unpleasant situation. Take this from years of experience in my field. If I see a stranger carrying a 10-12 inch sheathed knife, my red flags go up, and my trust in that person is low. Even though many states you can wear exposed holstered firearms, I am not comfortable, because on a whole it is not the norm for the society we live in, regardless of the many situations that result in attacks, still not accepted. I carry daily, and its a tool, but I have the uniform and authority to go along with it.

Finally, I have to repeat, what is the point of all of it. If you want to be rough and tough, join the Marines or Army, they will issue you one with a rifle, and go have fun. I respect and honor my heritage, and go to great lengths to assure I am not misrepresenting or adding something that is not correct. A true Scot is one who honors their heritage. Just my humble opinion. I would never wear a Dirk with modern dress, only my historical representation of a Jackobite at the correct event which it is acceptable.

[Jock Scot]

Two things Collin.

No dirk.
100_1045.jpg
Picture courtesy of Mrs Arnot.

It is absolutely correct/OK/ fine/alright to wear a kilt belt without a dirk with the kilt, but usually no belt with a waistcoat. Many without a waistcoat do wear a kilt belt for all sorts of reasons, such as. It might look better in their eyes. The kilt may be a tad too large so the belt cinches things up a tad. The belt is worn for "insurance". One thing is for sure, very few kilt wearers over here would even make a connection of a dirk with their kilt belt. Interestingly, on rare occasion the belt worn as a dirk carrier it is usually worn over the waistcoat for daywear and sometimes worn over a regulation doublet/Sherriffmuir jacket for dress attire. A PC or a black barathea, silver buttoned argyll(BBSBA) worn for dress purposes, then a dirk is not really justified as the attire and event really do not warrant a dirk.

Secondly, just so you know, this Jacobite stuff is not really of any interest to most modern day Scots. Its history for sure---- and the Jacobites lost---- so lets get on with the real world. It just does not hold the fascination to most Scots or the British for that matter that it seems to hold for you chaps outwith these shores.

[CollinMacD]

Two things Collin.

No dirk.
100_1045.jpg
Picture courtesy of Mrs Arnot.

It is absolutely correct/OK/ fine/alright to wear a kilt belt without a dirk with the kilt, but usually no belt with a waistcoat. Many without a waistcoat do wear a kilt belt for all sorts of reasons, such as. It might look better in their eyes. The kilt may be a tad too large so the belt cinches things up a tad. The belt is worn for "insurance". One thing is for sure, very few kilt wearers over here would even make a connection of a dirk with their kilt belt. Interestingly, on rare occasion the belt worn as a dirk carrier it is usually worn over the waistcoat for daywear and sometimes worn over a regulation doublet/Sherriffmuir jacket for dress attire. A black barathea, silver buttoned argyll(BBSBA) worn for dress purposes, then a dirk is not really justified.

Secondly, just so you know, this Jacobite stuff is not really of any interest to most modern day Scots. Its history for sure---- and they lost---- so lets get on with the real world. It just does not hold the fascination to most Scots or the British for that matter that it seems to hold for you chaps outwith these shores.

Again, thank you for your help with wearing of the belt. I just do not see the purpose of wearing a dirk regardless of the modern dress.

With regard to the Jacobite impression. I can understand why in Scotland t is not something many would revisit, but in the US, History, both US and World is a very big interest. Especially now, the school systems have all but eliminated History from their curriculum, only doing a birds eye view, without explaining why or how, History has been reduced to dates and events, and adding many people who played a minor role, making them a major role, and in some cases pushing a view, not historical facts. I served in Viet Nam, and recently read a High School History book, covered the entire war on a single page. What a piety, and what was covered was about demonstrations, and burning draft cards, nothing about the reason we were there.

The US probably has more Jacobite re-enactors than Scotland, and I enjoy the research, educating the public with the real story, not the Outland version, and most of all exposing many cultures that we have in the US to our Scottish history, although only a very small part, it played an ever changing role with changing Scotland.
Again, the living history MUST be based purely on facts, not what you think or the Hollywood version. My impression is based as much as fact and I can understand, and that is based on a lot of research I have done the past three years. Point taken and I can understand your perspective on this. As you probably have read, MANY Confederate Statues and other reminders of our Civil War, are being dismantled because of racial issues. This process is being done because of a lack of understand our own history, and the Southern Cause. Although I was born and brought up a Yankee in Boston, I have to say, the tearing down of the Confederate Monuments, just does not seem right in a country that should be tolerant of many different views. Very sad in the US now, simply because the people who are demanding this were never taught the real History of our nation. Very sad.

[Jock Scot]

I am sorry that I did not make myself clear Collin, its not just the Jacobite thing(don't forget though, that the Jacobites were hardly the majority in Scotland and don't forget that more Scots fought on the British side at Culloden than for the Jacobites), its British/Scottish history as a whole. We are very aware of our history and make no mistake we don't forget our thousand years or so of "modern" history, its just that if we get too wound up with a particular part of it we would not do justice to the rest of it! At a guess, every day of the year "something" happened that could be remembered /celebrated, be that a battle won/lost, a treaty signed, a coronation or death of some king or other, an important birthday, some invention or other, etc., etc., etc.. So the Jacobite thing is just another event amongst the many.

[Profane James]

.... if we get too wound up with a particular part of it we would not do justice to the rest of it!

Well said. I can see myself using this explanation in the future, giving due credit, of course...