Sgian Brew Damascus Steel “Black Burr”, bottle opener, 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 dagger for “Sgian” and black for “Dubh”. Sgian Brews have become a popular alternative, used perhaps in a non-knife friendly event or just as a talking point.
This is one of my new range of Sgian Brews 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 were 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 made the primary outer handle of this Sgian Brew from some beautiful, highly figured Scottish Burr Wych Elm. One of my favourite local woods, mid browns, tones of cream, yellow and green with a golden iridescence and an incredible burr grain pattern. I harvested the burr that i used for this particular piece from a tree in Balmacara, West Coast of Scotland beside the Isle of Skye. For the colour I have used some industrial black colour fast wood dye. Most people are familiar with wood stain, perfect for many wood applications but it does tend to hide the grain. Burr Wych Elm is renowned for having a beautiful and intricate grain, something i try to show off in every piece i do. This particular wood dye allows the grain to still be clearly visible yet make the overall colour a rich black. The dye is also colour fast so won’t fade with time. I have intentionally hand brushed the dye on instead of dipping the whole handle as i wanted the inside of the burr ‘eyes” not to be dyed. This shows up as brown colour making a nice contrast and giving further depth to the overall piece. My hand brushing technique of the dye also allows streaks and hints of brown to show through which has made the handle look almost identical in colour, blacks and browns, to African Blackwood, simply stunning!
For a professional finish i have used some local Scottish Olive Ash for a centre to lock the tang and outer scales together. Olive Ash is actually the heartwood of an Ash tree and gets its name from its darker streaks running throughout its grain similar to that of European Olive. It has a vibrant golden iridescence and always goes so well with Burr Wych Elm.
To finish and protect the wood is first seal with Shellac and cellulose thinners, this protects and gives a stable base for the next step. I then apply the dye and to finish i hand brush a coat of micro gloss, this leaves a hard wearing relatively glossy sheen not too dissimilar to a polyurethane finish.
This Sgian Brew comes complete with an attractive embossed black leather sheath and a black presentation box.
The Sgian Brew measures:
Overall Length 168mm x Width 27mm x Depth 12mm
Blade Length 79mm x Width 25mm, this complies with UK laws.
As with all my pieces i have applied my company logo “UBC” with pyrography, in this case on the bottom rear of the handle.