Hawkyns

Kathryn makes hers with a linen layer and a canvas layer that are sewn together to make the channels, then another linen layer for the lining. Hers are all back laced, using handsewn eyelets in a spiral pattern. At least a dozen eyelets on each side, more for longer stays. She uses reed for the boning and they are completely boned, no unboned space anywhere except the shoulder straps. I say lining, but that is not strictly true. To keep the reed from taking a set and not properly supporting, she will alternate which side is out. Hawkyns

One thing that absolutely made me twitch at PiP was seeing redcoats working artillery pieces. Gunners wore blue uniform coats, not red. Facings would change and the weskit colours would occasionally change, but it was a blue coat. I'm trying to put together a blue coat with orange facings for William's artillery from the Battle of the Boyne. Hawkyns Gunner, Royal Irish Artillery

OK, lots of points. First, the spike on the top of the linstock is to provide a defensive weapon for the gunner. It would be too big to fit down the vent. Spikes were generally soft copper spikes that would be pounded into the vent until there was no head left, or the head was cut off, and then the rammer was sent down the bore hard to bend the spike under, thus making it impossible to pull out. It depends where you get your match. The stuff that Dixie sells (worthless in my estimation) is thinner, 3/16 or so. What I get from Practical Goose is 3/8 or so, and is braided hemp. My Rev War unit uses a heavy match from twisted cotton cord that is near to 1/2 inch. Depends what you get and where you get it, but making the loops or apertures small will limit your choices. For naval linstocks, I prefer the type used on the Mary Rose, which have a V shaped slot which allows near any size to be used. The direction of the tines on the worm depends on which side of the gun you are worming from. As long as when you are holding the worm with both hands cupped underneath and your thumbs NOT on top, it really doesn't matter. Most people find that that means the worm should turn with the tines pointing towards you. As you grip the worm and turn it your fingers rise and the heel of your hand drops. Hawkyns

Oh I don't know. One of my all female gun crews styles themselves The Babes of Boom. Hawkyns

What's the story for those of us into KW before Weds AM. If GPS and mapquest are right, I should arrive Tuesday evening. Hawkyns

I prefer the mint myself Hawkyns

Whole Foods carries it, and so do most organic or natural food co-op type places. Hawkyns

Two other places to go. The Leather Museum in Northhampton had a few pieces last time I was there. Also, the York Museum. They had quite a few ECW swords and muskets with their associated equipment when I was there a couple of years ago. Hawkyns

Too many variables for a single answer. As always, date and country make a difference. In the mid 17th C, they tend to be wide, 3 or 4 inches even. This is to carry the weight of the heavy cavalry and basket hilt swords that are common. This tendency remains with the Scots, northern English and a number of the northern European countries that retained the heavier blades going into the 18th century. The vast majority of these heavier baldrics were of leather. Officers, the French, and the more aristocratic moved to the lighter court swords like the colichmarde and the light rapier. Not having nearly the weight of the broadswords and backswords, baldrics also lightened up, going down to about 2 inches. This is where the fabric baldrics appeared, though many of them were also backed with leather. The sword belt of the GAoP seems to average 2-2 1/2 inches, mostly done with double d buckles, the French being a fatter buckle and the British being thinner. I'll have a couple of styles with me at PiP, for sale and as examples for orders. Hawkyns

The picture of Anne Bonny is just wrong. For an axe head of that size, the helve would have to be huge to counterbalance it and let it hang like that. And slung loose like that? It would flop all over the place and do more damage to her than to anyone else. Yeah, stuck in the belt doesn't work so well either. Most boarding axes have a helve somewhere in the 18-24 inch range. I don't see walking around like that for more than a few minutes. Hawkyns

This may sound like a strange question. Does anyone have any documentation for boarding axes being carried when not actually in a boarding action? And if so, how were they carried? Hawks and hand axes could be carried on belts, on separate slings, or attached to cartridge boxes in the French style. Larger axes were carried in back slings by pioneer units. Has anyone seen anything that resembles a boarding axe in a sheath, belt rig, or sling? Thanks everyone. Hawkyns

What's it called? Damned if I know. When Gwen and I go to KW for Fantasy Fest, we used to stay at a clothing optional resort next door to the Southernmost Hotel. In fact, at one of the early PiPs, they held one of the receptions there. Its where I first met Cascabel. The place has since been closed. Anyway, right across the street there was a little Cuban place. No indoor seating, just tables on a porch and a walk up window. Best breakfast and wonderful Cuban sandwiches. Maybe one of our KW bretheren knows it? Hawkyns

Don't knock the other end of Duvall St. There's a Cuban restaraunt that does the best damn breakfast. Besides, you have to go down there to get the topless photos next to the Southernmost landmark. Hawkyns

Right. The long sand stakes are forged and I only grabbed the wrong end once. ( no biggy, just a small burn on the palm of the hand) The rope bed is tightened and the mattress is aired out. The shelves for the store are painted. More stock produced, plug bayonets, sword belts, and some work done on a sword. More buckles ordered and leather acquired. Now, packing to be done, some kit to be to be washed, and then away on Wednesday. 2 days working Jamestown, 2 days in Williamsburg and then head south. Can't wait. Hawkyns

It's often hard to tell from period engravings, but are we sure we are talking about short waistcoats and not jerkins? The cut of the one in the picture, especially the pockets, just seems to scream 19th C to me. Even the shortest of the pics in Foxe's collection does not show anything above the waistline. I see several that could be either waistcoat or jerkin but all extend below the belt line. Hawkyns

