Gentleman of Fortune

There are some online patterns, or at least, diagrams that could be helpful.

Maybe it should be moved to rabble ROUSing... I guess I wasn't thinkin' when I put it here! gof

Ok... I am doing some maintainance on my site (www.gentlemenoffortune.com) and was checking to see my sites pictures rankings and typed "pirate sword" into the google image finder..... Honestly! That is all I was doing! pirate sword gof

Exactly.... now, would they schlock that part of family history on some auction site for a lousy $1000? I think not.

That always seems fishy to me... I assume that the guy likes guns as he is selling a gun on a gun site, and has over a 100 books for sale about guns. Now I don't know about the rest of you, but I like guns. And, I don't have anything.... not even a picture of my Great, Great, Grandad, let alone a pistol that he got from a tavern over 100 years ago.. That would be like my grandfathers Grandfather. Now would anyone in their right mind SELL a GUN that BELONGED to their freaking GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER?????? I mean, maybe i could understand it if my kid needed an expensive operation or he would die... My Great Great Grandfather would have been born around the time of the Napoleonic Wars..... I kind of wonder what one of those nasty turkish looking flintlocks was doing in the Caribbean anyway... but hey, if it is a true story, then MR BIGMICK45, you are an asshole. GoF

More sources for fabric and thread Here is a good resourse... check out their fabrics too. I love the historical "descriptions" though they mostly sell to the rev war and f & i crowd http://wmboothdraper.com/Thread/thread_main.htm http://www.threadneedlestreet.com/linthrd.htm http://www.periodfabric.com/default.htm good luck

Lusting for gold and bloodthirsty to a man, pirates have held widespread appeal and interest for centuries, passing from fact into a shadowy, myth-like status. Lawless and stinking of rum, pirates became the scourge of the seven seas in the early 1700s by the terror they spread and the treasure they stole. Yet, these legendary sea dog scalawags have been romanticized and idealized in countless books, movies and festivals. But who were the real pirates? Now, a new exhibit at the museum shows the authentic world of 17th and 18th century pirates. http://www.publicmuseum.oshkosh.net/Exhibi...es/pirates.html

Thanks Captn' Grey... I think we can just scrub it out at the end of October... I hadn't really thought about what you were trying to avoid... sorry! Let the games begin! GoF

It doesn't seem like the Good Captain Grey is going to allow us to discus the topic... "in" the topic. Maybe you could open it up and delete non-essential e-mails when the class starts? Anywho.... Its time for folks who are joining in on the class to start sourcing out their linen material and linen thread. Kass posted one of her favorites for linen... anyone else have some? You can get some interesting stuff via e-bay if you look in the right places http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=6212969942 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=6213162239 Have your digital cameras ready to post pictures of your shirtmaking progress! GoF

Some more drinking (and other interesting items) containers http://goosebay-workshops.com/LANTERNS-SCO...CES-CHANDELIERS How about good (but inexpensive) onion bottles. I can only seem to find them for over $30? GoF

The row boats won! This is pretty freakin cool! I have posted this link before (to the group) but they are good. http://www.petrobrigada.ru/peter/gallery/b.../board05_en.htm

I would go for 3". Simply because the sheer heft of the thing might almost be unrealistic (for an actual iron ball) to throw. You would almost have to be a champion shot putter to throw the thing out of personal injury range if it was 4". Don't forget to post pictures when you are done. GoF

Whooo hooo! do you have a swim suit calender too? GoF

I too have a lot of unanswered questions.... And I myself am far from "an expert" at hand sewing. That is why, if we can do this as a group project, we can call on each others experience (especially those that have touched the actual garments) to get the best results possible. I am hoping to start this project Nov 1st. In the mean time, those interested in participating should start hunting down about 2 1/2 yards of linen, and some linen thread. I think it should go without saying (but i will say it anyway) if someone is going to go through all the trouble of hand sewing a shirt for authenticity, they might as well make it out of authentic/period correct materials. GoF

For those of you who already have a shirt... pass the word onto your friends who don't and have them join us here at the pub on this project. Adam, I think this project won't get too far without the experience of some of you folks on the board. I will probably be PM'ing several of you to figure out the best approach. I through out "8 weeks" as just a refrence point. As I said in the above post, the trick will be breaking it down into a weekly lesson that will only require 2-4 hours per week. As a lot of folks here on the board might not have a lot of extra time, I would not want to saddle anyone with 8-10 hours of sewing in a single day/week as they would soon drop behind. The point to the whole excercise is to help each other develop/improve their hand sewing skills, give the participants a cheap way to improve their kits, and ultimately, raise the level of authenticity throughout the hobby. If 10 people start and 4 people finnish, then that is 4 more authenticly shirted people than before. I would like to stress that this class is not just for the die hard authenticity freaks. Its for anyone who want to put together a pirate kit and needs a shirt. GoF

