Patrick Hand

That works..... Bragging rights and being appriceated are always good......

So far, noone has found any documintation for the GAoP wearing earrings.... but when did the fashion of wearing earings go out of style? Would ear rings be period for buccaneers ?

I posted in the "Faire vs Reenactment" thread that I want to create an authentic 1680's period buccaneer. For myself, I am approaching this as "Hard core, living History" so I want everything to be as accurate as I can possibly make it. There are other threads dealing with different aspects on the GAoP, this thread will deal specificly with the Buccaneer period (aproxametly 1630 -1689) CLOTHING Exactly what would buccaneers have worn. Right now, I have a discription and a few period prints, but I have many questions...... WEAPONS What would have been carried. I have a poor quality picture of a Dutch musket from the Museum of the Fur Trade, but to recreat a period gun is going to take a lot more research. Also, the prints of buccaneers, don't show hunting pouches, powder horns or flask... so what would be carried to load the guns? EQUIPMENT Buccaneers were hunters. What equipment would be available and carried when hunting or raiding the Spanish? PERSONNA DEVELOPMENT What is "known" and "additudes" about the world at the time.... I have some information, and am starting to do more indepth research, I will post my findings, but I am stuck with inter-library loans and the internet. Hopefully others will have sources that can be shaired.

I'm kinda torn on this one.... my pyrate stuff is close, but not "that" accurate, and I know what parts are not correct. I was recreating a pyrate that looks like something from a Howard Pyle painting. At PiP, there were many tourist that comented "Thats what a real pyrate looked like". Playing a "Fantacy/Faire" pyrate is lots of fun, I like yelling "aaargh" in parades. But on the other hand, I know it is not period, and just reenforces the popular missconceptions about pyrates. It's like reenacting the American Civil War and using M1 Garands..... But I think I've come up with a solution..... There is no law that says that I can't do two different kinds of pyrate. My PC (Popular Culture ) pyrate, and a "Hard core authentic" 1680 buccaneer. There are times when my PC pyrate is proper, and other times when an authentic period buccaneer would be appriot. This way I can enjoy both kinds of "fun"........

I figure that a lot of people don't know how to start fire with flint and steel.... stuff needed,,, a chunk of flint (or hard glassy rock) with a good Sharp edge. a striker (hardened steel... well case hardened iron) char (100% natural fiber, I use cotton, never tried linen or wool (and not sure if wool would work)) tinder to "catch" the ember and firewood... a tinderbox to carry everything in (espessily the fragile char) There are different ways of holding the flint, but I hold it in my left hand between my index finger and thumb with the sharp edge at about a 45 degree angle, with a kind of flick of my right hand, the striker hits a glancing blow across the sharp edge of the flint, shaving small pieces of the steel off (as a spark) The object is to get the sparks to fall onto the char, where they will smoulder as little red dots.... the smouldering char is then put into a "birdsnest" of tinder, and holding it above the level of your eyes (or else you get an eye full of smoke) you then blow on it untill (hopefully) it pops (burst is to big of a word...) into flaime.... this is then used to start the fire..... It takes longer to read how to do it than to actully catch a spark...... Steel strikers (and entire flint and steel kits) are available through most blackpowder suppliers for about $10 I've never tried it, but you can also put the smouldering char next to the wick of a candle and start the candle with it...... notes on char... to make char, use 100% cotton cloth (it can't have any synthetic fibers, or they will melt, not char) cut the cloth about 1" x 1" (cotton gun cleaning patches work well for this) and put a bunch of them into a burned out metal paint can with a nail hole punched in the lid. tap down the lid, and put the can full of cotton into a fire.... soon you will see a jet of flame coming out of the nail hole, when this almost stops, plug the hole with a stick or nail, then let it cool off. When the can is cool, open it, inside all of the cloth should now be burned down to char (if not, put it back in a fire again) What you've done is turn the cloth into charcoal cloth) The char can also be made and "freshened" (ensured that it is very dry) inside of a tinderbox. I now use a "New Mexican tinder tube" this is 100% cotton batting sewn into a 100% cotton cloth tube, this kind of cotton rope is then fitted through a short length of copper tubing, with one end chared. To light a pipe (or fire) I push the chared end out of the tube, and expose the char. when the end catches a spark, it will "hold" the hot "cherry" much longer than just char cloth.... when done, I pull the lit end back into the tube where it goes out, but the char is protected untill the next time I need it.....

