Francois

Bring a Lap top to the salty ball and I will do it for you.

Did you try to do what I suggested in the IM on facebook?

I have a pair of knee breechs I bought about 7 years ago. Wool They are great for the periods I do and are well made

sykes

This is a must see for all you MythBuster fans

Episode 71: Pirate Special

Arggghhh, me hearties! Jamie and Adam plundered the seven seas in search of pirate parables and maritime myths. The result? This 2-hour spectacular episode! And, with four stories of hijinks on the high seas the action is thick and fast. Playing with more firearms, the guys try to figure out how deadly cannonballs really are versus the splinters sprayed from a mighty broadside blast. Kari, Grant and Tory on the port side decode the mysteries of the ol' pirate eye patch: why would a pirate wear a patch over a perfectly good eye? And if that isn't enough, the gang tops of the show with rum, knives and sails ... whaat? This one's for the books!

Premiere: Jan. 17, 2006

MythBusters

Francois

Ok I just got it!

So Im a little slow.

But before ye send me to the hangman's noose.

Could it be a spelling error? Possibly.

Could it be the fact my typing sucks? defiantly. :)

Could it be the battery on my key board is going dead? Likely

Could it be I didn't check what I wrote? Probable. :)

Could it be Im dyslexic? Unlikely. I do know what end to put the cannon ball in! (singing signing) Alls the same to me.

Could it be my brain works faster than my fingers?

Well I wont go there Im sure just saying that opened up a door for all as it stands.

Besides a Pyrate of my standing shouldn't know how to spell anyway.

Although Foxe understood what I meant and that's all that counted.

François

Count me in.

Thank you Foxe. This is what I was looking for. Great example. Your opinion? For those sailors who were illiterate do you think it was read to them, or do you think they were given a line of crap to make it look better than it was. Or do you think the sailors knew what they were getting into from others who might of had some experience. Some how I equate it to going to the current day recruiting station.

François

I was thinking. I tried to locate documentation and paperwork showing crew members signing on to a priveteer. Similiar to scene on the pirates of the caribbean II. I know it probably happened in that type of public manner, but I am curious about the following?

What was the documentation presented to the sailor, on the paper he signed what was stated? Were there other documents that were presented at the time and if so what was stated on those documents as well?

Was there any inclination as to what the sail was going to be about, where it was going or how long it would be before the sailors signed onto the crew?

Any information would be a help

thank you

Francois

Ditto what Scupper said.

If things work out Ill be there too. Looking forward to a good sword fight. We were hoping to see you at New London. What happened?

François

My point exactly. We use the same articals when taking over a ship for the pirate sails we do. Thats when I questioned it mysef.

Francois

It crossed my mind when we were doing a black powder demo on one of the ships we work on. One of the crew opened the topic of powder monkeys on the ship. I agree they were on Man of war ships working in the orlop deck and in the fields during land and fort battles. The question is. Did pirates deliberately take youngsters to do the work of a powder monkey? Would they tolerate a child on board? Would they want another mouth to feed? They were superstitious about women being aboard. Did they feel the same way about children?

François

They don't look too bad. Although the one on the bottom looks worse.

I work with resorting all types of alloy. If there is an interest. I have a shop and am so equipped to restore them. I can make them look as close to new as the metal will permit. Let me know and I will give you all the details

François

Pete

You got some great photos there. I like the one with you in the cage.

My wife has the same problem with dressing sometimes.

My wife's problem is that she hates to wear dresses. So we solved that problem and she wears shirt slops doublet or what ever she feels comfortable in. I've learned she doesn't like to re-enact as much as I do. She tolerates it and will go with me for support.

Capt. Lazarus Gage

I like your frok what kind of cloth is it cut form.

François

You will be surprised!

A friend told me to look around the stores such as JC Penny and such. so every time I was in a store I went to the shoe department. By chance I was in a store called Bon-Ton. I walked by the shoes and there on display in the women's shoes were these, (without the buckle). They were on sale for $20.00. I tried on a pair that would fit and bought them, later adding the buckle. I asked why they were so cheep. On the box they were selling for $60.00. The clerk said they were discontinuing them. That was over 2 years ago. Look around you may get lucky.

François

I picked up this long weskit at an event in April. I was reluctant to wear it because I wasn't sure if it would look good. I wore it to this event for the first time and after seeing the photo I kinda like it. I got plenty of compliments on it. What do you guys think.

Francois

Hi Kass,

I do understand what your point is and I wasnt trying to disspute that point. It seems as though you have done a great deal of reasearch and I do respect that. I would like to add I have a couple of your patterns but havt made the item yet. They do look very well done and I cant wait to get started.

So heres were I stand on the subject. Like you, I would like to see solid evidence of slops being used in this period. Although My knowledge is far below some people in the re-enactmet world I shoot to be as authentic as I can when portraing a period. As for wearing the slops during the GAoP I think I will contiue even if their not proven to exist. One reason is the 90 degree plus summer weather and the other is when I get the chance to go climbing aloft it is so much easier.

As for my personal oppinion I do belive they did exist but not well documented. It is also possible that the wide leg did not exsist as we know it. Some interpretations may make the slops look bigger or smaller based on the size of the person wearing them. To close some of the other theories that were listed earlier are also plossible. So I would say this myth hasn't been busted but it is inconclusive until more evidence shows up.

