Capt. Bo of the WTF co.

Tallow candles were less expensive and far more common than expensive wax ones, and the cost of operating a ship, (including providing lighting), was one reason why there were few people that could afford to invest in shipping. Oil for lamps is also very expensive and far more dangerous than candles, as candles don't spill and create a huge flammable area. Bo

Not for throwing, and people don't die from knife wounds in the torso in just a few seconds as in the movies. Using a knife for combat requires you to be up-close and personal about it and deadly serious. Wit and stealth are the two key components to successful knife fighting. Agility is third and equally important to success.With a firearm you have one shot (in the GAoP) usually, rarely a double barrel will be a factor, but a knife does not need to be reloaded, and once you get inside the 'personal space" of yopur opponent, he's in serious trouble. Knife fighting is something I can say I am completely familiar with. throwing knives is just as I said before, mostly pure fantasy and an entertainment venue. If you miss, you're shite outta luck, and if your opponent is not effectively disabled, you are also shite outta luck and may get your blade served back to you "in spades." Bo

99 & 44/100ths% pure fantasy. Knife throwing is a pastime sport, and entertainment/showmans venue. Not saying knives were never thrown n battle out of desperation or in drunken fights, but as a regular combat skill rarely ever seen or done. Best to keep ahold of that knife and get in close. Too much "Ninja" influence. Bo

Don't ave time today to browse all the wreck stuff, but heres a link to a site where you can see what has been recovered from different wrecks. Maybe some clues here: http://www.oceantreasures.org/rubrique,famous-wrecks,1070488.html You might also look into the threads in the shipyard forum on Whydah, the LaBelle, and there's another "stickied" there as well. Gotta go back to mowing and cutting trails. Bo

Dixie Gun Works used to sell brass single cavity molds("bag-molds"), I have a couple in .530 & .570 I got years ago. I don't know if they go that largew though. You might try them and see. Bo

Well I did my best to try and find out if those lamps were ever used on ships, and the best I came up with is not likely. Nothing conclusive though. The only oil lamps that were shown to be used on ships are the later types with glass globes. The type shown in the original post is way past GAoP anyhow, and is not really a typical design for the "frog lamp", which is more like the "betty lamp" in design than the "pitcher" type. If they were to use an oil lamp aboard ship it would have to be suspended and kept free to move with the pitch and roll of the sea. That big base would work well on a table on land or on a pedestal in a mine, but common sense tells me not on a ship. FWIW Bo

I'm bored, it's raining AND hot, so I did a little more digging. I cannot translate but this has pictures: http://www.museum-joanneum.at/upload/file/Geo7_10_Hiden_1_.pdf Maybe this will help some, but I don't know about using them on ships. *EDIT* Then I found this site: http://www.century-artifacts.com/securestore/c50991.2.html ...using "frog lamps used in european mines" as my search. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=1575&bih=980&q=frog+lamps+used+in+european+mines&btnG=Google+Search&oq=frog+lamps+used+in+european+mines&aq=f&aqi=&aql=undefined&gs_sm=s&gs_upl=2766l14047l0l14l14l0l0l0l2l1110l3907l5-2.2.1l5 Now we're getting somewhere. Bo

FWIW I checked this site to see if it would turn up anything: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=739 I found nothing about "frog lamps" in any searches, other than modern lamps with frog motif. I'd say that this museum/site needs to do more research. Germany wasn't even Germany in the 1500s-1700s, and why would anyone make a fancy highly decorated lamp to work in a mine? That's why we have to be careful about accepting the descriptions found in museum cases at face value. I don't doubt that it could be some kind of betty-lamp, but the rest of the information is suspect. I could be wrong, but my sentiment is this place has got the wrong information on this piece of equiptment. Bo

Well, you need a "team" to pull the prarie schooner around, so might as well use pyrates instead of horses or oxen. (OK, so I've been out in the sun waaaay too long again....) Bo

Thanks Foxe, Mission, and Littleneck, I appreciate the help. It was a tent or sailcloth carried over the shoulder, not mosquito netting. Got the two statements confused but this helps me a lot. Bo

I have tried the search funtion and came up blank, I looked through the 16 pages of the buccaneer project thread and couldn't find the quotes about mosquito netting. There are/were two different descriptions given about how the boucaniers carried the netting, one stated the netting was carried around the waist like a sash. The other description had them wearing it draped across the shoulder like we see blanket rolls carried in the American Civil War. I am looking through my Exquemeling book on my Kindle, but so far haven't found either of them. I browsed Bennerson Little's book om-line also but couldn't find them there either. Does anyone know or remember where/who gave those descriptions? I haven't tried Pere labat yet, maybe it was from there? Thanks, Bo

I'm trying to find the references to mosquito netting carried by the boucaniers. One was reference to tying the cloth around the waist like a sash, the other was carrying the cloth slung over the shoulder like an American Civil War blanket roll. I read through the entire 16 pages but missed them if they're in here. Could somebody help me out here please? Thanks... Bo

