Monterey Jack

You will. The HMCA is in the final stages of a book on boarding weapons techniques that should see publication next summer. We're releasing it in conjunction with the next set of classes at ISMAC as well as one that will hopefully be out here on the west coast this spring. You can keep up on its progress at Maritimecombat@yahoogroups.com

There you are! Thanks for re-activating the discussion; I've been busy off-list trying to put together a cutlass class out here on the west coast and its taking more time away from casual conversation. Sounds like you're working from the earlier masters; I tend to work from Corbesier, Hutton, Angelo and the 19th century swordmasters to get my overview of military sabre and its adaptation to cutlass. Have you talked with Terry? he was a great help to me last year when I was going thru my "pike phase". I'd hoped to meet up with him at ISMAC this year but he couldn't make it over the big pond. On your flat parry then, are you using it in transistion into the return cut? If you notice my previous post I was talking about the static parry on the flat, which is just a place dead stop. I can see where a flat parry in transit would work fine, especially if you're already on your way to cutting the opponent. At that point you really can't stop to wonder if your blade angulation is technically correct.

Fergot to mention, if ye find St Gregs, ask fer some of the former crew of the Wolf's Bane, under Capt. Annie Nye. That'll get some response! T'were me wife's ship back in 95 and were crewed entirely by women.

Ye can stop by the Hanford Renaissance of Kings this October and seek out a crew. Its basically a Tudor (HenryVIII) faire, but several local guilds do double duty as pirates at other events. Look for the Guild of St Gregory if they still be about.

For the demos I did at ISMAC this year I provided the students with 10 of my cutlasses from Popinjay(Adam Williams) out of Bangor, Maine. Sturdy, relatively inexpensive, light and well balanced. They also ring like the devil and draw spectators from across the faire. They aren't showy pieces, but then for Stage they don't need to be. You can see the cutlasses he and I designed on his website, www.popinj.com They are also of full tang construction. the whole cutlass is one piece of steel and the tang is good and thick.

Or it means that I've been re-enacting for 26 years, as practically every kind of soldier and I've just seen my fair share of things go wrong. I believe in all that time I have been witness to or heard about three or four snapped tangs, and I have seen one axe head go flying through the air (not a pleasant sight). I've seen it happen too; and 90% of the time its something that could have been avoided. I've been doing this for nearly 20 years (both theatrical and full contact) and have never had a broken blade, broken tang or physical injury. Partly due to buying very carefully (to keep the topic loosely open) from dealers or makers I've done my homework on, and partly from taking the time to learn said weapons capabilities before applying it in a combat situation. I apologise to those who think these posts are ego-inspired, that's not my intent, my intention is to hopefully cause folks to buy carefully and use even more carefully. I'll consider the topic closed unless I see it pop of over on Capt. Twill's forum.

Everyone is going to have developed techniques that work for the style of fighting they do. I prefer not to use the flat. Does that mean it can't be used? Absolutely not. The only question you have to ask youself is, if you weren't just bouting would the style you are developing actually either A)save your life or end theirs? If you're not sure, you need to re examine the technique with someone other than you're usual sparring partner. Always test what you think you know. If you are sure, then you have made one more step in the right direction.

Hawkyns; You're preaching to the choir my friend. I am also Director of the Historical Maritime Combat Assoc, and spend much of my time training with live steel work, full contact in a variety of weapons; cutlass, knife, tomahawk, sabre and boarding pike. I started on the choreography end of things 17 years ago and find it comes in handy when approached to do demos for schools,as "pirates" without the protection used in one-on-one bouting. In much of it we don't bother to pull the blows, we just fight a hair less forceful than if we were fighting for our lives. I was addressing the mock-fight scenarios and in no way intended it to apply to historical study. However, I hope you'd agree that historical study is best done in the class-type setting and not in full costume in front of patrons and children. People who don't do what you and I do have a whole diferent view of pirate era fighting. They want the romance, the swashbuckling, the showmanship; and in most cases from my experience historical combat in protective gear, stopping to explain things as you go doesn't appeal to the general public. As to the flat vs edge parries; it's been worn thin on several other lists so I won't dwell on it overmuch here. Its my experience that the static flat parries are useless, taking time away from angulation of the blade on the return strike. Instead of static parries, I teach either re-directing parries, glancing parries (which cause the incoming blade to glance away, thus freeing yours up for riposte) or avoiding the other weapon altogether. These are always accompanied by traverses where possible, or stunted versions of inquartatas. My cutlass classes are all fought with students inside an 8 foot circle,(replicating close quarter, limited moblity combat). The blades more often than not must then be used evasively and often do not touch at all during the brief engagement. The short length of a cutlass creates the ability to use it as a long knife, sometimes even with two hands. My work with both Navaja and Bowie make it easy to use the cutlass without it ever contacting the other weapon. This, historically speaking (yet at this point theoretical) would explaing the lack of damage to actual antique pieces. This is really oversymplifying things; it's take several pages to explain my thoughts on the subject in any great detail. May I also say that's its a pleasure to read your posts on the topic and I look forward to other discussions in the future.

