Sgian Dubh questions

[Muddypaws]

I'm thinking about making a small sgian dubh, and I have made mock up from foam (from pizza packaging).

My questions are:
1. What is a traditional grind for a sgian dubh? Google images would seem to suggest either flat or convex. My mock up shows a scandi - this would be easier to make.
2. Some blades have some fluting (the red line on the mock up). What purpose does this serve?

At the end of the day it does not matter if my sgian dubh is not totally authentic, as I am not a scotsman, but I'd like to get it as good as I can.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Shewie]

Gailainne made an absolute cracker a couple of years ago, he toiled over that one for a good while so should be able to offer some pointers.

 

[myotis]

Q2, The fuller (red line) is there "apparently" because Sghian Dubhs were often made from broken or failed Dirks.

On the bigger dirk it was meant to lighten and strengthen the blade. It serves no purpose on small blades.

However, I just repeat what I have read/been told, I do not pretend to know what I'm talking about.

Q1. never seen a scandi grind on one.



Graham

 

[Dave Budd]

they are traditionally flat ground or possible hollow as some are made from broken swords/dirks. Until the bushcraft revolution only carving knives had scandi ground blades, so don't worry too much about authenticity

the fluting (a fuller) is there for aesthetics in a sgian dubh. In a larger blade they offer stiffness and reduce weight, but I suspect it's a carry on of styles from the larger dirks and the swords that sometimes provide the metal

 

[Muddypaws]

Wow! Thanks for the speedy response. Owing to the difficulty of producing a fuller (no milling machine or forge) I don't think I'll bother with one. Most sgian dubhs I've seen are the ones hawked in the tourist shops, so are not proper knives. Still they are better than the travesty that is the plastic sgian dubh!
I'm not decided on the grind yet, but as I hope to produce a functional tool rather than a showy piece I might go with scandi .

 

[myotis]

Muddypaws,

Have you searched the forum here and at British Blades for "dubh" there are some really nice pics around for inspiration.

Graham

 

[Muddypaws]

Muddypaws,

Have you searched the forum here and at British Blades for "dubh" there are some really nice pics around for inspiration.

Graham

Thanks for the tip. I must confess that I tried searching a couple of days ago, and couldn't find the stunning sgian dubh made by Gailainne - I was searching for sgian duhb Doh!!!

 

[Gailainne]

I'm afraid the sheath and scales were daunting enough for me, I bought a pre made Damascus blade, my mate didn't want a sharp edge , so it wasn't the best quality steel. There is a professional maker who also sells bare blades if you are interested ? Rab Gordon, if I ever make another I would like to base it around one of his Gujranwala Damascus blades.

Stephen

 

[g4ghb]

I found a couple of blade blanks in my recent clear out - send me a pm if you are interested muddypaws

 

[Muddypaws]

g4ghb - Thanks for the offer but I already have a piece of Landrover leaf spring awaiting treatment with my angle grinder.

 

[Dave Budd]

if you have an angle grinder then you have the means to make the fuller the thick cutting disc will leave a 3mm wide groove if you are steady with it

I've only made a few blades with one and I've normally used a scraper made from the end of a file. basically on an annealed file, cut/grind/file a W shape with one of the legs (th tip of one V if you like) slightly shorter than the other. The shorter one is the cutter and can be filed to a point or radius, file it to a 30degree bevel. Then heat it up and bend the new ends over to about 90degrees (the tool is not L shaped with the modified W on one end). Harden it and use as a scraper. The long leg runs along the blade spine of your knife to act as a guide, the short leg carves a groove into your annealed blade.

The to clean it up post heat treat use the scraper again if you can or wrap wet and dry paper around a shaped dowel

Or you could use a dremel of course

this is a set of blades I made for a friend a couple of years ago. No sgian dubh (though I have been meaning to make one myself), the fuller on the dirk was carved witha scraper and coz it was too narrow for my liking I opened it up with a drum sander on the dremel. Cleaned up with a shaped piece of softwood and wet'n'dry.