Why not just use the rum, and not mix it with water to make grog (grog is rum cut/mixed with water)

On shoes and buckles... I was searching the internet, and found this site... http://www.fugawee.com/Index.htm His shoes are to late for our period, but the site has much good info on shoes, and how to attach the shoe buckles (and an interesting way to tie them) Unfortunately.... I was going to make a pair of shoes, and the pegged sole construction I was going to use is a later period..... drat......

One of the realy great things about replying to threads, is I can type with my toungue furmly in cheek.... Thought on Aaaargh.... I'm going to be in the Dublin CA. parade in two weeks, in the past when people see a pyrate, they will gleefully yell aaargh.... and I usuly respond back the same... but now that I know better, the next person who yell aargh at me I will give them a minimum 15 minute disertation on how unauthentic that is, followed by more information that pyrated Did NOT wear ear rings, nor make people walk the plank. If I have time before thier eyes glaze over, I might even explain how pirates looked exactly the same as regular seamen.... who's going to argue with a cultass wielding pyrate with the publics education in mind.... ...... or maybe not....... (for my own information, I do care what period pyrates wore, and what they did, but most of the time the public isn't that interested.....)

I smoke, and when I was doing Rendezvous, I carried flint and steal, but aboard a ship, if I needed a light, there would always be one handy.

Indains....

Black Hearted Pearl, I think ... "All winners will be handed a Letter of Marque" would be enough....

The sguirrl with a thumb was almost there......But it should have been a Dreaded Devil Bunnie with a human toe.........

Does that mean that you are realy a missplaced hobbit ? OR Are the Orcs never going to forget th' grog swillin' plunderin pyrate....

That would be my guess also. I can't figure why a common sailor would need to start a fire when he could get flame elsewhere abord a ship. Now I could see a few tinderboxes carried (such as by the gunner ) but not by everyone. As for "matches" ... I'm not 100% positive, but I think they had an early form of match realy close to period.... sulpher and something tipped stick that you stuck in a small bottle of acid..... Just the thing to carry in my pocket.....

Cool.... that was sick..... Now I wanna take up taxidermy

teeth

Six

Sorry about that post..... sometimes alcohol and "Th' Dreaded Hornies" just DON'T mix.........

dang........ to drunk to think right,,, and not liking the world.... there are times when bein single just kinda sucks..... maybe tomarow it will get better... but right now.... sorru for the bad post......... just bummed..............

Ok ciagrette smoke explained........ how bout this one...... If there is acid in your stomach... (to digest your food, and sometimes the stomach linning as ulcers.....) Then why when you barf on the toe of yer boots, dosen't the acid eat through th' leather.... (does all the rum kinda cut down on the acid ?)

I'm thinking of doing a historical, authentic pirate re-enactment of Howard Pyle paintings........

Something that I was wondering about.... I know that "back then" flint and steel was "The" way to start fires..... I just wonder how many sailors and pyrates carried a tinderbox with flint and steel?

Well the Korean campaign was the closest to time period, with Naval action... (And hearing ALL about the turtle boats when I was stationed in Korea....)

Just for funzies....... from "The Samurai a Military History" S.R. Turnbull the Naval campaign in the Korean War 1592-1598 "But thier experience was not of the high seas, nor indeed were their ships, for the history of Japanese piracy was one of seaborne raids on coastal or river towns. Besides, most of the Japanese fleet presently engaged were essentially transport vessels, both in function and design, and the Japanese idea of a warship was no more than a floating platform for samurai. So much for the Japanese. In contrast, the Korean vessels were warships- big, fast and, if certain obstinate Korean traditions are to be beleaved.... iron clad battleships" "...the Koreans had no firearms in the form that the Japanese knew, i.e. arquebuses. But they were well acquainted with gunpowder, and it was in the form of cannon that Korean firepower had developed. The guns fitted to the turtle boats were about three feet long and fired either shot of steel-headed darts....With a total of fourty or more guns per ship their armament was truly formidable."

Well I made a quick version of the match case..... carved it outta pine just to see how it worked..... 1. I made it about the same lenght as the photo..... but the slowmatch burns to fast, and you have to keep poking in forward (I used untreated 100% cotton cord ) 2. next one will be longer.... 3. The slowmatch burned OK, but I think the holes should be a little bigger for a little more air. it would get too much "char" on the ends (this may be because I was using untreated slowmatch...) 4. I didn't add the atachments (the two rings and pin to hold it on).... the next one will have them... 5. Not sure If I want to wear it on the middle my baldrick..... the smoke from the burings slowmatch .... gets in your eyes..... maybe lower and slightly out of the way, but accesable...... AAAh.... the joys of reconstructive archology.........