julius27

First, look in yer wardrobe an' see if'n anythin' looks just a little like what yer after. It be a whole lot easier an' cheaper ta alter an existin' garment rather than goin' out an' buyin' all new. Especially with the more dirty, gritty look ye seem ta favor. Now that ye see what ye have already that ye can work with, check out thrift stores fer things that can fill in the gaps. I can't stress enough how much this sort o' thing is gonna save ye. I been piratin' fer o'er ten year now an' my collection o' clothes an' gear be combined ta a pretty penny I tell ye. I started out with just a felt berret, poet's shirt, storebought lycra tights, a pair o' Minnetonka moccasins, leather belt, an' dagger. The whole thing was less than $200.

Near the purses at stores like Wal-mart and Target, as well as department stores (more expensive) they usually have scarves of a light material intended for ladies. Fish through 'em an' ye might find somethin' ta suit ye. Remember that while the fashion o' the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries fer men was girly by today's standards, pirates were often intent on followin' the fashions when they could.

I be married to an ample woman such as yerself an' have ten years experience with this issue. One thing to consider when buying a bodice or corset for a well-endowed figure is whether or not the item in question has boning and what kind. Steel boning is the best. Also, when ye try it on, it should fit when tightened snug over the "girls" and tight through the waist below the ribs and above the hips. With many designs, this can be achieved through experimentation with lacing tighter in some areas and looser in others. I've heard from period purists that the following suggestion is "wrong", but I've had the best luck getting the twins where they ought to be by lacing from the bottom and going up. She always complains that it's too tight during the process, but this way there is room to tie off at the top without having the thing loosen up just a few minutes later. Also, if it's still too tight after fifteen minutes or so, you can always put a little more slack in the lacing. It's extremely difficult to tighten up more after the garment is all the way on. Variations in design also effect what methods create the best fit. My wife has four bodices that are all different in design and fit differently as a result. One was made by a friend of ours named Yosa, another is a Pendragon dagger bodice, and two were made by Moresca. Following are links to the sights owned by these makers: http://www.yosa.com/ http://www.pendragoncostumes.com/ http://www.moresca.com/ I hope that my insight as an admirer of the female form is helpful in showcasing your endowments.

"Were it the age we all are intrigued with on this board, and an apology like that were issued, blood would flow" Actually, I think if it were that age, not much comment would have been made over it at all. It wasn't until the Victorian era (which does overlap, I know) that sex and sexuality became "dirty". One of the things that bothers me about the reaction to the incident is that these people apparently weren't outraged at the simulated masturbation/crotch grabbing of the male performers beforehand, nor the fact that most of the music sucked (what I think a "bad" halftime show really is) or the fact that the event itself is pseudo-military violence thinly disguised as a game. Football stadiums are even built in the exact same formation as gladiator arenas of ancient Rome. Our society consistantly labels anything sexual as "bad" while treating violence as a path to glory and honor. The message seems to be that the act of destroying life is okay while the act of creating it is somehow dirty and wrong. This is taught in our sports and other entertainments as well as by our government and in our churches and the fact deeply disturbs me. There is a time and place for everything, and that was neither for any of the stunts that the various entertainers were pulling. As to the apologies not being genuine, apologies rarely are, even when we offer them to our loved ones. The main point of the apology is to be polite. Also, I would like to say that everyone's opinion is valid, even if it differs from my own. That is the founding philosophy of this country and I believe in it wholeheartedly. Thank you for reading my rants and thank you all for laying down your own thoughts as well.

They look very nice for the price. Mine were $600 custom hand sewn elkhide. I finally broke down and baught them because I knew that once I got 'em I'd were 'em all the time. I've gone all of two weeks put together wearing other footwear in the last five years. If I were in the market fer new boots, though, I'd certainly snag those. Nice work.

The thing is, I agree that it was inappropriate, but for crying out loud, everyone appoligized. Can't the media accept that and go on to the more important issues, like lack of education, illegal drug trafficing, child abuse (by other people than Jacksons), rape, murder, etc, etc? The media is one of the reasons O.J. is still free. I'm very much against censureship in either direction, but where is the guy (or girl) at the T.V. stations with sense enough to say, "Stop, we're done with this. Let's move on."? I still think the reason our nation is so uptight about sex but not violence is because the majority of the original colonists were Puritans and their hangups have somehow seeped into the fabric of our society. I just have trouble understanding how supposed "enlightened" people still have these sorts of hangups. I just need to get these thoughts out of my system, or they'll drive me crazy. (?) Crazier.

