Over time, several legends have grown up about the sgian dubh. One is that the stone mounted in its pommel is carefully weighed and placed to properly balance the knife for throwing, which is patently ridiculous to anyone who has ever thrown a knife. Another is that like the dirk and the Gurkha kukri, the sgian dubh is never to be drawn for trivial or mundane purposes and must taste blood before it can be resheathed, even if the user must nick his own finger. Today, the sgian dubh has lost much of its glamour. The great majority are made in the Philippines, India or Hong Kong.
Little attention is paid to the blade, and some blades are even made of nickel-plated brass.
Some are not even knives at all, but a plastic handle and sheath cast as one piece. And, considering the recent laws passed in Britain against carrying knives, this may be the only way a Scot can support an honored tradition. Custom knifemakers still make the dirk and sgian dubh, and most states allow the carrying of any knife that is not concealed. As is often the case, the off-shore Scot is the most enthusiastic upholder of tradition. The Scottish Dirk, as a resource.