The predecessor of the present MK III, Piper’s Dirk, was introduced in 1871. It was a Mark II version appearing in 1879 following the Mark III version in 1913. The dirk is issued to the pipers of the Scottish regiments to be borne with No. 1 Dress. Traditional methods are used to design this thoroughly hand-made dirk. The handle of the dirk is hand carved from ebony, mounted with nickel silver studs. The pommel is also nickel silver, with the elevated Tudor Crown.

The scabbard is constructed from wood and is covered in leather. The blade on the dirk is of polished sword steel. All the scabbard mounts are in white metal. The blade on the dirk is 11.3/4″ long and the overall length in the scabbard is 18″.

Today, this pattern of dirk is worn by Pipers of The Royal Regiment of Scotland and by Pipers of The London Scottish as well as many Commonwealth Regiments.