I agree with you there Cascabel, it is dangerous to load a primed weapon. We make it our practice to load the barrel and then prime the piece. Well, here I'll disagree with you, gentlemen. I've been following military drill with both my matchlock and my Bess for 25 years. When priming from the cartridge on the Bess, you are never sure if you have left enough powder in the cartridge to properly prime. With the matchlock, handling powder in one hand and lit match in the other, cleaning and priming the pan first, before casting about makes much more sense. The way I figure it, the people who used these things for real knew what they were doing and why. I'm happy to follow the original manuals of arms. Hawkyns

I also like to fire from the bandolier. It is convenient and quicker to load than to roll cartridges. If your bandolier is set right to exactly take the charge you want, then reloading from a small horn or flask is quick and easy. If I do use a belly box, I prefer the ones with the drilled block, which are required in most reenactments. The open style, like the Whydah box, allows powder to spill and does nothing to contain charges, should a spark enter. Likewise, if the wood or metal tops to the chargers on your bandolier fit properly, they will also prevent stray sparks, something very common with matchlock, which are my weapon of choice. Speaking of which, odd question. Are matchlocks permitted at PiP? Hawkyns

Here ya go! Dog lock, no side plate and flat plate buttstock. http://www.middlesexvillagetrading.com/MDBB.shtml Hawkyns

That's a loaded question, and the devil, as they say, is in the details. What do you consider a blunderbuss? If you are talking about the standard, short barrelled, brass mounted, french lock blunderbuss, then no. Those are barely period even for GAoP. The majority of them use a Brown Bess style lock and furniture. The lock that most of them are built on is an early 2nd pattern lock, which dates from the mid 18th century. They also use the shortened buttplate tang and later trigger guard. This was actually a coaching gun and made for defense of the mail coach or other defense against highwaymen. The large muzzle and smooth taper on the barrel was to assist loading on a bouncing coach. Blunderbusses are period, but not neccesarily in the form that most know them and has been codified by Hollywood. There is reference to someting that might be considered a very early form dating to the Columbus expeditions. Firearms that fire multiple projectiles have been found on the Mary Rose, a flared barrel murderer with a square muzzle fired like a hand cannon and hooked over the rail. The origin of the word is 'donder busch' or thunder gun in German. The first references to a small arm appear in 1566 to a 'busch' that will fire between 12 and 18 bullets. Several wheellock versions of the weapon exist, but have much less flare to the barrel and are longer, similar to what we would think of as a carbine. Snaphauce blunderbusses were develeoped in the low countries in the first part of the 17th century. It spread slowly to England and the first English pieces were likely wall guns from the early Civil War period. Another variant produced during the ECW was the Littlecote carbine, designed as a cavalry carbine to take a single shot or handfull of small shot. It did have a flared barrel to assist horseback loading, but not so large or tapered as the conventional piece. The Commonwealth lists several references to imported continental weapons, some for cavalry operations, and "100 Brass Blunder Bushes' acquired for the Hispaniola expedition. In the 1670's and later, both English Doglock and French flintlock versions were produced. The lockplates tended to be longer and thinner than the more common 18th C lockplate. Other major differences would be the absence of a sideplate, the absence of a tailpipe for the rammer, and a thin brass buttplate nailed in place instead of the common , heavy shaped buttplate. Miquelet versions exist also. Rather than the finely developed 18th century firearm that is the common view of a blunderbuss, weapons from this period were "ugly, brutish and short". So the short answer is yes, they are correct for the Buccaneer period, but to be correct, they need several modifications from the pieces commonly available. Hawkyns

And now we have kids arrested and charged for a food fight. http://abcnews.go.com/WN/education-school-safety-tolerance-polices-lack-common-sense/story?id=9053934 I keep hearing that all these zero tolerance policies are a reaction to school violence. Have non of the morons who promote them considered that the school violence may be a reaction to the draconian policies being instituted? Laws of physics- increase the pressure ehough without a safety valve and the vessel will explode. Push kids to learn more, faster than we ever had to, regulate their lives so that they have no time to just hang out and be kids, and then act surprised when things go boom. Yeah, that makes sense.....

I can't believe that students actually sign these stupid contracts. Back when I was in high school, the mere mention of such a contract would have caused a mass walkout of the student body. But then, we were far more willing to tell authority where to get off and didn't run scared of the administration. hawkyns

So I belong with the monkeys, eh? Hmmmmmm...... Hawkyns

Absolutely great to see the folks at the Lock House gathering this weekend. Blackjohn, Callenish, Saltypots, Hamish, Michael Bagley, Kate Souris, Dorian Lassiter and his lady (sorry, I'm lousy with names), Crimson Corsair - I'm sure I'm missing names here. Friday night was a bit of an adventure, camping when it's below freezing is always a special time. But great weather, some grand skirmishes, wonderful food, an new cannon tested, and some lively talk around the campfire, and of course, rum, cider, and beer. What more to ask for?? Looking forward to doing it all again at PiP. Hawkyns

Middlesex Valley Trading has a proper English doglock Understood about the light and the smell, it's a complaint that goes back to the 15th century. The very fact that they complain about it though, to me, indicates that they must be using matchlocks or it would not be an issue. Hawkyns