Monterey Jack

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If any of ye happened t' miss this little gem on the Sci-Fi channel last night...... Yer Damn Lucky! Yeeeowwww; ye could hear this one suckin a mile away with yer doors n windows closed! Shot on a really low budget it all about the dread pirate Roger comin back from the dead to get revenge on the townspeople who stole his gold and cut off his head. His objective. 16 heads in a dead mans chest and the heads will speak and tell him where his treasure's buried. Pity they couldn't help him find a better agent. The soundtrack must've been provided by the director's nephew who someday dreamed of playing with AC DC or Black Sabbath...or better yet learning hopw to play guitar at all..... Cheesy effects, terrible makeup (ye can see the separation betwixt mask and face) and really bad acting all around. The best part: the pole dance in the strip club when the nude girl leaps onto his lap and says, "is that a belaying pin in yer pocket or are you just glad to see me?" Skip this one!

I wasn't in the navy, but spent a helluva lot of time on the docks and pubs in the port of San Francisco, as I lived about ten minutes up the road. The opinion of several of the seamen mirrors that of the tattoo artists you talked to. Its interesting to note how many sailors are actually well-versed in certain aspects of maritime history. More of the older guys, who now operate the fishing boats outside the bay. The newer guys who just want to catch a tat without really "earning" it usually go for tribal "flash" and haven't a clue as to what the origins of the art actually are. The older guys usually just nod and act impressed, but I've seen a few get really in the younger guys faces over it. Guess it's "tribal" in more than just the country of origin.....

Mike, if ye haven't been here yet, or aren't already a member, look into this also: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TraditionalBuccaneers/ Inspired by Mr. Hand's forum, its a yahoogroup for just this sort of thing, aiming to eventually organize muzzleloading events of a buccaneer nature.

The artwork is by Angus McBride and the plate says, "Early Buccaneers in Hispaniola c. 1630. The guy is wearing what looks like a caped frock from the early 1700s. The fringe is only under the sleeves and very slightly arounfdthe caped collar. I haven't seen this anywhere else, but it did start me thinking about fringe on the next 1690's coat I make, along with antler buttons down the front and leather ties on the pockets. I saw a post waaay back at the front of this thread about croc skin knife sheaths and I happen to have both a big piece of croc and a full smoke-tanned South American boa skin that I plan to use on my gear. Trouble is, as authentic as it may be it winds up seeiming to boarder on the theatrical again. Maybe I'll go for subtlety and just use a little fring at thge shoulder and small bits of the reptiles, I dunno......

This came across the Seven Seas Forum courtesy of Lady Stingray and I thought I'd pass it on for discussion and debate....... Pirates of the Caribbean 3 (rumored subtitle: "Worlds End") - Like the Back to the Future and Matrix sequels, the second and third installments of the Pirates of the Caribbean saga have been shot back-to-back. Filming on part two, Dead Man's Chest, ended in June, and when production resumed in mid-August, the focus turned to this as-of-yet-untitled sequel with the same cast and crew, including stars Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, director Gore Verbinski, and writers Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio. Unlike the two films which precede this adventure which opened in early July, this final installment has been scheduled for a Memorial Day release on May 25th, 2007. " According to another site: "As the age of piracy comes to a close, Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann must sail off the edge of the map, navigate treachery and betrayal, and make their final alliances for one last decisive battle. Our heroes must face Lord Cutler Beckett, Davy Jones and Admiral James Norrington in a titanic showdown that could eliminate the freedom-loving pirates from the seven seas -- forever. The Golden Age of Piracy is finally at its end. The East India Trading Company has amassed an enormous fleet with one purpose in mind: riding the waters of all pirates. In this final battle for control of the Seven Seas, allegiances will be tested, friendships betrayed, and nothing is as it seems. There are heroes on both sides, but just how far will some go to obtain power?" Production Notes/Status: Status: Filming Comments: This film is still in production, on hiatus until late summer. Status Updated: 2 April 2006 Note: Since this project is categorized as being in production, the data is subject to change; some data could be removed completely. Cast overview, first billed only: Johnny Depp .... Jack Sparrow Orlando Bloom .... Will Turner Keira Knightley .... Elizabeth Swann Geoffrey Rush .... Barbossa Jonathan Pryce .... Governor Weatherby Swann Bill Nighy .... Davy Jones Yun-Fat Chow .... Captain Sao Feng Tom Hollander .... Lord Cutler Beckett Stellan Skarsgård .... 'Bootstraps' Bill Turner Kevin McNally .... Joshamee Gibbs Jack Davenport .... Commodore James Norrington Naomie Harris .... Tia Dalma Mackenzie Crook .... Ragetti Lee Arenberg .... Pintel Martin Klebba .... Marty **************************

