Skean Du. The name means "black knife," perhaps from the color of the handle which was traditionally black bog oak or (later) ebony. According to some sources, it evolved from the sgian achlais, or armpit dagger of the 16th century. The early skean du, as made by the typical Scottish smith, was a pretty rustic thing with an antler handle and 4 inch clip point blade. Later knives had shorter, spear-point blades and often ornate wood handles.
Originally the knife was carried inside the clothing,
except when the owner went visiting. Then, as a matter of courtesy,
it was slipped into the stocking where it could be seen. In the early
1800's it became the sock carry became a feature of the traditional
Scottish dress.
Skean
Du traditionally had filework on the spine of the blade, and some had
a handle that was flat or curved out slightly on the side that fit against
the leg when worn in the sock. Typical embellishment included carved
thistle pommel, and carved basketweave handles.
Arcadia Forge accepts:
