Sgian Dubh (and a little something not found in Scotland!)

T

tvandeventer

Joined
Oct 5, 2006
Messages
199
Hi Folks,

Just finished up this little knife for fellow who likes to be seen in a kilt from time to time. He's a big guy and this knife is a bit larger than your average, everyday sgian dubh. Turkish-twist damascus, nickel silver, and African Blackwood. Just need to make up a black sheath and he'll take possesion. Hope y'all like it.

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And a bit off topic and just for fun. If any of you have ever wondered, "Why the little snake on my logo," it's what I do for a living. This little guy is my shining star:


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He's a five year-old Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. Tame as a puppy and never rattles. He's captive-raised and as a result has reached a remarkable size. Wild rattlenakes virtually never get this big, and never, ever this heavy (despite the photoshopped internet pictures of grinning yokels holding up dead "Nine foot long, 119 pound" rattlers.) This guy is six-foot, nine inches long, not counting the rattle. He weighs-in at a whopping 24 pounds. He has a complete string of rattles of 20 segments, plus his original button.

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For those Doubting Thomas'. The deck boards, including one space, are six inches wide. I have no doubt that his good genes and cushy life will result in him exceeding seven feet over the next few years.

Please, no remarks about sheaths or boots. His skin is most beautiful where it is. :D And Paul, quit drooling! ;)

Cheers,

Terry

Terry L. Vandeventer
ABS MS
 
really remarkable sir

as a child I happened on a Black Racer in my back yard and found very quickly that I have quite the fear of snakes.

spent the next 10-15 years learning all I could about snakes and have come to appreciate snakes role in nature, although I still have a "healthy respect" for them I have pretty well gotten over the sphincter clenching fear.


if you don't mind my asking, I know that venomous snakes are raised in captivity to milk for the sake of making Anti-Venom, what other benefits do you see professionally from raising snakes?
 
I LOVE all critters!! That is really a beautiful snake!!!

I remember when I was in second grade, someone came to our school with a big huge snake. I don't remember what it was. I was the only one that would touch it.
 
Hi Stephan,

I'm a research herpetologist with our State Natural Science Museum and I own an educational productions company which enlightens sportsmen, children, public utilities personnel, medical practitioners, etc., about snakes in general. And when I'm not in front of an audience, in the lab, or in the field, I'm in the knife shop!

No snake milking here. That's done under very strict laboratory conditions and is outside the scope of my work. Since many of the forumites here are outdoorsy folks, I thought they might like to see this fellow. Love 'em or hate 'em, we're always in awe of them.

Cheers,

Terry


Terry L. Vandeventer
ABS MS
 
Terry,

That is an awsome rattler. In the bottoms around here, I've seen quite a few timber rattlers that were real brutes, but that pattern on a diamondback is beautiful. Truly big snakes are getting few and far between it seems like-- and that's a shame.

Tad Lynch
 
Terry, great little knife...love the filework.

What do you feed that snake that it has become that large? Maybe if you would walk him everyday he would slim down a bit.;)

Marcel
 
Man, I keep seeing more and more Sgian Dubh's post on the forum... and it's GREAT! Really nice work on the "Black Knife". Very clean and classy. Do you have a picture of the sheath? The first Sgian Dubh I made was made from W1 with a mirror polish, and had a leather sheath. After a long, hot Celtic festival (10+ hrs stuck in my sock), the sweat caused the blade to completely rust. Luckily, it was my own personal carry, but embarrassing none the less. Not sure if it was a function of the leather, the salt in sweat, or the steel, but it was enough for me to swear off steels that aren't stainless for Sgian Dubh's. But...I REALLY want to use Damascus for the look, but I am afraid of the possibility of rust. Any suggestions?

And of coarse.... great snake. :thumbup:
 
Nice Sgian Dubh! Beautiful damascus.:thumbup:

Kind regards,

Jos
 
ooops, Terry. Just noticed that you need to make up the sheath. Can you post a pic of it once you get it done?
 
That is a good looking Sgian Dubh. I love the blackwood and nickel silver. How is the butt cap attached?

Your buddy doesn't look bad either. We get visited a couple of times a year around here by some of his relatives. A six foot diamond back is not all that uncommon in this part of Georgia. You will hear of someone bumping into one every year or so, but one nearly seven feet is a whopper in anybody's book. Roads seem to be kind of rough on the big ones. They don't back off from much and just can't handle a car or truck.
 
Wow! Thats a biggun'....... Oh and Great knife too! I really like the quilted carving on the handle.

Shawn
 
Bob Katilus said:
Man, I keep seeing more and more Sgian Dubh's post on the forum... and it's GREAT! Really nice work on the "Black Knife". Very clean and classy. Do you have a picture of the sheath? The first Sgian Dubh I made was made from W1 with a mirror polish, and had a leather sheath. After a long, hot Celtic festival (10+ hrs stuck in my sock), the sweat caused the blade to completely rust. Luckily, it was my own personal carry, but embarrassing none the less. Not sure if it was a function of the leather, the salt in sweat, or the steel, but it was enough for me to swear off steels that aren't stainless for Sgian Dubh's. But...I REALLY want to use Damascus for the look, but I am afraid of the possibility of rust. Any suggestions?

And of coarse.... great snake. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Bob, you could use stainless damascus. My friend Chad Nichols makes some of the best that is available .Contact info can be found here:


www.chadsknivesanddamascus.com
 
COOL. I've always been fascinated by snakes. That is an exceptionally nice dubh.

I was VERY surprised last week walking in a nearby park. It had been sunny,temps only in the 60's, and as I was walking, my peripheral vision picked up an object, JUST as I was about to step on a 4' + black snake! I managed to avoid the snake and perhaps it was the cool temps, as it didn't move at all after getting nearly stepped on? It continued to remain motionless as I checked it out closely. I was tempted to pick it up, but decided not to disturb it.

Peter
 
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