Captain Pogue

I've got the Dussage with Sinclair hilt from Darkwood, pictures are on here somewhere. Darkwood has a good reputatuion amongst the SCA for being durable blades. I was a bit disappointed in the finishing details. You could see the cut marks on the little nubs on the tips of the quillions. There were still some grind marks on the blade. I can take some pictures if anybody would like to see what I'm talking about. I still love it though. It looks awesome from about 5-10 ft away, has a great heft to it, and I'm confident, it is not sharp, that I can beat someone pretty nastily with it. I'd recommend Darkwood. He does custom work too, so if they aren't historically accurate I'm sure you can work with him. As for the delay in getting my sword. A lot of the time was taken up with the scabbard because of the blade shape. Pogue

Hilde, Angel and I both have a pair from caboots, mine from a third-party supplier and hers directly from caboots. Mine are a bit snug, exact fit and big calves while hers fit pretty good, bigger size. Angel also works with shoes. Given her experience all around she said you should run a (US)6.5 but would probably want to go with a (caboots)7.5 for comfort. You can always pad the socks if need be. We're happy with ours, but if your getting upset with caboots, I'd recommend that you don't go with them. If your unhappy with the company you'll probably be unhappy with the boots. I just chalk it up to the company being in Texas... We're still trying to get out of here, probably make it out this spring If you do go with caboots measure loosely around the calves, they don't leave much room outside of what you specify. Also, check their return policy before ordering. Let me know if you have any other questions. Pogue

I miss the KC Renfest. The Renfest down in Texas are pretty good, but I miss the cool weather as the festival drew to a close. It was such a great way to welcome the fall. Sorry to go off on a tangent. Have fun, I wish I could get up there for the Pirate weekend.

It was intended as more of a personl, historical, question. There seemed to be those at the pub that had either a tendancy for the gun or the sword. I was merely curious, as to who favored what...

Patrick I'd love to see a picture with the darker finish, I'm waffleing between a Dragoon or a Doglock. Pogue

Picked up an interesting movie tonight, Perfume. It's an 18th century thriller. It's a bit fantasy and a bit Silence of the Lambs. I enjoyed it. Pogue

The image of Billy Connely in Boondock Saints outside the ganster house with his vest o' guns goes floating by. Pogue

I read somewhere that it was common during the period for painters to embellish a subject's clothing and jewelry, at least for portraits of wealthy clients. Gotta look your best and all then some. All the fancy portraits are really over the top and not as accurate as they could be. I could see the same mentatlity bleeding over into pieces of a more common vein. A pirate looks more fearsome with four guns than just one. I can also see a pirate toting a fancy pistol on-shore if he had one. Think about how people like to show the biggest and the shiniest of anything they have today. I can't imagine that people have changed that much. Uncomfortable, try wearing high heels to work all day. They look nice but are uncomfortable as hell. Yeah, to what Mad Dogge said. Stick them in your stash and stand there shooting until you run out out pistols or have to move. Pogue

I've got the Caboots swashbucklers. With my newly finished bootstraps, to boot...

As much as love the guns, I'd have to go with the swords myself. More sword fighting growing up then shooting.

I was looking over Roy the Odd's Cutlass Resource post. The question came up about what do all of the pyrates out there prefer. We all know real pirates favored the gun, but what about us. What say you?

Boyo, you've done good. Not only the assortment of blades, but you made Iron Bess drool. I've got the Darkwood Armory Dussage. I'm incredibly happy with it. The finishing details are a bit lacking, but it still looks and feels great. It only took 4 - 5 months to get. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat. Pogue

I had to share this phrase "Plundered Goods." I work for a semi-conducter tool manufacturer, some of the fabs have equipment that for some reason they didn't pay for. We came up with a report and the only thing that I could come up with was "Plundred Goods." The report was changed since it wasn't corporate, but we still refer to a sites "Plundered Goods." Pogue

I wish I would of known you were you going to be selling them. I would have liked to keep it local and all. I'm sure I'll be getting someting else in the future though. They're like Lays Potato chips, you just can't eat one... only you don't eat the flintlocks... and they're much more expensive... dear god I better stop or I'll be comparing sodium an fiber content... Pogue

That's good to hear Callenish, I've got my eye on the new MVT double barrel. I'm anxious to hear what you think of them (from the MVT thread a little while ago). Pogue

Callenish Gunner sounds like he has had dealings with Middlesex Village Trading before, how are there pistols as far a quality goes? Are there any companies that are recommend or avoided? Pogue

Why is it near impossible to get replacement frizzens, there are muzzle loader supply companys online. Don't they have anything that will work? Pogue

Thanks for the compliments on the scabbard. Unfortunately, all the metal bits are from Afghani jewelry. Unless I got my hands on some more this is pretty much a one shot. Maybe in the future, just trying to get the hang of it now. Pogue

I'm still coming to terms with the fact that I got my wife into piracy, but she ends up getting a more expensive sword than me. Truth be told, it really makes it easier to justify just about anything I want. Thanks for the kind words. I'm interested in seeing Iron Bess's Jody Samsons... Somehow that doesn't quite sound right. Aw hell Not in action mind you, from a nice safe distance. Voyeuristic like, if you please. Pogue

Thank you, I'm pleased as punch with it. It did take a bit to make, apparently the scabbard took longer than the sword. Overall I waited about 5 months. Here is the Jody Sampson, the scabbard is the first scabbard I made. Pogue

I just got my new sword from Darkwood Armory. I'm very pleased with it. I would have to say it is more functional than decorative though. That is comparing it to my wife's Jody Sampson, but her's also cost three times as much as mine. Here are some pics. Pogue

The Mummy is on. I was thinking how cool it would be to have a group that re-enacts 1930s to early WWII adventurers(sp?) like the Mummy or Indiana Jones. I know there are people that collect period military equipment, this would be like the hollywood pirate version of that. Thoughts, anyone? That thought came up followed by which came first, the hollywood pirate re-enactor or the historical pirate re-enactor?

I'd hate to see this thread go away, there has got to be more pirates out there with signature guns I know Captain Midnight was customizing his doglock, I'd love to see a picture of it when finished. I don't have a real one yet, I'm one the waiting list for one of MVT's new double barrels. After I get it I'm going to want to make it my own, since there are going to be plenty of pirates running around with one. I'd love to get some advice on how to refinish it, I'd hate to screw something that costly up. What can you do to customize and stay accurate to the spirit of the period? People back then had some funky ideas about weapons. I read an article on MyArmoury.com about combination weapons. Somebody had a fork, knife, and spoon with flintlocks for the handles... I put a leather wrap around the grip of my replica pistol. I'll probably do the same with the new one, except make it a bit fancier. Maybe snakeskin... MyArmoury Combi-Weapons

Thank ye mates, you pointed me in the right direction. Little bit of history on the subject: The correct term, as used in the Scots Ordinance Papers, was 'Collar of Bandoliers.' The leather strap was called the 'Collar,' and the individual charges were called 'bandoliers.' Modern usage of the term 'bandolier' has been transferred to the collar, or leather strap, itself, summoning images of swaggering Mexican revolutionaries. In New Model Army contracts the individual charges were referred to as 'boxes' -- a very good example of how terms can alter slightly, or perhaps subtly, to cause confusion to the unwary during the same period of history. The term 'Apostles' was naturally given to a collar of bandoliers -- or simply 'bandoliers' for short -- due to the fact that they commonly numbered twelve during the 16th and 17th centuries. There Were No Twelve Apostles , By Robert Giglio

The things worn on a baldric by the mousekeeters