LumberJocks
DAILY DEALS Cast Iron Coffee Mill Mechanisms and Coffee Mill Well Kits, with FREE Downloadable Plan!  |  Makita Makita Recon LCT203W 10.8 Volt Lithium Ion Impact Driver 2 Pc Kit

Sgian Dubh Presentation Box #2

Project by Ethan posted 785 days ago 984 views 0 times favorited 30 comments Add to Favorites Watch

This is a commissioned piece I’ve been working on. It is a sgian dubh presentation box for a woman in Scotland to give to her fiance on their wedding day. It is a traditional Scottish wedding, with kilts and the like, so inside will be a custom sgian dubh made just for him (but not by me; by the same guy who made my sgian dubh you see in the pictures).

Materials:
Reclaimed White Oak from my family farm
Bog Oak from Ireland
Extruded Brass Hinges from Woodcraft
Red Jasper Cabochon

The sgian dubh is going to have a red jasper cabochon set into the pommel, so I thought it would be a grand idea to inlay one into the lid of the box. The rectangle around the wood, the keyed miters, and the interior dividers are all bog oak.

Oh, and the cuff links in the right compartment are bog oak cuff links I made myself, in case anyone was wondering.

-- Ethan, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/


30 comments so far

View Douglas Bordner's profile

Douglas Bordner

3423 posts in 958 days


posted 785 days ago

Man this just sings. Great job, Ethan.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

View WayneC's profile

WayneC

5994 posts in 992 days


posted 785 days ago

What a wonderful box Ethan. This is going to make quite an impression.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

View Buckskin's profile

Buckskin

484 posts in 882 days


posted 784 days ago

I think you did a great job and it will be well received. I know I would love to have it as well as the dagger. I must first get my wife to make my kilt though. Yea, I have the blood line of a Scot so you win with me either way.

View Don's profile

Don

2590 posts in 1072 days


posted 784 days ago

It’s hard to beat the classic look of Oak; both the Blog Oak and the White Oak. This is one very beautiful piece of work, Ethan; an outstanding box and I just love small wooden boxes.

-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.hilsbiblechurch.org/

View Dick, & Barb Cain's profile

Dick, & Barb Cain

7036 posts in 1194 days


posted 784 days ago

Very fine craftsmanship Ethan, I’m sure it will be cherished by the recipient for many years.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

View herbr's profile

herbr

138 posts in 963 days


posted 784 days ago

great job! This should be really cherished

-- Spread love with our work

View David's profile

David

1982 posts in 1033 days


posted 784 days ago

Ethan -

Outstnading craftsmanship! I like the earthy feel of the project – makes you want to reach out an pick it up. The red jasper cabachon is w wonderful design element.

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

View TomFran's profile

TomFran

2514 posts in 889 days


posted 784 days ago

Nice box – I like it!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View mot's profile

mot

4903 posts in 931 days


posted 784 days ago

Yup, that’s a great piece, Ethan!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

7638 posts in 1113 days


posted 784 days ago

Beautiful box, Ethan.

I don’t know much about Scottish customs, but I think it is a great idea for the bride to give the groom a knife on their wedding day so he can slit his wrists later. :-)

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

View Thos. Angle's profile

Thos. Angle

4013 posts in 857 days


posted 784 days ago

Ethan,
We’ve been watching and waiting for this . Very well done.
Tom

-- Thos. Angle

View Douglas Bordner's profile

Douglas Bordner

3423 posts in 958 days


posted 784 days ago

Thanks Charlie for the morning belly laugh!
Obviously this is not the true reason, else married life would not have become the edifying societal force that we know today (and yes, the wife is not even looking over my shoulder as I type).

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

7638 posts in 1113 days


posted 784 days ago

27 happy years on this end. Doug, so I know what you mean. Still, there are moments…... lol

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

View Douglas Bordner's profile

Douglas Bordner

3423 posts in 958 days


posted 784 days ago

Just 10 coming up, prolly would have been dead or in prison without the reprieve! But yeah, there is the occasional moment…when it’s a nice time for a walkabout.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

View Jeff's profile

Jeff

996 posts in 988 days


posted 784 days ago

Great box, Ethan. I’ve been following the blog. I like that it has reclaimed oak in it. Just adds to the character.

