Sgian Dubh, Damascus Steel, Kilt knife, Scottish knife, Scottish gift, wedding
gift, groom gift, mens gift

The Sgian Dubh is a ceremonial dagger that is traditionally worn (tucked into
the sock) as part of Scottish Highland dress along with a kilt. The translation
in Gaelic is knife or dagger for "Sgian" and black for "Dubh".
This is one of my new range of Sgian Dubhs in Damascus steel. Damascus steel
was first made over 2000 years ago and has a legendary status, it is referred
to as the steel of the Ancients. It is thought to have originated in or near
Damascus, Syria. During the Crusades, the Crusaders where in awe of this steel
that they witnessed slicing through their own lesser quality swords. The exact
process of making Damascus steel was lost around 1750 AD but it became very
popular again in the 1970s with various craftsmen claiming to have rediscovered
the process. The process involves taking multiple layers of metal and folding
them together and bonding them by forge welding. If done correctly the
metalsmith will end up with a blade that is both hard and flexible and of
course have the swirling Damascus steel pattern that is so sought after. Each
blade has its own unique pattern, just like a finger print. I have sourced top
quality 15N20 Damascus steel blanks, they have a higher Nickel content for
extra hardness and are simply stunning to look at, an absolute must have for
any knife collection. The blades will be supplied unsharpened but if required,
they can be sharpened and will hold a razor edge. If Damascus steel is ground
to sharpen then the pattern will disappear, to people unfamiliar with this
metal, quite a distressing thing. After sharpening, application of hydrochloric
acid will instantly make the pattern pop again. There is one draw back with
Damascus steel, due to the high carbon content it will rust and rust quickly.
If the blade gets wet it must be dried quickly and if stored for a period of
time, especially in an environment that could get damp, simply rub a little
clear oil onto the blade to protect it.
I have made the primary outer handle of this Sgian Dubh from some beautiful,
highly figured Scottish Burr Wych Elm. I harvested the burr that i used for
this particular knife from a tree in Balmacara, West Coast of Scotland beside
the Isle of Skye and have been waiting for it to dry for a few years now.
Distinguishable from European Elm, its Highland cousin Wych Elm has green
streaks running throughout. Since i began this journey it has been one of my
favourite local woods and my most popular Scottish hardwood by far, by my
customers. Rich mid browns, tones of cream, yellow and green with a golden
iridescence and an intricate burr grain pattern. This burr is an exceptionally
good example of this beautiful wood at its best.
For a professional finish i have used some local Wild Cherry (Gean) as a
centre to lock the knife tang and the outer scales together. This piece came
from a tree that grew on the Black Isle, just North of Inverness. Like most
Cherrys, Wild Cherry is a lovely wood. It has a complex grain pattern, is
orangy brown with streaks of green and a golden iridescence. I used this wood
in some of my early knives and loved it so have been waiting very patiently for
this piece to dry for the last couple of years. These two beautiful Scottish
Hardwoods go perfectly together.
To finish and protect the wood I first apply a sealer of Shellac and Cellulose
Thinners. This brings out the colour and provides a stable base for the next
finish. I then hand brush 3 coats of a tough polyurethane lacquer. Yes, it is a
lot more work than other finishes but from my experience this is the hardest
wearing finish available for wood.
This Sgian Dubh comes complete with an attractive embossed black leather
sheath and a black presentation box.
The Sgian Dubh measures:
Overall Length 175mm x Width 27mm x Depth 12mm
Blade Length 88mm x Width 25mm, this complies with UK knife law sizing.
As with all my pieces i have applied my company logo "UBC" with pyrography, in
this case on the bottom rear of the handle.