Scottish Burr Wych Elm and Yew Damascus Sgian Dubh, Scottish knife, kilt knife, wedding gift, groom gift, best man 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 dagger for “Sgian” and black for “Dubh”.
I have made the primary outer handle of this Sgian Dubh from some beautiful, nicely figured Scottish Burr Wych Elm. I harvested the burr that i used for this particular piece from a tree just outside of Forres, North East Scotland and have been waiting for it to dry for a few years now. One of my favourite local woods and most popular wood overall by my customers. Mid browns, tones of cream, yellow and green with a golden iridescence and an intricate burr grain pattern.
For a professional finish i have used some local Scottish Yew as a centre to lock the tang and the outer scales together. This particular piece came from a very old tree that grew near Ullapool, West Coast of Scotland. Yew is a very traditional and sought after wood in woodcraft. This extremely slow growing, evergreen tree can live for many thousands of years and its use in folklore and legend has given it an almost mystical status. These two Scottish Hardwoods go perfectly together.
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. 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.
To finish and protect the wood I first apply a sealer of Shellac and Cellulose Thinners. This brings out the colour and provides and stable base for the next finish. I then apply two coats of industrial wax, this leaves a hard wearing satin sheen not too dissimilar to a polyurethane finish. It comes complete with an attractive embossed black leather sheath and a black presentation box.
The Sgian Dubh measures:
Overall Length 176mm x Width 27mm x Depth of just over 13.2mm
Blade Length 87mm x Width 24mm
As with all my pieces i have applied my company logo “UBC” with pyrography, in this case on the bottom rear of the handle.