Traditionally the scabbard is made of leather reinforced with wood and fitted with mounts of silver or some other metal which may be cast or engraved with designs ranging from Scottish thistles, Celtic knotwork, or heraldic elements such as a crest. While this makes for more popular and expensive knives, the sheath is hidden from view in the stocking while the is worn. The sheaths of many modern sgian-dubhs are made of plastic mounted with less expensive metal fittings. Since the modern is worn mainly as a ceremonial item of dress and is usually not employed for cutting food or self-defence, blades are often of a simple (but not unglamorous) construction. These are typically made from stainless steel. The hilts used on many modern sgian-dubhs are made of plastic that has been molded to resemble carved wood and fitted with cast metal mounts and synthetic decorative stones. Some are not even knives at all, but a plastic handle and sheath cast as one piece. Other examples are luxurious and expensive art pieces, with hand-carved ebony or bog wood hilts, sterling silver fittings and may have pommels set with genuine cairngorm stones and blades of Damascus steel or etched with Celtic designs or heraldic motifs. Legality When worn as part of the national dress of Scotland, the is legal in Scotland, England, and Wales: in Scotland under the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 s. 49(5)(c); in England and Wales under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (s. 139) and the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 (s. 4). However, the wearing of the is sometimes banned in areas with zero tolerance weapons policies or heightened security concerns. For example, they were banned from a school dance in Scotland, and initially banned for the June 2014 celebration of the Battle of Bannockburn. Air travellers are now globally required by airport security to put in their checked baggage. A Montreal bagpiper who got a ticket from police for wearing the knife fought the charge at court. Police gave Jeff McCarthy a $221 ticket for sporting it in his kilt hose while performing at the McGill University convocation ceremony on 2 November 2016. The case was dropped in May 2018 and his knife was returned. See also Mattucashlass Kirpan References External links The Sgian-dubh (Joe D. Huddleston) The Skean Dhu (Scotland for Visitors) Blade weapons Ceremonial knives Daggers Scottish clothing Scottish Gaelic language Weapons of Scotland