Could you give us a phonetic spelling for Sgian Dubh? I’m not sure of which letters are silent (if any).

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

View Ethan's profile

Ethan

751 posts in 1069 days


posted 784 days ago

Not sure this is exactly phonetic, Jeff, but it is pronounced, “Skein doo.”

That is my underlying theme to this box – reclaimed and recycled wood. It’s about as green as you can get with woodworking.

-- Ethan, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

View Karson's profile

Karson

25801 posts in 1295 days


posted 784 days ago

Great job Ethan. It will be a treasured gift.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

5968 posts in 960 days


posted 783 days ago

Beautiful box Ethan. It should be well received.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

View Ethan's profile

Ethan

751 posts in 1069 days


posted 783 days ago

I sent pictures to the buyer last night, Bill, and you’re right – she absolutely loves it.

I wasn’t TERRIBLY worried, but… you never know. She might have had really bad taste! ;)

So now I just need to sign it and then I can package it up to calculate shipping costs and let her know the total.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words.

-- Ethan, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

View dennis mitchell's profile

dennis mitchell

3789 posts in 1209 days


posted 783 days ago

Beautiful work!!!!

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14159 posts in 1055 days


posted 782 days ago

a job well done.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View Chip's profile

Chip

1058 posts in 987 days


posted 782 days ago

Terrific piece Ethan. When I saw the small photo I thought it had a sort of oriental look to it, which I just love. On closer inspection, it had a look all its own. Beautiful work.

-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.

View Ethan's profile

Ethan

751 posts in 1069 days


posted 750 days ago

Update:

Just heard from Bronwen (the purchaser of the box and the four pairs of cuff links); she was incredibly happy with the entire purchase and said she’d send me pictures of her husband’s sgian dubh in the box (and some more wedding pictures) after the wedding in December.

Oh, and thanks, Chip!

-- Ethan, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14159 posts in 1055 days


posted 749 days ago

awesome :)

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View shaun's profile

shaun

360 posts in 800 days


posted 749 days ago

Lang may yer lum reek!

Long life and prosperity. Literally, long may your chimney smoke.

-- I've cut that board three times and it's still too short!

View Kent's profile

Kent

20 posts in 730 days


posted 721 days ago

Very nice Ethen… I made a box very similar to yours out of padauk; I need to get my pictures together and figure out how to post them.

View DAN 's profile

DAN

6441 posts in 878 days


posted 721 days ago

not sure how i missed this one ! very well done project. the jewel and bog oak inlay is top notch.

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

View Ethan's profile

Ethan

751 posts in 1069 days


posted 721 days ago

Thanks, Dan!

The more I do inlay work, the better I get and the more I like it. It’s also important for me to make each item unique and meaningful. I’ll probably never be a good production artist, but I’m hoping as my skills grow I’ll be able to charge more for the pieces I do.

Looking forward to seeing your box, Kent.

-- Ethan, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

View Andy's profile

Andy

570 posts in 803 days


posted 684 days ago

Dont know how I missed this one Ethan,but it is really very nice.I am drawn to the strong color of the Oak and of course the accent.The proportions work very well also.Overall,this has a definite masculine quality to it.To me anyway.Nice joinery too.

-- " If I can make it,so can you" Andy in Oregon

View Ethan's profile

Ethan

751 posts in 1069 days


posted 684 days ago

The proportions are very close to the golden rectangle; I don’t use exact dimensions because I’m not that mathematically inclined, but I understand the concept and reason behind them. I think I usually get close enough that it looks pleasing to the eye.

At times I’ve tried to use non-golden rectangular dimensions and mocked it up in cardboard first to see how it would look and was never really happy with it, so I’d trash the idea and go with something else.

I’m not afraid to at least try something new, but I also know when to stick with what works.

That reminds me, though… I need to e-mail the new owner and find out how their wedding was and whether the groom liked his box or not!

-- Ethan, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

You must be signed in to post the comments.

  • View all advertisers
  • Advertise with us

DISCLAIMER: Any posts on LJ are posted by individuals acting in their own right and do not necessarily reflect the views of LJ. LJ will not be held liable for the actions of any user.

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

HomeRefurbers.com

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

GardenTenders.com :: gardening showcase