the sgian dubh,(black knife)is really a victorian variation of the sgian achlais.
the gaelic word achlais,(oxter)or armpit in english was a concealed weapon tucked under the armpit,handle pointing down and easily accesible through a slit in jacket or shirt.the handle was made of bog oak the blade,usually from the end of a broken sword worked down to size.they could be plain or ornate depending on who put it together.nearly all sgian dubh
these days are thin plastic handled,with a three inch unusable blade.I and many people i know own and use an achlais.unlike the sgian dubh it is fully functional,larger and made for me personally by an expert knife maker.in the 17th century it was customery to leave your weapons beside your hosts,at the fireplace.in order to show your good faith and honesty,your achlais was shown and put in your stocking for all to see.bog oak being black
(dubh) is almost certainly how the achlais evolved to the sgian dubh.it can also be called dark knife,due to it's hidden nature.to a highlander the achlais was a part off him,and always carried it day and night.
