A local man came by my shop, he carried with him a spring steel seat bracket, from a late 1800's McCormick's reaper and an elk shed his grandfather had bought back from a trip out west.
He wanted to know if I had any interest in making him a Scottish dirk from the materials he had in hand. "My granddad harvested grain with that old reaper; I hope you can make me a knife out of this steel and horn"
"My family came from Scotch Highland stock and the knife would be a nice reminder of that.
I told him I would see what I could do.
The shape of the handle is stylized and only has characteristics of the original , the elk antler is very pithy and could not be cut down much. I spark tested the steel from the reaper and it looked good.
The length is 20 inches tip to tip. The bade is 14.5 inches.
The rough grinds are complete; I'll finish the blade this week if the heat doesn't drive me out of the shop.
According to the articles I read and the research papers I checked, a 10 to 14 inch blade was the norm, especially the earlier models. Many where made from cut down swords.
These were commonly 12 to 15 inches long. The ones with fullers were usually ground from old or broken swords.The regimental dirks carried smaller blades and were fashioned after the lowland dirk.
These were heavy blades the norm being at least 5/32 some reaching a 1/2 thick at the spine.
The first known dirks were from the middle ages; these models were called Ballock Daggers.
Something that blows me away; dirks were carried centered on the body. I imagine it would make you watch your step with something that long hanging down the center of your body.
According to the articles I read and the research papers I checked, a 10 to 14 inch blade was the norm, especially the earlier models. Many where made from cut down swords.
These were commonly 12 to 15 inches long. The ones with fullers were usually ground from old or broken swords.The regimental dirks carried smaller blades and were fashioned after the lowland dirk.
Dirks were heavy blades the norm being at least 5/32 some reaching a 1/2 thick at the spine.
The first known dirks were from the middle ages; these models were called Ballock Daggers.
Something that blows me away; dirks were carried centered on the body. I imagine it would make you watch your step with something that long hanging down the center of your body.
