Capt. Bo of the WTF co.

Will anybody from the crewe be there thursday to show me where/how to arrange tent set-up? Also, do you need me to bring the collapsible table I sent last year? I am bringing three dozen fresh eggs and ten pounds of taters, some onions and stuff to donate to feeding the crew. I have a few props but not much. If someone close can bring a cardboard box or two that can be wrapped in canvas and tied to look like shipping bales, I have some canvas that can be used for a couple of those. Any of my iron cookware needed? Bo

Me too, that's why I'm still here! Old school? Old dogs/newtricks? We were warned in our student teaching orientation not to use facebook. That is the first place most school districts look when considering an applicant. It even stated in our handbook; "Facebook - Don't." My e-mail is constantly flooded with invitations from family and people I know and from people I've never heard of before. No offence to those who have invited me, but you won't be "seeing" me there. I already spend too much time on here as it is. I will say that if this just turns into a library for research and people stop chatting, how long before stynky gets tired of maintaining this site and fighting spammers just for a half-dozen die-hards though? Less traffic can make one wonder if all the hassle of website maint. is worth it. Bo

Deep south!?! You ain't been to Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, or Georgia have you? If you think its thick in Oklahoma, you'll think you're on another continent when ya go down there and talk with the life-long back-country folk. I'm from Ozark Hillbilly country and I had trouble communicating down there the first few times I went. Ended up being married to a Georgia girl (my first wife) and that helped me a lot. Still had trouble understanding her dad and one of her brother-in-laws half the time. Bo

You guys are killin me here!!!! DIAL-UP SUX!!! Bo

I just put that on my Kindle e-book for $2.41 from Amazon. Now to find time to read it since school is over for me and five years of home maintenence needs are calling out for attention... while I play at the forge in between job-searching. Bo

Here ya go William: ...nothin' fancy, just functional. I made then from a piece of 1/4" square stock that has been sround the shop for (?) years, an old sickle mower blade rivet, and filed where needed. I even drilled the hole with a hand-powered drill just for the exercise. Are these going to work for ya? Bo

Facebook and sites like it have just about made these types of forums obsolete. I notice that most folks communicate on Facebook anymore and not so much on the forum. Times are changing and the old always gets swept away by the new. Sad but true. Bo

No, not jesus but there are many who are certain I am Satan's offspring. Bo

Silas: Haven't made any since the hog-spear. I've been out of gas for the torch for a long time and that is the only way I can cut the sheet-metal to shape before going in the forge. I guess I could hack-saw or chisel it all the way but the cost would be.... I have the torch refilled now, just bad weather and it's hard to get much done between rainstorms and such. On the pikes; I have looked at over a dozen designs and seen the artifacts of the Whydah. I could make them like the Whydah example pretty easy, I used the same type of design on the double linstock. These need to be fitted to the wooden shaft kind of like the old shovels by pinning it through the shaft after letting the wood for the linguets. But to be totally honest and up front with everyone, you can go to Jas. Townsen & Son, buy the India made leaf spear head for $25, then go to a commercial roofing supply store or go on-line and find the 1 1/4" X 8 foot tar mop handles for about $12-14. They are already made hardwood handles with a tapered end and all you have to do is slide the pike head on and pin it down. You'll have about $50 bucks or a little less when you are done and those India made pike/spear heads look exactly like the original "cheapies" the Kings used to have made to issue the lowly common foot soldier. The pike was the cheapest weapon around and Kings Like cheap weapons when it comes to arming the untrained masses. In fact, many of those pikes were actually made for the French, Spanish, and English in other countries and sold to the armories in bulk, so having an India-made pike is really pretty historically accurate. I can make them but the cost is going to be considerably higher and I suck at woodworking/carving/inletting. There are two types for sale right now on the FF forum that are made by established blacksmiths. One is the leaf type pike/trade spear design with the socket to slide over the shaft, it is going for $100, the other is a long spear type theat has the tang inserted into the center of the shaft as if you took a broken sword blade and made a spear out of it. It is also $100. Just to give folks an idea of what other smiths get for a pike. I saw one of the leaf ones made by another reenactor blacksmith two years ago and for the head alone he was gettin $65. Not that I wouldn't make one for someone if they really want it, but if it were me, i would go with the India made pike head and the roofing mop handle. They are only props anyhow, unless you plan on marching out in company strength as pikemen to do battle. OK, sorry for the tutorial. It is a boring overcast gloomy day and I don't know wheter to fire-up the forge or just read. Can't tell if it is going to rain or not. Bo

I would recommend going to one of the established well known knifemakers, I am not that far advanced as I only play at this and don't spend a lot of time at it. I kinda specialize in small stuff and don't make a lot of the same thing. Maybe someday when I'm dead my stuff'll be worth something. As for strikers, I love to do different ones and I never charge much for my stuff. I tend to do crude and rough looking practical items on purpose rather than items that are high-end artwork. I try to keep in line with the suttlers and merchants and the current rate for plain functional ones without chisel/file/artwork on them is about $8 each. Some fellers are asking $10-12 but I'm going to stay at $8 for now. I just sent two custom strikers to California and I think it was under $4 to send them USPS. So if you come up with a spanish design you like, get me a drawing or photo and I'll try to duplicate it or a reasonable facsimile for the current rate plus the shipping if you like the result. The ones i just made i posted in the First Mates Forge forum. They are from an original design from out that way I believe. They had a screwdriver on one end so they had to be tempered differently on that end than the striker surface. It was a good challenge for me and I was able to make them work the way they should on both counts. Thanks for the inquiry, and let me know what kind of striker you find. I'll be happy to give it a go. Bo

