Monterey Jack

Sailin in two days late into port as always.... My student cutlasses I get from Popinjays in bangor Maine (popinj.com). Very useable, very nice looking and very cost-friendly. Or for a little more coin , and well worth it, drop a note to Scott Wilson at Darkwood Armory (darkwoodarmory.com). I got to look at the first couple of his; a hanger and a cutlass and they both handle well, are very accurate in style, plus he can likely make any type you want. My Instructors cutlass is being made by him.

Got it; its one of my favorites. It tends to confirm what I'm finding regarding the accoutrements being very similar in some respect. Because its written at the actual time it doesn't dwell much on clothing or weapons of the period,all that stuff was a "given"; so its not a great source in that respect; but in every other its in my top 5.

Greetings all~ In attempting to replicate accurate buccaneer garb and weapons I'm finding a lot of similarities in clothing, lifestyle, and weapons to the colonial longhunter; with the exception that the buccaneers eventually went to sea, while the longhunters went west...or north. Climate, food sources and local threats to their livelihoods would be different, resulting in variations in lifestyle, but I'm wondering who else out there has found comparisons and vast differences? I've been following the other buccaneer discussions dealing with authentic clothing, but I didn't see it approached from this angle. This also stems from the fact that I can afford just one kit, and it needs to incorporate both worlds and be as authentic as possible. Thanks in advance, I'll be off-board til Monday.

Aye, thank ye fre the plug, Cap'n! Though I have to admit more people are contacting me privately than are usin the list. No worries though; keeping the topic open is what counts! Monterey Jack

Definitely turned a few heads along the riverbank! An hour and a half down and an hour and a half back with 12 to 15 cutlass and axe fighters practicin' their art on the upper deck. People were snappin pictures, kids runnin to tell their parents. And its only going to get better each year.... Monterey Jack

Finally I can move again after 3 days o' cutlass,axe and knife training! Just got finished with the Maritime Weapons classes at ISMAC last weekend. The instructors John Lennox, Steve Huff and meself spent the weekend training folk in Bowie, tomahawk, cutlass, military sabre, boarding axe and hand-to-hand and then turned the students loose on the upper deck of the riverboat Michigan Princess to test their attack / defense scenarios. We ended up making the news, especially with the Jolly Roger flyin' astern instead of the "right n proper" flag. With new plans and new weapons scenarios for 06 this is not an event to be missed; it was IMO informative and a helluva lotta fun! Look fer a more in depth review in an upcoming NQG! Monterey Jack

Apologies fer comin in so late to th' topic, I've been away at a new Port o Call fer a week er two, down in Cabo San Lucas, lookin into th' history of English pirates there. As for historical or theatrical use of the cutlass as well as any of the other major boarding weapons (sabre, smllsword, pistol,boarding axe, tomahawk.....) ye should check into Art of Combat (www.artofcombat.org). They can also put ye in touch with an instructor in your area. They're hosting ISMAC (International Swordplay and Martial Arts Conference) in Michigan this August. There be instructors there in the correct way o' handlin period weapory from the AoP. This year the Boarding Actions class will actually be held on the deck of a riverboat instead of at the college! ISMAC is the first con in the US to offer maritime combat classes of this calibre and we're all damn glad ta be doin it! Monterey Jack

Greetins to ye! I've just gotten word that I may go ahead and post about the Boarding Actions Class at ISMAC this year! Held aboard the Michigan Princess riverboat, the class will take what the students learned in the Sabre, cutlass and hawk/knife class and learn how to put them to practical mixed-weapon use in a simulation of 17-18th century boarding actions. For more info, ye can hit Art of Combat's website (www.artofcombat.org) and click on Upcoming events and Special Events. The cutlass, sabre and hawk classes were such a huge hit last year that instructors Steve Huff, John Lennox and Gareth Thomas had to come up with something more grand this year. See you there! Monterey Jack

Th' gentleman of Fortune brings up an important point! The average crewman had precious little formal training, and as a lot of the documents Gilkerson mentions bear out, even the officers training didn't do 'em a world of good. What these classes do, is take the practicality of a given hand weapon and put to the most proficient use. The Boarding Actions class ( a special and separate class held on a riverboat this year!) take what was learned from the cutlass, military sabre, and tomahawk / longknife classes and puts them to use in what would be a simulation of a boarding action where the user has to fight with what he has. As for cutlass, Hutton, Roworth and several others have great advice for close quarter work that while efficient, is certainly anything but gentlamanly! These are the techniques we're talking about. The cutlass is a very down-dirty weapon when used in the right hands and bears little resemblance to a duel-type sword. Two hands can be used, grapples (that go back as far as Marozzo) that were common in brawling , and devestating blade-assists where the torso takes heavy slicing blows. Boarding axe and hawk are the same way. The hawk class was originally taught by retired Col. Dwight McLemore and uses some nasty binds and counters with a hawk that he took from first-hand accounts. Same with the Bowie work. Steve Huff is teaching it this year and has built on Mac's original work. So, while there are no formal texts on the styles, the styles are actually "non-styles" of the average fighting man and quite historically correct. Should prove to be a fantastic class, Monterey Jack

Greetins again! I've gotten several private posts askin about this Eugene, Oregon gig: I should clarify by sayin that its not just a kiddie gig, but we are lookin fer authentic lookin crewmen for re enactments and private, grown-up gigs as well, they just hafta be open ta workin with children in a professional manner and be willin ta learn the safe aspects od proper stage combat as well as puttin on a good piratical show. The more realistic ya can look, the better, mates! Thanks fer the interest! Monterey Jack

Greetins! I be the Fight Director for a local Renaissance faire lookin fer a responsible, acting-oriented (ages 21-50) crew willing to learn proper theatrical swordplay for public events and children's benefits . This crew will take up to a year to form and train and will be pirate-themed using characters and costuming from the 17th-18th centuries. Anyone interested can contact me here or at MaritimeCombat@aol.com Thankee fer th' interest! Fair sailin to ye! Monterey Jack

Greetings, all! Just wanted t' take the time to alert those of ye who hadn't heard about the cutlass and boarding weapons classes being taught this year at ISMAC (International Swordplay and Martial Arts Convention) in Lansing Michigan. There be a class on Cutlass, as well as hand axe (tomahawk) and knife fighting. There will also be an as-yet un named special event for all you interested in boarding actions with steel. You can find out more about the classes at Artofcombat.org; simply click on the upcoming events page. Also fer those interested, there be a yahoogroup on historic maritime combat ye can join that will coincide with the discussions in the class. Hope t' see ye there! Fair winds to ye! Monterey Jack