I know this seems quite a ways off the subject, but bear with me. Was anyone here offended or discusted by Janet Jackson's little flash of boobie on Sunday? Obviously, there has been an awful lot of media attention payed to the incident. Is it really more important than the two mobile meth labs that were found in my own nick o' the woods (Kansas City) in the past year? Is it more important than the drug dealers and terrorists that are killing people every day in this country? Why should we care if someone slipped out of her bra in front of a camera? Why should it matter if it was intentional or not? In poor taste it probably was, but the media seems to have made it into an inquisition. Are we really so hung up as a nation, tied so closely to our Puritan origins that a moment of indiscretion is more important than wholesale murder, serial rape, and the plethora of other problems in this country? All right, rant's over. Go on about your lives, citizens.

You're probably right, wartooth. My other pipes are brierwood. The scent is probably changed by the singeing of the pipe material in those pipes and not by the meerschaum. I still like that one, though and have yet to find them cheep. I also have a peace pipe that I like very much and have considered trying my hand at making a more european style one from pipestone. If anyone has a thought on that idea, post it to let me know. Pipes, swords, jewelry, costumes, video games, roleplaying games...... my collection hobbies seem quite varied, come to think of it.

I've recently discovered that mereshaum (probably spelled wrong) makes a wonderful fragrance when smoked. I was wondering if anyone has ever seen one with a metal cap. If so, I would love to know where I could find such a pipe.

Here're some links ta get Atocha treasure. http://www.atocha.com/ http://www.melfisher.org/1622.htm http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?h...krd=1?kw=atocha http://www.shipwrecktreasures.com/aboutthe.htm http://www.atochajewelry.com/ There be many more sites that ye can get this one of a kind jewelry and authentic pieces from, but this should whet yer appetite. If ye ever take a vacation down in Key West, I recommend seeing the Mel Fisher Museum. There be some beautiful pieces of what can only be called art there an' ye can also heft an authentic gold bar that had been salvaged from the wreck. It be a heavy son of a gun considerin' it's size. I also remember pirate action figures in the gift shop. Happy huntin'.

One o' my swords be a fencing eppe (don't know if I spelled that right) that I got from http://www.thepiratestreasure.com/index.html . They also carry a line that they do themselves. They be right fair prices an' delivery is prompt. I also got a couple o' replica pistols from 'em an' I been quite pleased with their stuff. Good luck and I hope ye get what yer lookin' fer.

I do a lot o' me own leatherwork, though I love ta see what other craftsmen be doin'. I got a pair o' greaves (shin armor), Elizebethan frog, baldric, a couple o' other frogs, and sword and knife sheaths that I made. That be me pirate stuff. I also made a set o' pauldrons (shoulder armor) an' a kidney belt. Also, there be me proudest work ta date, me own version o' the Witch King's crown from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. I wanna build a cuirass (chest and back armor), but I ain't worked up the nerve yet ta start on it. I must say that I'm pleased with how ev'rthin' else has turned out so far, though, so I'll get to it.

Well, then it seems I not be the only scurvy dog shops there. Me pirate stuff I gots be a belt and buckle. The belt be gray with skulls and crossbones embossed all 'round it, and the buckle be a skull and crossbones with a zippo type lighter housed in it. Since I be a pipe smoker, an' with all the costume, it ain't all that noticable, I wear it at faire.

If'n ye want somthin' really special, check out the Atocha treasure. The family o' the bloke that found the wreck continues the salvage an' sells some o' what they bring up to the public. The authentic pieces are pretty high (over $2000 fer a piece of eight in great condition), but they also make repros out o' the gold an' silver bars fer much less. That way, ye gets real treasure of'n a Spanish gold ship even though the coin weren't a coin at the time, if ye follow. Me wife an' I each gots two such pieces. I cin e-mail pitures if ye like, but I ain't figgered out how ta post 'em.

Speaking of ancient Egypt, the thing that always strikes me is how they built these monuments that we cannot reproduce using modern methods, yet our culture refers to them as "primitive." Awfully egotistical, aren't we? Anglos in general, I mean.