Okay, I know I'll probably get jumped fer this one, but I have to know: How far back does leather fringe date on coats? I' asking this because the Osprey book on Buccaneers has a clor plate that clearly depicts one of the buccaneers on Hispaniola with a fringed leather shirt. Go easy on me, Patrick...... :)

That's the one I'm thinking of getting; though I'm also looking at the 1717French musket from Middlesex as well. Now I just gotta find someone wjho takes AMEX!

Ah! Because you mentioned the "traditional buccaneer" in your original post, i assumed that you also meant it that way. Aye, that confuses a lot o people. Generally when I use the TB term I mean "as opposed to the common assumption that they were all simply GAoP pirates" I created the Traditonal Buccaneers Yahoogroup in the hopes that those folk wanting to portray the explorer/hunter/ survivor type buccaneer over the piratical one would have a place to gather. That group covers the bucc angle from about 1650 to 1715. So even though it includes the late buccaneers, it tries to cater to the "traditions" begun by the earlier ones. In talking offline with folk, I keep finding that people attending Rendezvous, mountain man and colonial events don't always take acceptingly to us showing up as buccs; they keep assuming we're pirates. With any luck now that the list has about 35 people on it we'll start to see some bucc-related muzzle loading events created. Thanks for the help, everyone!

I think this sums it up nicely, Blackjohn. The area I intend to work within is 1690 to 1720; the last straggling bit of the bucc era. Capt Enigma, please don't take it that I'm arguing against buccs using matchlocks, that would be like saying Pirates never drank rum. My option is for a later piece still in use by the buccaneers and I'm opting for something other than a matchlock; just needed clarification of what it was and where I could find it.

What's the general range / accuracy with one of these? Also, would operating one meet most safety guidelines for blackpowder / muzzleloading events?

Aren't Engish Locks, Snaphaunces, and snaplocks all considered "flint" locks? I thought the term flintlock was a generalization and these were subcategories of vitually the same weapon (given variances in the mechanism itself). As for veering off course; I think anything that opens up options to traditional bucanneer portrayal is a good thing!

Do you have a source that matchlocks were not used by the buccaneers for hunting? A. Konstam: In the Caribbean, winds blow very steadyly. So the buccaneers would approach their prey from the leeward side, where the smell of the matches would be blown away from their prey. I think the firearm most common at the start of the bucc period would have been a matchlock, and the woodcuts of the period show stocks that certainly look like a matchlock. However, being the industrious fellows the buccs were, if they could get their hands on a cache of doglocks they certainly would have used them. The excavation points to them being in the Caribbean and their import for use in the colonies in the late 1600s has been established, so I'd say it would be a mix of both, with favour being on the side of doglocks. Just to wrestle with semantics, Konstam does say "weapon of the bucc period," meaning the most common firearm of the time, not necessarily the weapon of choice for the buccaneers. As to the hunt, I can't comment; my experience hunting is to approach from aisle 6 behind the dairy products, hit the meat counter and make a fast retreat thru the produce dept. Jim Dandy, welcome a board; an' never be afraid t' speak yer mind here; its all good!

Here are my favorites from the leather shop I work at: Standing outside staring at the closed sign and mouthing the words, "are you open?" at me thru the glass. "oh, there's no price tag, it must be free." That stopped being funny ten years ago. Now I say, "no, if it has no tag, I get to ask whatever I want; $400.00, please." Standing outside after closer pointing angrily to their watch that says it 4:57.....while mine inside says 5:15. How am I supposed to operate my shop by their watch? Calling at 5: 50 "what time do you close?" "5 o'clock" "Oh good! I'll be there by 5" It never ends; I have a whole list of these gems, including some I see aren't mine alone, that I intend to create a blog for one of these days.

