Sgian Dubh in Surinese Snakewood and African Blackwood with Damascus blade
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 dagger for “Sgian” and black for “Dubh”.
I have made the primary outer handle of this Sgian Dubh with Surinese Snakewood, one of the hardest and most expensive woods on the planet. It is the heartwood of a relatively small tropical tree and is reddish brown with black markings running throughout that resemble snakeskin. The iridescence on this super exotic wood has to be seen to be believed, when the sunlight hits it it it looks like its on fire! The amazing pattern of this wood also gives it its other name of Letter wood. Its almost unsurpassed hardness gives a finish like glass making it the ultimate Sgian Dubh handle.
I have capped the Snakewood with some stunning African Blackwood. All the Blackwood is use is FSC 100% and comes from community-managed forests in Tanzania, 100% of the revenue from wood sales goes back to the local people involved. This true Rosewood has a beautiful grain, jet black streaks intertwined with dark iridescent brown. It also has a high natural oil content that makes it very resistant to moisture. African Blackwood is a very traditional wood to be used in the making of Sgian Dubhs fitting the bill perfectly for a “Black Dagger”. The wood is also extremely hard and finishes to a high lustre.
For a professional finish i have used more African Blackwood as a centre to lock the tang and scales together.
The blade is made of 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 collection. 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 set it in the handle so that it measures just under 3.5″ to comply with current UK laws. This Sgian Dubh has a slight factory edge.
To finish and protect the wood I first apply a sealer of Shellac and Cellulose Thinners. This brings out the t trues colours and provides and stable base for the next finish. I then apply two type of industrial wax, the same finish as i use on my antler pieces. This leaves an attractive hard wearing satin sheen.
It comes complete with an attractive embossed black leather sheath and a black presentation box.
The Sgian Dubh measures:
Overall Length 177mm x Width 27mm x Depth 12.4mm
Blade Length 87mm x Width 25mm
As with all of my pieces i have applied my company logo “UBC” with pyrography, in this case on the bottom rear of the handle.