I will try those dividers, looks simple enough and I have plenty of rivets and stock that should work for them. I'll try to make a nicer pair like those on the bottom, but most likely they'll end up looking like the first pair as out-of-shape as I am! Bo

I make one or two strikers a day to get my arms and hands in shape again. I've been dormant so long I need reconditioning. This has been dependent on the weather as my smithy is somewhat exposed to the elements. What size of worm do you need? I was going to make some of the brass wire small-arms gunworms like the ones from the Whydah exhibit. The bigger cannon worms I will do on request as i don't know how much need there would be for ready-made ones that may need adjustments "at-the-muzzle-in-the-feild" if that makes any sense. The one in the photo is about 1-1/4". Anyhow, that is the same style of striker I had figured to build for you, how ironic is that! Adam, I can duplicate that one as it is my favorite design. This is the type I usually make and the odd-ball ones are just made from randon size pieces of spring steel I had lying on the forge. That said, no two pieces are ever the same. I just make each one as it comes off the anvil. i don't like doing mass-production, I like individualism in everything. Bo

Sorry, I barely know how to post pictures and respond to e-mails! Haven't graduated to pay-pal yet. Postal MO or one from a bank is best for me here. If you want them you are first respondant. PM me for mailing info exchange. I am going to be outside trying to work the forge some more so I might be awhiule getting back on this afternoon or evening. Bo

I am much the same, depending on manufacture a 9 or 9 1/2. These fit me well for new shoes,and I have "duck-feet" as in wide spread toes! The only problem I have is that if I wear anything with heels of any significant height, I also have to have ankle support as in boots. The buckles are mounted slightly off-center to the outside so they wouldn't ride on the bridge of my feet and make blisters. I would like to guarantee the fit but as I know about being hard to fit shoes for.... Bo

I won't be going to Joplin after all, they are swamped with volunteers and donations. I have to sell off some stuff to be able to do this trip though, so I have put some items up in the Thieves Market and will have whatever don't get sold before with me at the fort. I am going regardless though. I need to get out and play at least once this summer and this may be it. See you there. Bo

I 5hink they are about the same as any custom made gunne pricewise, it's the wait on having the lock made that is usually the kicker. Few folks doing it and long waiting lists for parts is what I've been hearing, but honestly don't know for certain as I haven't had the bucks to even inquire about it. My best friend has a complte working lock with key and pyrite I've been trying to get him to do something with for years. We are currently doing several projects together over the summer and I hope to either convince him to start playing again and build a gun, or trade it to me so I can! Bo

Thanks, I should have made note of the fact that these will NOT be used for actual storage or transport of blackpowder. They will be props only. Good advice just the same and thank you for bringing that up. Bo

I was able to cover my trip to the Fort DeChartres event and so will not be selling my blade after all. Thanks to the Pub members who purchased from me to make this possible.... Bo

Joplin is still overwhelmed with volunteers and donations. My cousin is doing better and went right back to work in the temporary hospital. I was told that there is more than enough help at this point, so I guess they don't need me after all. I drove through Sedalia yesterday to complete my mission of getting books. The damage there is nothing like Joplin, but they got slammed pretty good just the same. The gas station/truckstop I used to always get gas and coffee at while going to the college and university is wiped out. There was a trailer park I didn't even know existed behind the businesses on 65 hwy. Well, "was" is the key word here. The motorcycle shop where I have my vintage KZ750 for sale looked like it was OK, but there were three holes in the roof where debris was dropped from the sky and fell through. The traffic was bad and only one lane open while crews worked to clear debris and restore power lines and phone service, so I did not stop to check, but with my luck, my bike was probably stting directly under one of those holes and is probably the only one damaged. Probably has a bus engine sitting on top of it. (I don't know that, just figuring on my usual run of bad luck ) Anyhow, It sounds like I will not be travelling to Joplin after all unless I am needed. Bo

Ha! You are faster on the draw than I am this morning! Bang... ya got me. *link removed-no sense in duplicating * Bo

There is a fellow on the Frontier Folk forum that does this and is very knowledgeable on the subject. he reproduces period Bibles and religious pamphlets. I know he has a website which offers both his products and free downloads of religious tracts for those who wish to do their own binding. he goes by Bible Man there. I'll find his info and and website and post it here later. Bo

There arte some awesome pistols in those images! From page 4 of the google image link: Wouldn't it be grand to sport this pair around port! I though I posted this one too but it didn't take the first time, so had to come back anmd try again: I know it's a matchlock, but What do ya think about something like this? Bo

I found ahtread from another forum where I asked about wheelock ideas als. here are some of the images i came up with: Not a pistol but I likey!!! Here's alink with some cool stuff. check out the breechloading wheelock here: http://collections.royalarmouries.org/index.php?a=wordsearch&s=gallery&w=wheellock&go=GO ...and my google image search: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1575&bih=980&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=wheel+lock+pistol&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq= Hope this is a little help. Bo

I'm pretty sure that this came up when I asked about some ideas for my best friend's wheelock awhile back. There were some fantastic images in that thread if memory serves me. I don't have much success at using the search function but I'm pretty sure that the thread is out there in cyberspace somewhere. Somebody more lucky than me up to the task? Bo

Weren't there a bunch of Mormon Pyrates on the Great Salt Lake that used to raid in Prarie schooners? (Sorry, couldn't keep that one in!) Appologies to my Mormon freinds, but they've already heard that lame joke from me before. Bo