Wartooth

My wife and I have a small old pitcher/vase from the Cutty Sark whisky company. It's emblazoned with the image of the ship and is used now to hold all our foreign coins and such.

Man ... now I'm thirsting for a drink o' whisky ...

Wartooth

Looking for reference to pirates and/or privateers from Northern Germany. There must be some ... the North Sea was a hot bed for such activity since the Iron Age. I can only assume that in the Age of Fighting Sail, German pirates would have been involved somehow in the Caribbean or Barbary coasts.

Also, does anyone have a list of sailing/shipbuilding texts in the original German? Since I got a new computer, I can seem to track down half of my old links. Knew I should have written them all down.

Wartooth

Okay ... now that's funny. Albeit, just a bit strange. I can foresee a whole line of them ... SwashBaby, SwashPuppy, SwashDucky, SwashGuppy .... stop my brain, I wanna get off!!!

Wartooth

If he is indeed an honest and knowledgable man as you say, Mr. Frye ... then your friend did well in that sale and somebody got themselves a nice blade. It's good to know there are still some people out there with some sort of ethical code. :)

Wartooth

Flint-

Found three in my inventory that may or may not interest you.

=== PAUL REVERE AND THE WORLD HE LIVED IN

- author: Forbes

- 1942

- Riverside Press

- Hardcover

- $6.00

=== THE CAMPAIGN THAT WON AMERICA - THE STORY OF YORKTOWN

- author: Davis

- 1989

- Eastern Acorn Press

- Softcover

- $2.00

=== JEFFERSON AND THE RIGHTS OF MAN (volume 2 of a 6 volume series ... I don't have the others)

- author: Malone

- 1951

- Little, Brown

- Hardcover

- $10.00

PM me, if any of these suit you. I run an online used bookstore and may have more titles of the era lying around here somewhere. Shipping will depend upon the title, due to the weight differences.

Wartooth

It does look nice and authentic, however ...

... beware of antique military or naval swords being sold on Ebay or other online houses right now. There's been a big black market trade for authentic-looking replicas. They are being produced in Romania and Poland, from what my sources tell me. Although, the replicas are also decent display swords ... they shouldn't sell for those high prices ... and the strength and quality of the tangs is quite suspect.

Before buying any sword with a reputed history or even a so-called custom sword, be sure to handle it and know what you are looking at. There are very reputable swordmakers that will forge (or stock remove) a sword to your specs for decent prices. I mean, as long as you are willing to pay $400-$500 anyway ... you might as well be sure of what you are getting.

Just my two centavos,

Pick up the Osprey Military book by Angus Konstam entitled BUCCANEERS 1620-1700

Great illustrations and detailed explanations. Of course, you will most likely not find any female buccaneers of the period, due to the way of life at the time. However, there were plenty of women in those Spanish ports for the wild bucs to ravish and woo away from the wealthy noblemen! :)

Wartooth

Sounds like someone has read too much Berg. There were gay pirates but the vast majority were straight. As to wearing silks and dressing like dandies well if part of your share of booty includes fine clothes you're going to wear them! Curse the sumpturary laws!

I agree. What some historians tend to ignore is the fact that in most tribal cultures and communities (of which a pirate ship would certainly be included), dressing in finery was more of a "Hey, look at me ... I'm better than you!" statement. Look at the various germanic tribes, mongol hordes, native indian tribes, etc. The strongest and best warriors tended to dress more vibrantly and elaborately. Same in nature. The male birds with the most colorful and flamboyant plumage wins the wenches ... errr ... female birds.

Wartooth

Last night on History Channel International, a show aired about Port Royal and its debauchery and destruction. I had thought by reading the description that it would delve a bit into the history of the pirate city and then go deeper into the marine archaeology aspect. However, it was narrated by Leonard Nimoy and spent 90% of the program on rumors and myths of the pirates in that area. They had four "experts" on with interviews. Two out of the four were interesting to listen to. The others were flaky and opinionated.

In fact, one of the authors interviewed (Jennifer Marx) claimed that pirates dressed in outrageously colorful silks, because most were dandies and gay. She proceeded to explain that homosexuality was rampant aboard ships. :angry: Also explained that the reason Mary Reade and Anne Bonny were able to get away with hiding their genders was due to the fact that all the male pirates on board were extremely young and naive. Please.

Anyway, if it airs again, it was worth watching most parts ... as long as you filter out opinions. The title of the program was "Lost City Of Pirates".

Wartooth

Ho, Phil! That was a good 'un. I like it quite a lot.