Well I may finally get to see it after all. Bo

If things don't work out in the end, there's always Truman Lake/Lake of the Ozarks... plenty of room for boating, camping, swimming, historic village, etc. Should it become necessary to procure a location with lots of water access, let me know and I can set the wheels in motion to get something started here. I don't know if I'll be able to make this one. Still no job prospects, and if I were to get one this would be the weekend before school starts. I hope things work out for you at the new site. Bo

I guess since they already billed me as a participant I should make plans to attend (a couple of "N'er-Do-Wells") so they won't be short on "N'er-Do-Wells" huh? This is the big team woodswalk event. Any interest in forming a team for this from the crewe? Bo

This is interesting on many levels! Thanks PoD!!! No water reservoir, he's wearing a doo-rag under his hat,and leggins!!! (although they don't appera to have buttons) The over-the-shoulder strap to help carry the weight of the grinder,and two stones, one for grinding and one for the finish/polish? Nice find, thanks again. Bo

The jambette is what I am considering making, only mine will have the sheepfoot blade type with a heavy spine for whacking with a mallett. I am reviewing my knifemakers guide this week so I can begin working on the blade. Which of my knives is it I'll need to tie down fast around William? I'll bet it's the one in the scabbard with the belt hook. Bo

Yeah! My everyday-knife is a Russel Green River "Ripper" blade blank modified to my liking with coffin shaped padauk slabs, brass pins, and my own sheath. It goes everywhere with me all day long. All us White-Trash members have one and finished them ourselves, it's a "trade-mark" of being a member. We call them "white-trash skin doo's" I did find a riggers knife I forgot I had just a little while ago cleaning out my old gear bags. I has a sheep-foot type blade and a marlinspike. It is a Japanese made modern sailors knife with cheap black plastic handles, but I may try to modify it to some antler scales or wood of some sort. As tp period examples of sailors knives, i don't know if I 've evre seen one. The wreck of the LaBelle in 1687 had some metal folders on board, but I don't think they were spcifically sailors knives as much as they were for trade. Bo

I am never without at least one blade unless I have to be in a Gov't. building for some reason. I understand the need for sheep-footing a blade if you work in the rigging too, but I don't own a proper seamans knife in that respect. I am currently looking at forging my first period folding knife. This is the one answer to all the problems with knives at events. Folders don't fall out of sheaths or poke through and present safety issues, and we almost always have a pocket or a bag to keep one tucked away in. My take on the matter FWIW. Bo

The Indian Captivity of O.M. Spencer gives a good account of a suspected Jonah on the Great Lakes ca. 1790s. It's on Google books, I thought I had saved it but couldn't find it. I'll try to post a link later, gotta get back to the forge while the weather is cooler. Here is the book, Jonah reference on p. 153 http://books.google.com/books?id=w2ZJAAAAIAAJ&q=jonah+aboard#v=onepage&q=jonah%20aboard&f=false Bo

There's a fellow on the FF board thinning out his piles of stuff. I saw at least two rum horns in the mix, but he's gettin' on in years and trying to make things easy for his lady should he decide to part this life for the next, so he's not into trading. If you want the link and e-mail for the photos and contact let me know. Bo

With respects, I worked around (and still do)heavy machinery nearly every day with very long hair and only once did my hair get in the way, and that was when I wore my ZZ-TOP length beard and it got wrapped around the armature of a Milwaukee Hole-Hog drill while boring holes for wiring a house. All I had to do though was unplug the drill and reverse it by hand. Got a really good photo of it hanging from my chin too! Anyhow, it's your decision and if it bugs you or makes you uncomfortable around machinery then that's what counts. Bo

I know the drill about long-hair yadda-yadda, but I have always asked anyone who says anything negative about my long hair to provide me with proof that the length of anyones hair has any effect on their ability to perform any task or detracts from the performance, and if so, why are women exempt? Usually dies on the spot. It is discrimination just the same as if someone were to base their bigotry on ethnicity or skin color. I am a "wears-his-own-hair" kinda person. prejudice is always a target for battle as far as I am concerned. (I got my BSE in secondary social studies with a final 3.47 GPA @ 49 years old and my hair is down to the small of my back) To each his own, but why let people discriminate at all? Bo

Attn: Bagsleys... As we discussed briefly at Ft. De Chartres, I went seacrching for my little cutlass for Lob. It is lost and I've no idea where it went. Amazing things do happen when you are searching for "something else" though. I found these little "swizzeswords, all that is left of a set my parents had when I was a kid: If these are suitable for arming the little crewman, I will send them along to you if you'll PM me with your addy. The big Rapier the principal weapon, and the little foil-like blade as the Main Gauche? Anyhow, they're yours if you can use them to outfit your crewman Lob. Bo

Just wonderin' how many folks are observing flag day, and how many didn't even know it is today. Bo