This Highlanders Scottish Dirk has a sharpened blade of 420 stainless steel; its blade spine is thick and rigid to make it ideal for deep piercing attacks, though its long blade allows it to be a capable cutting weapon as well. The thistle-shaped grip is well carved wood embellished with brass nails and a brass bolster and pommel plate. A sheath of sturdy leather with durably stitched construction is included and the belt loop on the removable frog allows for easy wear.
An iconic weapon of the Highlander, the lengthy and rigid blade of the dirk was designed to easily pierce thick cloaks and woolen clothing and its notable blade length allowed it to be used in conjunction with a targe. A Highlander could both grip his targe shield and dirk in the same hand and the great length of the dirk allowed for the blade to protrude past the shield rim where it could be used to both prevent an enemy from closing as well as being used for strike of opportunity.
While swords were the reserve of wealthier clansmen who could afford them, nearly every man had a dirk. The universal nature of the dirk among the Highland Scots created a tradition of swearing oaths upon its blade- a tradition which may have been a holdover of Norse and Celtic origins whereby believed quality blades to be imbued with spirit and magic and were thus a focal point for interaction with the supernatural world. This oath-swearing on a dirk was taken very seriously and many oaths ended with proscriptions of terrible punishment upon the oath-sworn should they be broken.
This dirk has its grip formed in the shape of the symbolic thistle. Later examples of dirks often had a black wood used for this grip but such wood was an import. Most dirks in history would have been crafted from lighter colored local woods.
A matching Sgian Dubh for this Dirk is available separately and is linked with a thumbnail in the ”also available” section of this page.
Please Note: The grip wood color can vary from lighter brown to dark brown. The second photo displays a lighter brown grip as an example.
Philip (verified owner) –
Looks good, slight gap between the sheath and pommel. However this was a munitions grade. Very happy, ordered matching sgain dubh as well. Order both together saving on shipping you won’t be disappointed.
PolioFactory (verified owner) –
Great product for the price. Came sharp enough to cleanly and easily cut paper but not quite shaving sharp. Upon first handling it the grip felt unusually light but seems secure with no rattling or looseness. The grip is also fitted very close to the blade with only a minuscule gap on one side. I was worried about the round grip but it has grooves(not sure what to call them) at the top that allow for good edge alignment if you use a sort of modified saber grip. The grip is also very comfortable to hold and comfortably allows for hammer grip, saber-type grips and the blade is just wieldy enough to be used in a dagger grip(and probably other grips but I don’t do HEMA). The edge geometry seems good and the spine is very thick despite it’s low weight. As with most Devil’s edge products the blade is not perfectly straight but it is almost unnoticeable and most likely isn’t enough to affect performance. The sheathe is double layered very thick leather and comes with a belt loop. My sheathe was tight enough to hold the dirk in place when turned upside down but not so much that it is dangerous or difficult to draw(though this will most likely vary). It also came extremely well oiled. Definitely worth it if you want a large dagger/short sword that is stout, functional, and affordable. It also isn’t too bad to look at.
RickFromCanada (verified owner) –
Not impressive, even at the affordable price point. More detailed rating below.
– Appearance from a distance: 4/10, the blade curves forward like a kukri (but not as pronounced). It should not curve like that.
– Appearance close-up: 1/10, deep scratches remain from grinding, brass bolster fitment is sloppy, the edge is wavy and warped (on top of the kukri-like curve), brass tacks in handle unevenly spaced, leather sheath is embarrassing! (Loose-fitting with zero grip on the blade, uneven colour, scratched, cracked, gouged, sloppy stitching, and frankly quite ugly with worse appearance than shown in the pictures).
– Balance: 5/10, relatively tip-heavy.
– Grip: 6.5/10, details are wonky but it is quite comfortable for hammer or ice-pick grip (in my opinion, not suitable for sabre/handshake grip)
– Sharpness: 8/10, the edge is sharp enough to shave arm hair, but just barely. The tip is quite pointy.
Final thoughts: if you just want a cool blade that will cut, there are better options at a similar price point (Coldsteel’s Dirk at $99, which I also own, is far superior in every way). Even if you can ignore the more minor aesthetic imperfections, the kukri-like curve and wavy cutting edge are red flags of poor workmanship that just leave a sour taste in my mouth (keep in mind I ordered the standard grade, not the blemished or munitions grade). While I don’t feel “scammed” by the lack of quality, being that it is < $100, I would not purchase this dirk again.
***Reposted to correct spelling error***