Sgian Dubh, Scottish gift, Wedding gift, Groom gift, Best Man 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 beautiful African Bubinga. This tropical hardwood is very hard and very heavy. The heartwood is a warm reddish colour and the outer sapwood is a creamy gold. It has a truly beautiful grain with a mesmerising iridescent ripple running throughout that catches the light and sparkles and shimmers. This ripple runs from red into cream as you go into the sapwood. This piece even has a few worm holes just for that extra bit of character.
For a professional finish i have used more African Bubinga for a centre to lock the knife tang and the outer scales together. I have reversed the direction of the Bubinga and have the sapwood towards the rear of the knife, opposite to how i have set the outer scales. I love the contrast that this brings to this piece, very unique. First time I’ve done one like this and i am more than happy with how it’s turned out.
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. I have set it in the handle so that it measures just under 3.5″ to comply with current UK laws. I have left the blade unsharpened as Sgian Dubhs are mostly ornamental.
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 3 coats of a tough polyurethane. Yes it is a lot more work than some of my other finishes but 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 29mm x Depth 11mm
Blade Length 87mm x Width 25mm
As with all my pieces i have applied my company logo “UBC” with pyrography, in this case on the bottom rear of the handle.