Francois

If the dealer was in Ct I know of him. IM only 40 minutes from him. He is very reputable great stuff VEEEEEEEERRRRRRYYYYY expensive. He has all originals. Her is his link. Also look in this list about 10 treads down I posted some links for gun making. The thread is called To Kit or not to kit. Her is the link to the dealer in CT.

Pauls

François

I found this. I know it is a little earlier than we are talking but take a look anyway. Check out the Plate below and the date. Once again this is my opinion. These were very large knee breeches. If on a ship it is very hard to do all that climbing with the breeches tied at the knee. Not to mention that every time you bend your knees one of two things happen if there tied. If there too loose they keep sliding down and you have garters on and they are loose your socks will slide down. If you tie them too tight all that knee bending will eventually start to hurt and cut off your circulation. Now remember these are every day cloths as we wear everyday cloths today. S what would have kept them from untying it cutting out the lower seem and just letting them hang down. So with the amount of material shown in the photo below this could have been something like we are calling slops. Also check out then defffinition I found. I have added the link.

Tempus Sewing

slop, sloppe, slops

A term used in the singular from the Middle Ages to refer to many different kinds of loose-fitting garments: in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, a magic bag or a cassock, jacket, mantle or cloak, gown or overdress, also a slipper. In the sixteenth and early seventeenth century slops, in the plural, were the full trunk hose or wide, baggy breeches of the time; one leg of such hose was called a slop (see Hose). The term was also especially applied in the seventeenth century to sailors' loose breeches which were ready-made from inferior quality material. From this slops came to designate particularly cheap, ready-made garments of any type. Spanish slops were the trunk hose made fashionable in Spain in the second half of the sixteenth century, Dutch slops, the Dutch or German pluderhosen of these years and the early seventeenth century, while small slops were plainer, less full breeches open at the knee.

And This

Dutch slop

This is a slang for the type of wide leg pants that Moll was being fitted for by the taylor. The Oxford English Dictionary referred to the term slop as "to provide with slops or cheap ready made clothing" (1140 IV). This is a picture of Moll on the cover of the 1611 printed version wearing Dutch slop pants:

Francois

I was looking at the photo of Bonney and Read. It accrued to me that. If I take the ties out of my Knee Breeches cut the seem out and let the legs hang they would look just like the pants in the photo. Is it possible this is the way straight leg pants evolved. Also if you cut the leg up higher depending on the style or maker of the breeches you might get what look like slops. Just a thought.

François

I was under the impression that the slops were used as work pants that went over a pair of breeches. This was so they didn't get there good breeches dirty or ruined. Also the slops had pitch tar or wax on them so that when in poor conditions they would not get wet and prevent the sailor from getting wet. They are open wide at the bottom so that the sailor can climb the rate lines with ease. This I can verify from experience. I had a pair of slops that were too narrow and they tore right up the middle as I climbed. My other pair that were much wider worked perfect. So from what I know they were more for practical use and not fashion.

François

Ive decided to start making my own guns. The reason is for cost. If a kit has good quality parts go for it. Check out these sites. Ive also included some early match locks, and a sit of minitures.

Francois

tennessee valley manufacturing

technical video rental

the rifle shoppe

track of the wolf

matchlock

craftsman ship museum.

This is were I'm going to get all of my hats from now on. This guy makes hats from beaver pelt and puts in a linen lining with a leather tab for the for head. They may seem a little pricy, I thought the same when I looked at his site. Keep in mind these are all hand made to fit just you. I got a chance to meet the gent and try on a verity of his hats they are outstanding. He hade a GAOP Tri-corn that was waxed it was fantastic. He had from the simple tri-corn to the very fancy. He had some cavalier hats wow it was great stuff. His blanks are very thick and shape very nice also.

François

Dirty Billys Hats

I guess this will make it official since I'm putting it in writing. It is with great regret that I will not be going this year . I cant stand to even think about not going. Especially considering the fact I found a place to call home with the St. Barbara Gun crew. Hawkyns will ya fire the guns to the east one day so I know your Thinking about me Then maybe raise a bucket of gunners punch in hopes that next year good fortune will let us be there next year.

Francois

I hope you all dont mind my posting some photos of past years. It might make me fell a little better about not being able to go.

In this one Im the fifth one from Hawkyns if'n ya count Hawkyns as one.

In camp making charges for the next round of bangs.

In charge of me own gun crew and proud of it.

I say that is a fine looking Sparrow hat. Your whole set up is very well done. My I ask (with out sounding like a thread counter). Is the hat a leather hat or a period correct hat (waxed over beaver pelt). I was at a Rev War event this past weekend and the vendors there had some outstanding stuff. One was a hatter who made period correct hat out of beaver pelt. Including, what was a GAOP sailors tricorn as I stated above. Check it out this guy he makes some fine hats and well worth the price.

François

Dirty Billys Hats

I was wondering. Would anybody know were I could find some good information on how to make my own blunderbuss wood sock. Patterns and some authentic info on a sea service blunderbuss would be very helpful. I cant find anything that gives me enough info to even get started. I found a site for hardware. Cant find a good site for barrels. That's about it.

Thanks in advance

François