File-work on Scottish blades -- myArmoury.com

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

A number of Scottish blades, dirks and sgians especially, have file-work on the spines of the blade, like this example:

We rarely see front and back sides of blades, though, in museum catalogues. Is it safe to assume the file-work is on both sides of the blade? Can anyone confirm that? Perhaps there are examples with one side filed as well as examples with both.

Bill Grandy · myArmoury Team

Christopher Gregg · Posted: Mon 31 Mar, 2008 9:15 am Post subject: Scottish knife filing

I think if you examine the size of the half-moon filing marks on the pictured example of a Sgian Achlais, you will see that the spaces in between the filings are narrower than the filing designs themselves, making it unlikely that the opposite side of the blade would have similar markings - there simply wouldn't be enough space. That being said, I think it is likely that a knife's decoration could be either one-sided or two-sided, depending on the maker's whim, but on a pratical side, should the filing be used to aid gripping the blade to give better purchase for a thumb, it would only need to be on one side, given which handedness the knife was made for.

I own one of Old Dominion Forge's Sgian Achlais knives, as well as a Dirk, and they both are filed only on one side of the blade, and in a place where the thumb of the right hand can easily rest there to give better grip or control when carving. I also have several of Glenn McClain's fine Scotish knives, and he crafts them all to have file work equally on both sides of the blade back, usually near the rear spine. I'm sure he makes his more for decoration, but it does give them a decidedly more versatile griping option when working up close with the blade.

Just my own 2 cents. Happy

Sean Flynt · Posted: Mon 31 Mar, 2008 11:45 am Post subject:

I recall seeing an edge-on view of the back of such a blade, and the jimping was on both sides but alternating--the flat of one side corresponded to the file work on the other, etc. Like this one, currently on sale at Atlanta Cutlery for only $29.00! I don't like the grip, but that's easily swapped for stag.

Thomas Watt · Posted: Mon 31 Mar, 2008 2:51 pm Post subject:

What I have seen, both in reproductions and a few originals, is file-mooned on both sides (is that called "jimping"?), with the moons staggered or offset from side to side (which is what is depicted in the Atlanta Cutlery example, above).
I had presumed that it was always both sides as a result.
I'd be interested to know if it were otherwise (since I'm looking at my first knife-finishing project).

Ed McV · Posted: Mon 31 Mar, 2008 3:28 pm Post subject:

This dirk type is also illustrated in John Wallace's "Scottish Swords and Dirks" p.77.