I watched part of an episode of the first season where some little b!@#y girl was running down Rudy (the former Navy Seal). At that point, I decided that Survivor was the most idiotic thing ever conceived. So my sister calls me one night and tells me to turn my teli to the channel and lo and behold, I see a pirate theme. I decide, "Well, I guess I'll watch until somebody does something that I just can't stomache." Then Rupert, fat and breathless steals all of the other team's stuff and hits the road. I was hooked. Then Sandra barters her gold necklace for a barbeque; grills, utensils, chicken and all! The hook was set and I watched every episode to the end. I hated Jon for his ethics (yes, he has them even though they aren't acceptable), but I couldn't help admiring his forethought and inginuity. I really loved watching him squirm when Rupert was about to pound him. It almost would have been worth losing any chance at the million bucks for the satisfaction of his cheekbone crunching under my fist (if I were in Rupert's place). I think I'll watch the Allstars series, but I may not be as into it as Pearl Islands.

Does anyone here know the proper knot for tying a cravat (17th through 19th century necktie)? The only movie in which I see anyone tying one is Cutthroat Island, and I just can't seem to follow it. Perhaps someone knows of a website that could help? Every time I try, it just doesn't seem to lay right.

It looked to me like a longboat that had been converted for coastal sea travel. Many trial records of pirate attacks describe similar vessels. For instance, in the trials of Jack Rackham, Anne Boney, and Mary Reed many of the attacks were made from or against "canoes." As to how to build one, I'm afraid I can't be of much help, but I think it would be a very interesting undertaking. I'm curious to see pictures of it once you've started work. Good luck.

Don't play nothin' (me mother tried ta teach me piano, but I never got much outta it). I sing and shouldn't (especially when I really want to: when I'm drunk). My favorite sea shanty be "Yo Ho HO an' a Bottle o' Rum." I sing it so far off key, it hurts most people, but that's how me grampa used to sing it to me. As to musical taste, I like anything but serious country (Hank, Billy Ray, Garth, etc.). Dependin' on me mood, I like Mozart and Bethoven, Mettalica and Megadeth, The Sex Pistols and Siouxie and the Banshees, The Doors and Jimi Hendrix, and of course, The Beatles!

Me sister made my coat based on a pattern for the revolutionary regimental coat. Since she be usin' my machine, it only cost me the material (which still ran around $100). It took 'er about a week workin' time ta get it done (40 hours) 'cause I wanted the buttons ta be functional rather than decorative. There be forty o' the buggers an' that's quite a lot o' hand stitchin'. It's upholstery weight crushed velvet on the outside with a unbleached muslin linin'. I be tellin' ya that wimin weren't the only ones uncomfotable in their dress in those days. Ya can't slouch wearin' that stuff. But it looks great and once ya learn how ta breath proper, it ain't so bad. Anyways, she gots a lot o' costume patterns an' cin alter things an' dress 'em up, so if'n anybody thinks ya wanna get in touch with 'er fer somethin', let me know an' I'll hook ya up. I think I've blathered enough. Got verbal dysentary, I do.

Well, it looks like I got two wrong. I guessed at the ring bein' a lion. An' I knew which ship was portrayed by The Lady Washington, but couldn't remember and guessed wrong. If I'd a just thought about it, I'd a remembered that there was only one real ship in the film and it was the Interceptor. DOH!

The character of William Shaw had the best lines in there. My personal favorite was when Morgan was digging fer the map in her bloomers to "show him something" and he says, "Thank you, but I've seen one before." I rolled. As to the plot, it was just Treasure Island dressed up in different clothes, but then a lot of pirate movies are. I agree that Geena Davis did not put much into her performance, but I like to look at 'er anyways.

I enjoyed "The Guardship" immensely. I ain't 'ad a chance ta read the other two yet, but I'm sure I'll like them just as much. I also need to get on the Jack Aubrey cannon as my cusin got me "Master and Commander" and "The Far Side of the World" for x-mas. There are actually several books between the two, but I'll see if that affects my enjoyment of the story. Not bloody likely.

I did notice one serious plot flaw in the entire movie. That is that it is not possible for a pirate crew to "commit mutiny." They are already criminals for being pirates and the position of captain is an elected one. Therefore, the marooning of Captain Jack Sparrow was a decision made by the crew at large and was not an act of mutiny, but rather democracy in action. However, it is popular in movies to omit this little tidbit of historical accuracy in favor of drama. It didn't bug me at all, I just thought I'd throw that in.

Well, I can't get images to post, so here're some links to pictures of my hats. http://community.webshots.com/scripts/edit...security=DBaKhF http://community.webshots.com/scripts/edit...security=AHkGTg http://community.webshots.com/scripts/edit...security=mUhpeE http://community.webshots.com/scripts/edit...security=XIzMdh