Thanks, Bo! I just dug up some old posts from the Buccaneer project that say pretty much the same thing. I'll check out th' link, Thanks, Mate!

This is off the Loyalist website and is, in part, what I'm basing my search on; I just would like options and opinions. I know its likely 90% sales pitch, but to my knowledge they usually aren't too far off the mark historically. **************** The Doglock musket, (named after the dog catch safety behind the cock), replaced the Jacobean/English lock of the early 1600's. The Doglock came into being around the 1640's and were popular in the British armed forces until about 1715. They remained in use as a regular issued weapon in the British navy for many years after this and eventually evolved into the Sea Service musket of the 1730's. These muskets were very popular in the colonies from the Caribbean to Canada. The common, early British trade gun with the serpentine side plate was modelled after this musket as well. Most firearms excavated at Port Royal Jamaica were of the doglock variety. Many of these rugged muskets were used right up to the Revolutionary War in America by colonial troops as well as native Americans. Thoughts?

I agree the earlier ones would have been matchlocks; but isn't it true that by the latter 1600 the doglocks were being sent to the colonies as superior arms? From what I'm reading they load quicker, were lighter and had no match waving about that needed dealing with. Little states that the: "Matchlock was truly suited only for the conventional line of battle. Flint arms were preferred at sea and in the American Colonies from the latter half of the seventeenth century onward." Given the trade (and theft) going on between the colonies and the Caribbean at the time I can see the buccs using these whenever possible. As for the calibre, you're right; I misread that portion of the page. In any case, where do we find 'em?

I know variations of this have been posted before, I just can't find them: Benerson Little, in his book "The Sea Rover's Practice" quotes Esquemelin and Labat in describing a particular musket having a barrel of 57 inches and .75 calibre. My question is where we can find these muskets; or something close to them. Loyalist Arms has the 1690s doglock and Middlesex Village has the French 1717 musket which IMHO would work in a pinch. Does anyone here know of other suppliers who can meet this requirement? Obviously anyone portraying a traditional buccaneer will use whatever they have that falls within the time frame they wish, individually. I'm just looking to match this as close as I can and work from there.

The picture I found of it is in George Neumann's "Swords of the American Revolution. I'll see what I can do about the photo, though I'm notorious for screwing up the process of putting pics up on this forum. The blade is wide at the end lke that, similar to a few others of the period. So eben though it looks funky and not what we're used to, it does work historically. Glad to be of help,

Yep; I think we talked about this on the phone yesterday. That tip is just ugly, but apparently period to some models. I started to grind mine down but ruined a grinder doing it. I've resigned myself to just having it the way it is. After all, its only one of about 15 I own.......

I enjoyed the amount of background he put into the buccaneer societies. I originally got it to test siome theories about the fighting methods we're teaching in the HMCA and I'm happy to say the book backs up the techniques and research very well!

Looks good, Bo! Mark Baker has direction for making a couple different kinds of shoe-packs in his "Pilgrim's Journey" ($35.00 on Amazon). I got the book for Christmas but can't seem to find the time to start on em!

Center seam moccasins aren't out of order either, especially if your character hails from the east coast of the American colonies.

Bad Pirate! No Booty! :)

I use 600-800 grit emery cloth on my Darkwood cutlass and dirk, then oil it up with knife oil or even the old 3M stuff. It removed the rust, though sometimes you will still end up with a dark "map-like" patina where the rust was. I actually don't mind that, as it makes the thing look antique. My hilt is blued and I've found that allowing a powdery patina of rust (not corrosion!) to build and then oiling it, creates a deep orange-red "rainbow" in the bluing which also adds to the look without harmin th' weapon.

Glad to help! Give Oregon Leather a day or so to respond, depending on who's email you send requests to. Its where I work, but I don't always have daily access to the emails.