Here is an idea. Lets do a weekly online class to make a hand sewn 18th Century shirt. Fall is here and its getting darker and colder outside so this is something we can do to prepare for next spring/summer's event season. (I am sure Hurricane and all the other Florida and West Coast folks are laughing at us now but they are welcome to join in as well!) Here is how it works. Get some fabric and sewing supplies, and we will come up with a weekly "lesson" that breaks down the shirtmaking into little pieces so that by the end of the 8 weeks (I am guessing at a time frame) all the participants should have a completed hand sewn authentic Early 18th Century "pirate" shirt. We can "base" the lessons off of Kass McGann's free pattern directions here http://www.esotericcreations.com/index.php...rticle=12&mn=ht If you are able to do 3-4 hours of sewing each week, you should be able to get this project done. If anyone is interested, chime in so we will know whether or not its worthwhile to do.

Cool stays... did you make them? GoF

Unfortunately, I didn't talk to Ben until after mine was ordered/purchased. Come to find out, he had one completed and for sale for $1300. I have a picture of it on my site http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/weapons.htm GoF

Here is the info from The Rifle Shoppe's site The Buccaneer muskets were the weapons that actually put "Tulle" in business. In the 1693 inventory they had enough locks on hand to build 4650 Buccaneers. St. Etienne made them prior to tulle and starting in 1683 french ships were required by law to have at least 12 on board and to be sold to the colonies they went to. Then, by 1714, many colonies required each household to have 1 buccaneer with powder, ball, sword or bayonet, and if they were slaveowners, they had to provide their slaves with one as well. This law was in effect until the 1740’s They were made with brass or steel mounts depending on the climate they were going to. Most of the ones going to Louisiana and Mississippi territories were brass mounted. Lewis Leonard has found the records from some American expeditions in Georgia and the Carolinas where they purchased quantities of these weapons to take with them. There are also drawings from the 1600’s of Iriquois Indians carrying them. The Americans captured many of these and they were used up into the Revolutionary War. And here is a completed one.... sold for $2300 Yeah baby, Yeah! GoF

Thats the real fkd' up thing about this whole hand mortar. I have always heard that the Rifle Shoppe takes forever. So, I thought, I got plenty of time and no money. I will order the gun, and maybe, when the parts are ready, I will have the money. So I order the hand mortar back in October/November of 2004 (11 months ago) and back in May I got a call saying "its ready, pay us". Needless to say my wife just about had a Aneurism when I told her I owed $820 + shipping on a hand mortar kit. So, I have kind of been stalling since then, selling things on e-bay and making payments to TRS. I paid it off Aug 20 and got the barrel 2 weeks ago. Now I am waiting for the rest. I figure, I got until next July to get it and get it together as I won't be back in the states for a gig until then. Thanks for the heads up though. I think a fusil boucannier from TRS will be next. GoF

I got the barrel for the hand mortar about 2 weeks ago and I am impatiently waiting on the rest of it. I will post pics when I have it all in my posession! GoF

I have gotten pretty lame over the years. Maybe Jaded, maybe just crotchety. I seem to be doing less and less and spend most of my energy trying to put a correct kit together and find kindred spirits to discuss the minutia with. A lot of it has been brought about by my location (Germany) and to take part in an event, I got to hop on a plane to do it. That being said, if I am paid to talk to the public (like at a school or event) I will do it and don't mind at all. Which is so Ironic that pirate is mainly dog-and-pony-show events. Hopefully, its all a funk that I am in and can get out of it.... GoF

You know... like a duffel coat? It apparently is the same thing as shagg. I have found %100 wool duffel at http://www.siltex.com/ but they have not returned my inquiring e-mails GoF

What ship wreck was that boot from Petee? GoF

Kass The Admiralty Slops contract call for "Shirts of blew and white chequer’d Linnen" in the 1706 Contract... The 1690-94 contract calls for blue shirts. By while you are hunting up sources.... do you know where we can get some Grey Kersey Wool? I think they make/made civil war uniforms out of Kersey but I will be damned if I can find it (under $30 per yard that is). And also... Wool Duffel Ever see that for sale? GoF