Wartooth

By all the gods!!! According to that damn contraption ... I have had 11,063 drinks at a monetary total of over $70,800 !?!?!?!?!

That's enough to drive a man to drinkin'. Well, ladies and gents ... I would gladly buy the next round, but it seems I've already spent all my coin!

Wartooth

Happy Birthday, Goldie!!!

Wartooth

Thanks, Nigel! I will indeed post here when we find out the publishing date of the book!!

Dwight- Since the nearest comic shop is an hour away from me, would you happen to know if the issues will be available for purchase online?

Thanks in advance,

Wartooth

Happy birthday, young lady!!!! Hope it twas a good one!!!

I hear that there be a curse attached to those coins, Pirata. If I were you, I'd take them to the local Voudoun bruja and have it removed. Else I see fleshless zombiedom in yer future, boyo!

Wartooth

THe right one fit me like twere made fer me, but the left, oho the left... bloomin size 5!!! Arrrrrrgggghhhhh

What are the chances of you just having one fat foot? I know my right buttock is far larger than the left and makes me lean over as I sit. Wait a minute ....... that's my wallet ......

..... never mind .......

Wartooth

All my resources show that there aren't any pdf copies online. Now, that doesn't mean that someone hasn't scanned some pages as tif or bmp files ...

Wartooth

What??

Who had sex with an aged sail???................

Sorry ....... I'll clean it up.

Anyway, I wholeheartedly agree with Bob. It was a VERY fluffy article ... not well researched or written. One cannot report on straight hypothesis and conjecture.

Wartooth

THE best resource for any swordwork is the HACA site. I don't have it linked on this new computer (hate transferring files and stuff ), but it was something along the lines of thehaca.com or haca.com

I'm sure that someone on the forums there knows of training links, if there aren't already some on that site. Also may be able to find training partners on there.

Wartooth

Well, for all intents and purposes it is the Museum Replicas / Windlass steel cutlass. So it can stand up to combat, it has no sharp edge... it only looks sharpened.

I haven't had blade to blade with it just yet... will let you know in a couple of days.

But if I remember the pirate episode of "Conquest", the host was using it and it looked a tad.... um jagged at the end of the day...

Quite agree. I handled one not too long ago. They are nice display and costume pieces that can handle light stage combat as well. My only concern with Windlass creations is the thin tang they use. It could be a danger if bashed around too roughly. But for $75??? ... Nice purchase indeed!

Wartooth

Thanks Bully. I have plans to build a knockabout sailing skiff as well as an oaring dory. Although those pirogue plans look MUCH simpler, I don't think it will take the place of the dory due to its flat bottom. I prefer something with a bit of draft in its keel for the rowing speed alone.

Would love to hear the progress on your end, however.

Wartooth

Hey saw this and thought you might be intrested Spanish Galleon 1530-1690 saw it in the osprey catalog supposed to be avalible in march.

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_deta...e=S6372&ser=NVG

Oooh ...

I like. It's a wonderful thing when those enemy ships are shown in detail ... weaknesses and all. Makes the plundering all the more tempting!

Wartooth

Just came across several books in a Dover Publications listing, William. They may be what you are looking for and are in print now ... supposedly. You can try to find them at Dover Publications or do a search on Barnes & Noble / Amazon for them using Dover and/or the author's last name as a qualifier.

• RIGGING OF SHIPS IN THE DAYS OF THE SPRITSAIL TOPMAST 1600-1720 - Anderson
  
• ART OF RIGGING - Biddlecomb
  
• LEARNING TO SAIL - Calahan
  
• SEAMAN'S FRIEND - Dana
  
• MAKING OF A SAILOR - Harlow
  
• YOUNG SEA OFFICER'S SHEET ANCHOR - Lever
  
• ARTS OF THE SAILOR - Smith
  

Good luck!

Wartooth

All accounts of early Irish piracy will be found in the chronicles of the monk of that time. I would suggest focussing your search in that area. It will probably be a bit vague, as the term "pirate" probably didn't even exist then. In fact, the closest thing to a pirate of that time will most likely resemble a thrown-together raiding party of farmers and sailors and such.

Wartooth

Absolutely go with the locking rifle case. You can pick up a good one at any sporting goods store. Don't go cheap on it either ... unless you went cheap on the sword. I have had a couple of $500-$1000 blades in my time (another one coming) and have been mighty glad to travel with a case. Not only for theft protection, but even sturdy swords can be broken ... usually near the tip. That's a heartbreaker.

Wartooth