Monterey Jack

Forgot to add that the throat of the scabbard needs to be as wide as the widest part of the blade. You'd think that was a no-brainer, but it happens all the time with folks making their first few scabbards.

i have several of those cutlasses and it depends on the individual piece as to the weight ...i have three that are heavy at about 3.8 lbs and some just over 2.5 ....and making scabbards for them is fairly easy but since they are forged in small family forges in india each piece is different so the scabbards must be one of's ... and i have used them for some serious stage combat sessions and they have held up well

True; I have had two and one, though too heavy for my liking had held up well. The other had a grip that was rotted thru and fell away from the tang. A friend of mine bought one that had the tang so corroded it broke off in the grip. Its too bad you can't tell what your getting til its in your hands.

Thank ye kindly, Cut-throat, Monteray Jack, and Callenish! I think ye just made me mind for me

Now, can anyone tell me how I'd be going about making a scabbard for it?

You can pick up a piece of 8 oz vegetable tanned leather from a leather shop (not chrome-tanned as it can corrode the blade). Trace the outline of the blade, adding about a quarter inch or a little more to allow the blade to move freely. Flip the blade over and do the same to that side.

Cut both pieces out and punch holes evenly down the side about an eighth inch apart. You can do this with an awl or with a thinging chisel and a mallet. Get a harness needle (about #00) and waxed linen thread (or waxed nylon, but linen is easier to use) and sew 'er up.

The veg-tan leather is a natural colour, so you'll need to dye it whatever colour you choose with Feibings or Lincoln leather dye.

Mind you, if the blade is sharp you'll need to add in a strip of leather along that side so the blade doesn't cut thru yer stitiching when you pull it free.

Up at the throat you can also install a button-stud, or "Sam Brown" button so that the scabbard can pop into a slot in a belt frog.

Make sense? I may have left out some minor details, but I think that's the basics. I make about 8 of these a year for folks I perform with.

If you're short on leather and tools, drop a note to:

www.oregonleatherco.com

It's a nice touch that they offer an engraving service too. I'd like to get an old looking cutlass...not an antique necessarily, but something gritty looking. I like how this one looks: http://www.a2armory.com/picusw.html

You can get that very same one (by the way its British 1780) on eBay from Grendel's cave for about $50. They're imports and some are great, some not so much, depending on how long they've had them around.

They are about 2 pounds heavier than the originals, but most put up with a lot of abuse.

I have two, and they are just rustic enough to draw a fair bit of attention.

Plus..... the entertainer/fantasy pirates always bring the hot babes that the authentic guys get to drool all over.

Too true;

I met my wife at the Hanford renaissance of Kings Ren faire when she was playing a pirate...now I get exclusive drooling rights!

Hey....ten years this month....better start shopping.....

Yep! I is everywhere, just never under the same name. :)

Bummer if it never came to pass; I'd go in a heartbeat!

Below is listed the info from the homepage of www.caribbeantown.com

Sounds like a great idea, and apparently its in the developmental stages....but there's no mention I can find of where its supposed to be!

Maybe it can only be found by those who already know where it is......

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Tourists desiring tropical pleasures and travelers seeking knowledge come here alike to enjoy and to learn about the genuine Caribbean. Native docents will tell you about Barbados and its people, Aruba and its customs, or Hispaniola and its history in addition to intriguing pirates' tales. Taste the food that is unique to the French Antilles and don't forget to savor those tropical drinks for which we are famous, like the Bacardi Rum and a piña colada. Listen to the enchanting African sounds and dance to Latin rhythms. Join us at Caribbean Carnival Extravaganza with its rich pageant of multinational dancers who move to all the Caribbean beats such as Jamaican reggae, Dominican rumba, Puerto Rican salsa, and Cuban meringue. See the Caribbean islands in a world wind tour in our Imax theater. And what would an island visit be without the aquatic experience, so meet us at the aquarium and feed the fish or explore the coral reefs.

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**********************

That's what's so damn much fun about this group. I've been thru a variety of re enactment groups from Medieval to Ren to Rendezvous to Colonial, and this is the only one I've found where both sides, historical and Hollywood can agree on the common ground of fun. You should read some of the flame wars that folks get into on their own lists and mesage baords, or maybe you already have.

I've seen tons of posts on how to tweak something to be more historical and none capping on folks for doing it their way...unless they are claiming historical and misrepresenting the period.

I can't make up my bloody mind, so I'm working on both!

Well, that probably explains it. I'm trying to download it from the YahooGroups site that I put together. Guess it won't let me do that.

I'll have to set up a photobucket account and do it that way; goin' on the account as it were.....

.

