First thing I start with is a design - It can take me several weeks looking up and researching verious styles and types of Sgian Dubhs and other variations of Scottish And Celtic Knives before I come up with a final design that I am satisfied with.
Some basic materials i typically use for my blades are Crucible Steels Such as CPM-S90V, M390,CPM-M4 , or I'll use standard Steels such as 1095,1085,W1 5150,80CVR2, O1 .My higher end Stainless Steel Knives Or My Damasteel Knives I make from.154CM, N680 and CTS-BD1
Depending on they style of Sgian Dubh I am making depends if I am making a damascus billot Damasteel,Stainless Steel or simply Mono Steel.
Once I get the blade roughly forged out to shape, is when I typically start choosing my handle materials, if I'm doing things such as Inlays or if I'm going to atone my Sgian Dubhs with elaborate fittings or ornaments, at this state is also were I start to decide what type of pression metals I'm going to use as well.
Once I have decided what my handle materials are going to be, I go back and continue to forge out the blade, from the I will start to profiled on the grinder, and the handle block drilled in the lathe. i drill from one end with an 8mm drill about 3/4 of the way, and then a 3mm drill from the other end with a 3.5mm - this gives clearance for most of the tang, but allows the shoulders to be seated tightly so it can't twist, and the end to be threaded and secured with a small nut under the pommel:
The setup I use for grinding fullers - it's an angle grinder on a spring loaded stand, with a slide. the depth of the cut is controlled by a nut, and the blade is superglued to a piece of bar stock. I wind the nut down until the disk just touches the blade, turn it on, and move the bar of steel with the attached blade along the slide and back, then tighten the nut 1/4 turn and repeat. takes about 10 passes on each side and is not a fun process, but it gets the job done.
Once the Sgian Dubh blade profile is completely forged and ground out, I place the blade back into the fore for heat treat. Once the blade is up to temperature, I take the blade out and place it on my anvil to air cool . This process is known as thermal cycling. After repeating this process about three times, I put the blade in the Forge one more time, as the blade is getting up to quenching temperature,I heat up my oil (Transmission Fluid Typically) Once The Blade Is Quinched, I place it in the oven, Small Knives Up to 16 inch Bowie Knives I stick in my oven in the kitchen and set the temperature to 200 degrees for two hours for the tempering cycle.
Then on to making the handle. Almost all my Sgian Dubhs are a hidden tang. Once I have my handle materials drilled out, I do rough fit up making sure everything fits up correctly and tighly. Once that's all done, I start the Inlays, This process can take me several hours to several days depending on how elaborate I want the Sgian Dubh to be. After the Inlays are finished and the handle is secured, I then decide to make the Sheath. If I'm making the Sheath from some sort of wood, I will make an outline of the blade on the two pieces of wood so that I have a exact, tight fit. I do a simular process with leather as well.
Typically from start to finish on my "lower end" Sgian Dubhs, takes about 3-4 days to complete. As for my "Higher end" It can take me up to 2 1/2 months to complete
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