Looking for a skein beag photo...

[jwesthurl]

I'm looking for an photo or photos of an Irish skein beag. Every photo link I've found is broken. My understanding is that they might be similar to a scramasax. Anybody have any photos?

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[Darrin Sanders]

I think what you are looking for is actually called a "Sgian Achlais". Do a search on google images and lots of pics show up. Its similar in terminology to "Sgian Dubh" which is the dagger that is carried in the stocking/sock while wearing a kilt. Achlais translates to "armpit" so in essence it is an armpit knife. The Sgian Dubh is considered to be more of a utility knife while the Sgian Achlais is considered to be more of an actual weapon and was probably carried in some sort of shoulder rig. Kind of like a pistol in a shoulder holster.

I hope this helps you.

 

[Bob Dahl]

Try googling "irish skean".

 

[jwesthurl]

I think what you are looking for is actually called a "Sgian Achlais". Do a search on google images and lots of pics show up. Its similar in terminology to "Sgian Dubh" which is the dagger that is carried in the stocking/sock while wearing a kilt. Achlais translates to "armpit" so in essence it is an armpit knife. The Sgian Dubh is considered to be more of a utility knife while the Sgian Achlais is considered to be more of an actual weapon and was probably carried in some sort of shoulder rig. Kind of like a pistol in a shoulder holster.

I hope this helps you.

Thanks Darrin, I'm really looking for the Irish version and those hanger daggers are Scottish although some of them are really cool.

Try googling "irish skean".

Thanks Bob, I think that did the trick!

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[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

A skein beag ( sgian beag) is just a small utility knife. It is the same as a Scottish sgian dubh. They were sometimes carried inside a jacket or vest, or on a neck sheath, and thus called a sgian achlais.

 

[jwesthurl]

A skein beag ( sgian beag) is just a small utility knife. It is the same as a Scottish sgian dubh. They were sometimes carried inside a jacket or vest, or on a neck sheath, and thus called a sgian achlais.

OK, so what's the knife called that I'm looking for? Supposedly an Irish weapon, not Scottish, and much longer, more like a Viking scramasax. I suppose the Irish could have just appropriated the scramasax, changed it a little and called it their own but I'd like to know what it's called if sgian beag is not correct. Googling "Irish Skean" (or scian, or sgian) is what I think I'm looking for.

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[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

A sgian beag is an Irish knife. A Sgian achlais is also Irish. A sgian Dubh is Scottish. They are all the same small utilityknife.
Some spell the work skein, which is just an anglicized pronunciation.

 

[jwesthurl]

A sgian beag is an Irish knife. A Sgian achlais is also Irish. A sgian Dubh is Scottish. They are all the same small utilityknife.
Some spell the work skein, which is just an anglicized pronunciation.

I get that, but the knife I'm talking about is much longer. It's almost more like a short sword. If you google it, you'll see what I mean.

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[kuraki]

Like this OP?

Not exactly a scramasax either.

 

[jwesthurl]

Like this OP?

Not exactly a scramasax either.

Right, more like that although I saw some shorter ones when I googled Bob's suggestion. If it's not called a sgian beag, I'd like to know the correct term.

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[kuraki]

To me it sounds like the difference between a seax, scramaseax, and langsax. In the eye of the beholder.

 

[J. Doyle]

I googled 'Irish Skean' and saw quite a few examples....sorry....I can't help you with the correct name of what you're looking for but I agree with you completely that it seems to be quite different than a typical sgain dubh.

Interesting though how the mingling of cultures throughout history left its mark. Some of the later ancient weapons had clear influences from earlier cultures.

The images that show up when googling 'Irish Skean' have a lot of persian and/or mediterranean influences, to my eye.

 

[jwesthurl]

To me it sounds like the difference between a seax, scramaseax, and langsax. In the eye of the beholder.

You're probably right. In the long run, I'm sure it doesn't really matter, lol.

I googled 'Irish Skean' and saw quite a few examples....sorry....I can't help you with the correct name of what you're looking for but I agree with you completely that it seems to be quite different than a typical sgain dubh.

Interesting though how the mingling of cultures throughout history left its mark. Some of the later ancient weapons had clear influences from earlier cultures.

The images that show up when googling 'Irish Skean' have a lot of persian and/or mediterranean influences, to my eye.

From the very few sources I was able to find, and those being on the internet, that form of knife or short sword was supposedly copied by the Irish from Vikings, which makes sense.

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