My Rusty Sgian Dubh

ferguson

ferguson

Joined
Feb 21, 2001
Messages
4,238
When I saw the purpleheart handled SG on 7/30, I felt it was meant to be mine. When it came I wasn't disappointed. The wood was beautiful, and the blade was well made, and sharp. The makers mark is a flower (Dil?).

The knife really didn't need any work, but I fine sanded the handle and buffed it, then put 3 coats of wipe-on poly on it. While I usually use Tru-oil, I didn't want to darken the beautiful color of the wood, and poly is more clear.

The simple sheath was well made, and punched to be used as a dangler type sheath. I like a dangler on my puukos, and JKM's, but with this wide flat blade, it seemed likely that I might cut the sheath when putting the knife back in. So I ventured into my first leather work and sewed on a belt loop. The sheath was then dipped into melted beeswax to darken, protect, and harden it.

Thanks Yangdu and Dil for a wonderful blade. It's going to work with me tomorrow!

Steve

Sale picture
7--30-07%20003.jpg


Dil-SG-in.jpg

Dil-SG-out.jpg

Dil-SG-back.jpg

Dil-SG-sheath.jpg
 
Seriously. A beautiful job, on a fine knife.

The purpleheart glows on my monitor.
I can just imagine what it's like for real.
 
Purpleheart wood is especially appropriate, since the (purple) thistle is the symbol of Scotland, and the handle design is (in theory) in the shape of a thistle.

Hope they make more in that neat wood; but since you never know, you might have the coolest one made, Steve.


Mike
 
Steve, you haven't lost your touch. (even if you ARE really, really old).

That purpleheart looks really good. Heavy stuff, too.

Is the beeswax a better treatment for leather than neatsfoot oil? That's what I usually use on the raw sheaths I get.
 
Aardvark said:
Steve, you haven't lost your touch. (even if you ARE really, really old).

That purpleheart looks really good. Heavy stuff, too.

Is the beeswax a better treatment for leather than neatsfoot oil? That's what I usually use on the raw sheaths I get.
Click to expand...

Say what sonny? Can you speak up just a bit? :p

I'm not a leather guy, but I've heard them talking about dipping the sheaths in a mixture of beeswax and mink oil or neatsfoot. I only had the beeswax.:o It makes the leather really firm, almost hard. For this particular sheath, that was what I wanted. I normally use Pecards Antique leather dressing. Hmm, maybe I should have put some of that in the beeswax.

Mike, I feel fortunate to get that one. Been wanting one for a while.

Steve
 
Is it a type of wood that is suitable for use on kukris?
A well-sculpted handle in that color would be seriously striking (no pun intended)!
 
Great pics and a great knife and sheath combo. That is definitely a blade that you could carry everyday! Thanks for sharing.
 
Loverly Steve.

er...no. Loverly, Steve.


uh....nevermind.


Not knowing any better, I've melted canning parafin (from preserves given me) and saturated sheaths with it. Then pressure formed to fit the knife involved. Stiffens the leather nicely, and darkens it a bit.

Often, I'll coat with clear outside to keep the parafin from melting on clothes,
 
Great pictures, thank you Steve
 
That wood really is great on that knife, what an amazing colour!


I have a question about these small bushcraft type knives, though. For swords, it's not suggested that one keep the blade in a leather sheath lest it rust, however there I notice lot of leather sheathes being used for knives like these for oudoor use. Is there anything done to the leather to prevent rust on the blade or do these knives require a lot of maintenance because of the corrosive properties of the leather sheathes?
 
Welcome Pepperhead.

I wouldn't store a carbon steel knife in a leather sheath for long periods of time. For example, I don't keep my Steve Voorhis custom carbon steel knife in it's sheath. But for a using knife that's going to be in and out, cutting stuff, and wiped down with oil occasionally, it doesn't seem to be a problem.

Steve
 
Hi steve,
Pardon my ignorance,but, is the blade, (as it appears to be) double edged?
regards
Nig
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top