I’m Joshua Miller, the founder of Black Castle Studio. From my workshop in East Lothian, Scotland, I craft sgian dubhs and other wooden items using local materials and traditional techniques. My aim is straightforward: make honest, well-made pieces that carry the character of the place they come from.

 

I don’t rush the process. From selecting the right piece of wood to the final polish, every step is carried out with care and attention to detail. The result is something made to last—functional, intentional, and tied closely to local craft. Black Castle Studio exists so I can make things that matter. No mass production, no shortcuts—just solid, Scottish-made pieces with a clear sense of purpose and tradition.

 

​I started off as a cabinet maker making custom furniture then my brother asked if I could make him a sgian dubh for his best men at his wedding and because they were such a talking point at his wedding, I decided to keep making them and sell them on my Etsy shop under my original business name Aspect 6 (you can still find my Esty page here: blackcastlestudio.etsy.com)

 

Black Castle Studio gets it name from the iron age fort that lies just a few hundred meters east up the hill from my workshop and family farm.