If you are one in the real world, why not think of putting yourself in a situation that would force you to question your faith and then just find a comparison from the earlier period... After all your faith has carried you to a rather high position in your local church (according to Scripture Deacons are supposed to be living a good life as an example to the others in their congregations) and after all these years it would most likely take something rather devasting to "chuck it all in" and go to the other extreme. Verily you would be torn between your new chosen life style and your old one, and God, if you believe in Him as I do, is not going to want to let you go. You would have a nagging doubt about what you are doing and a strong need to get your life back in order. I also believe, if your charactor's faith was genuine to begin with and not just in the church for the job and cash, he would be the first to try and help out another.... You would go to the extremes in your new life as a way of "justifiying your sin" to yourself, hoping to make yourself feel good about your new life... but every so often, believe me, you would come crashing down and a VERY HARD crash it would be.

Hector

I like it; thanks for the perspective. I don't know that Protestant deacons hold that much authority. It may be different with the Catholic deacons. Translated from the Greek "diaconis" deacon means simply Servant of the Church...and mine sure isn't a paid one. I can officiate in the absence of a pastor, and I have certain duties regarding communion, but that's about it.

Still, you've given me some interesting angles to ponder; thanks!

Okay, I'm doing exactly as you wrote...lets see what happens...

...nope; it says "dynamic pages in the IMG tags not allowed". This is after I hit Close All Tags.

I've got pics of it up on the Traditional Buccaneers yahoogroup, but can't figger out how to move em here. I'll have to get new shots next week, unless someone can give a a tip or two.......

I think suede isn't period appropriate because it's made from split hides and they weren't doing that this early in time. But please, leather experts, correct me if I'm wrong.

No, suede as we know it today didn't exist. Terms to describe that type of leather today would be more like "brushed leather" or even "nubuck" though that's pushing it a bit. Hides could and did take on a sueded appearance simply from the way the hair was removed, either by scraping with sharp stones, or hide knives, but it didn't look like todays suede. Sometimes even the traditional tanning processes of the period would create a softer, almost suede appearance anyway. Museum examples of brain-tanned and smoke tanned hides often have this look.

On the original topic, the coat is finished and I'm trying to get time and a camera so I can post the results!

I was looking for a blade for actual steel on steel demos. I'm trying to find a blade supplier situated in the UK to save on shipping, but I'm having trouble finding anything that resembles an authentic cutlass from around 1720.

You can try Maestro Paul Macdonald at the address below, or access his website thru Art of Combat (www.artofcombat.org) under thew Sponsor section. He may be able to help or direct you to someone who can.

At the Sign Of the Cross and Sword

Brunswick St. Lane

Edinburgh EH7 5JA

Scotland, UK

+44 (0)131 5571510

For those who missed it this year; or justr want to re-live some of it!

http://www.raewood.com/Boarding%20Actions%...20Actions%20Cla ss.html

Try this one:

http://www.loyalistarms.freeservers.com/to...mahawksaxes.htm

Axe "C" is what the HMCA is using in its demos and it holds up bloddy great!

Throw a perfectly good pistol!?!?!?!?! Why not grab the business end and clock him with the handle. That's why they make them brass.

Exactly; it has too many uses empty to toss it aside, IMO.

Try Scott Wilson at www.darkwoodarmory.com.

He just made my matched set of Dutch hanger and dirk circa 1690 and its comparable or better than Old Dominion; plus he can make it fully functional (sharp) or stage combat grade. He'll also customize something for you.

His cutlasses aren't up on the site yet, but trust me he can get the job done.

Ok I have been looking at the pirate weapon that were in popular use. It seems that more pirates used flint locks than swords. I did not think this as a good bording tool. But I have been reading that quite often pirates did not have to attack to take a ship. So my question is just how accurate was a flint lock pistol? What would have been the range that you used it at?

Not sure about pirates boarding (so far as documentation by the pirates themselves) but Lt Wm Pringle Green of HMS Resolute (1811) recommended hanging onto the pistol until you'd boarded, not using it to actually board, because it takes too long to change from pistol to cutlass once you've fired the thing. He states getting aboard with cutlass as primary weapon, then firing only at really close range with the left hand and using the empty pistol as a parrying weapon while continuing to fight with cutlass.

Thanks for the lead! I didn't know the forum even existed.

Missed it by a week!

No worries;

We're doing it again in Michigan this August and probably at three different locations in 2007, one of them being the SF Bay Area again.

Check the HMCA website every once in awhile for updates.

www.HistoricalMaritimeCombat.com

Thanks RM;

One of the students from the last HMCA seminar is taping the episode for me, so I'll get a chance to look it over next week or so.

Actually it wasn't bad. I've scene it before as a friend of mine, Mario Perez is in it.

How the heck is Mario these days? I haven't talked with him in about two years. tell him I said hi next time you meet up; though he won't know me by the MJ name.

As luck would have it not one of us in the HMCA is able to get History Int., so I'll have to rely on the good graces of someone who taped it.

Gareth Thomas

www.HistoricalMaritimeCombat.com

Ahh those pesky puritans....

Thanks, Story! One more bit of the puzzle in place!

lso please run McAfee or Norton on your system

Those two..ha!

Known to miss tons of virusses..best best is an online scan like Panda or better still trend micro, and don't forget to turn of system restore before doing so.

Glad Panda worked for you; it ruined two office computers here by missing viruses and spyware that Norton caught immediately. Guess results vary......