Damascus Steel Sgian Dubh in African Ebony and Hawthorn – sharpened, 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”.
I have made the primary outer handle of this Sgian Dubh from some African Ebony. This is perhaps the most well known dark Exotic hardwood and has been used throughout the ages in quality woodwork and musical instruments. The heartwood is predominately jet black but often with brown especially towards the sapwood. The wood is exceptionally hard and durable with very fine pores so can be polished to a high lustre.
I have combined the African Ebony with some local Scottish Hawthorn. I harvested this wood from a wind blown tree on the banks of Loch Ness. This lovely wood is a beautiful creamy brown with light brown streaks. It is the closest thing to a Scottish Ebony as the wood is extremely hard and works very similar to Ebony. Hawthorn, often just called “Thorn” is steeped in Folklore and Mythology and had so many uses. The leaves and flowers were eaten, the wood because of its high burning temperature was used to smelt pig iron and the tree itself was believed to be the home of fairies! It is one of my favourite Scottish Hardwoods and the contrast on this piece against the Ebony is stunning.
For a professional finish i have used African Blackwood as a centre to lock the tang and scales together. All the Blackwood i 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 extremely hard and finishes to a high lustre.
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. I have sharpened the edge of this Sgian Dubh.
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. From my experience this is the hardest wearing finish available for wood.
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 11mm
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.