[Chad Arnow]

Hey folks,
I'm looking for more info/pictures of this dirk. It's published in Culloden: The Swords and the Sorrows. Any ideas as to what the now-missing accessories would have looked like?

[Chris Goerner]

Good question. I have only seen 3 or 4 other brass hilted dirks, and this is the only one I have seen with a scabbard somewhat intact, indicating a by-knife and fork. The hilts of those utensils may have been made of brass and turned to match the style of the dirk's grip. However, I have seen a couple of complete dirk sets where the knife and fork grips did not match the dirk. In each of the cases I've seen, the knife and fork were hilted in plain ivory, though other materials may have been used as well (again, I have only seen a couple of these, so my sampling is by no means authoritative). See pictures below.

Chris

[Chad Arnow]

Thread necromancy!

I'm still looking for info on what by-knives and forks for brass-hilted dirks like this may have looked like.

Any new info in the last few years?

[Mark Moore]

I would be willing to bet they were either wood-handled or all-steel. Dang you, Chad! Now I have to get myself a brass-handled dirk! Goodbye paycheck!................McM

[Chad Arnow]

Mark,
Do you have any evidence for that or is conjecture? As we get a little later in period, dirks and their accessories match quite nicely. But Chris' picture shows that's not always the case.

By the way, there are maybe a half dozen brass hilted dirks. I love them.

[Mark Moore]

No proof, really. I just figure the by-knives would be hilted similar to the dirk. Lots of photos show this. ...McM

[Chad Arnow]

Wallace and Forman both mention in their books that early dirks in portraiture often show white handles protruding from dirk sheaths, indicating ivory in their opinions, though bone could have been used too.