Good point. A sword is a tool, and like any tool, you need to select the correct type for your purpose. If you use it, you really should be prepared for dings, or worse, a snapped tang. Sorry lads, I need to weigh in here on the opposite tack. Swords may pit and ding; its a fact of stage combat that this happens, but if you're snapping tangs and denting/ chipping blades you need a refresher course in choreography. And you need a better bladesmith. The idea behind stage combat is to replicate combat, not simply plan a fight ahead of time and go at it full contact. You should be able to fight with tin and leave nary a scratch. If you're fighting and following thru on your hits you're not only endangering your partner but endangering bystanders, not to mention screwing up a perfectly good blade. Its a common misconception that if you just "read what the other guy is doing and react to it" that your choreographing. Stage combat places very little contact on the blade. Its all sold with the body and projection of the strike past the actual target. That way the audience sees a "real" fight, but the participants are in no danger at all. That's not to say you don't actually aim for the target; I hate fights where the fighters ares simply smacking blades together with no thought of an actual attack. You are aiming on target and out of distance so that if there is a foul up you can cover it thru other means. the weapon is not, however to be used as a full contact / impact weapon. By all means be prepared for moderate wear and tear on your sword, but if your breaking them and leaving V-shaped knicks in the edge, there's something wrong.

Oh, well said sir! Actually, if you do a search for Loyalist Arms up in Nova Scotia they offer inexpensive stage-fightable cutlasses; providing of course you are actually choreographing the piece and/or aren't bashing the snot out of them. Their 18th century American cutlass is just sweet. Real plain, as the originals were, but handles real well with minimal pitting, if any, in fights. There are about six different cutlasses, and none of them over $100.

I figure to do a review of it for the HMCA site once its up and running; I can also post it here for those interested.

Here's another that looks like it will be of use; in many areas it echos what we're teaching thru the HMCA at our boarding weapons seminars. Its not out yet, but I've preordered it and hope it'll broaden whet we're already doing as far as historical boarding weapons instruction. http://www.huntsvillefencingclub.org/Colla...at_int_info.htm

I'll have to have em send me some; strictly fer research ye understand! 'course I wouldn't mind another trip to the French Quarter, either, and it be fer a good cause after all....

Haven't tried cane; is it easily had? Also, didn't Black Strap originally have other stuff in it as well as rum?

Have ye tried Morgan's new one, Tattoo? Not sure I like it, cuz to me it tastes like alcoholic Dr. Pepper....but I bought two bottles just fer the ships cast in the glass on em....great book ends! Deosn't say much fer the drink itself, though......

Haven't tries the Mt Gay, but right there wi' ye on the Goslings. Whalers never was too bad either, but now they come out wi' all the flavoured 'uns. As fer Bacardi, I swore (after a certain incident in High School way back) that Bacardi was no' fer me! The Morgan's popularity I think has t' do with the fact that they have the best advertising firm out there (the media is swamped with commercials for it) and that its so "plain" that it appeals to everyone, rather than just the rum conny-sewers.

For all you rum aficionados out there; we all know there's more to rum that Capt. Morgan's (blasphemy, I know!) but has anyone ever done a lengthy rum comparison test? Fer example, the Puerto Rican Rums seem to be mellower than most, the Jamaican rums have more scent and the French Caribbean (Martinique) rum just plain hurts, IMO. in more ways than one. Dark Hawaiian rum tends to be thicker in texture than other dark rums. So let's hit the virtual pub and do a taste test, shall we? What's in YOUR rum?

Aye, that always sticks in my mind as well; only because after 17 years of fighting and training in both stage combat and historical swordplay, they really drill that into you: learn how its used before you walk out onto the stage or into the "street"....or in our case, onto the deck. With so many places out there now offering to teach its nearly impossible not to find a credible instructor. Of course one must always watch out for the few who, simply because they haven't been hurt yet figure they know how to teach correctly. Sorry, again there's no offense intended here, just a big-arse soapbox of mine.

'Scuse me while I plug Popinjays shamelessly; the cutlasses you see on the website as well as a couple of the heavier sabres he shows were all made fer me. To date I have ten of his pieces, four of which I designed. Adam is great to work with and can work from your designs or alter items you send him. I just sent him two Scots basket hilts that were worthless blade-wise and he put light, wide cutlass blades on them for me. They work like a charm! Also Scott Wilson from Darkwood is starting to turn out hangers and cutlasses that are extremely historically accurate. Back to lurkin below decks........

Monterey Jack is pretty bloody obvious, besides being from that area of california; I've used it when I do my shows involving kids; the bad guy is Pierre DeBris and my faithful sidekick is Guano. Even the grownups get a laugh. For the more serious stuff I use Josiah Gunn , an old family name from my wife's side. Nothin like MJ at all and not likely fit fer this forum! :angry:

Any of ye cruisin the waters off Oregon be sure to stop in at the Shrewsbury Ren faire (www.shrewfaire.com) and visit the Boar's Head pub with the Welsh Sea Dogs of Yr Gwyliad ("The Watch") September 10 and 11, Kings Valley, OR

That's definitely the way to go. I travel twice a year with about 12 cutlasses, four knives, four tomahawks and a slung shot, all in a big Jimmy Buffet golf case. never had a problem checkin it, tho' it does raise a few eyebrows at the security counter.

Thank ye, Foxe; Wasn't really looking forward to extra layers m'self, so will likely get em to be a sub for breeches.

I picked me own name after me favourite Bay on the west coast; then along comes some idiot with a great tastin cheese and there goes a perfectly good name over th' side.

The Kannik's pattern says, "protective garment". Now does that imply it was worn over another pair of breeches, or it was designed just to protect yer legs, period? I'm having linen ones made for me by Townsend and need to know for sure whether I should get em to fit over another article o clothing.