Iron Jon

I don't know about that. I tried the steaming method over a tea kettle and an open pot of water with no luck. I ended up with my hat blank looking like a big wrinkled mess that wouldn't fit on my head anymore. After three tries at steaming I gave up and tossed it in the bathtub full of hot water. Worked like a charm! I re-stretched it to fit my big head and formed it the way I wanted. I'll post some pics after the lining and band are installed and I harden it with the shellac mixture. Thanks Patrick!

As far as the widespread chewing or use of coca leaves and cocaine goes - Philip II (1556-1598) of Spain issued a decree recognizing the coca as essential to the well-being of the Andean Indians but urged missionaries to end its religious use. The Spanish are believed to have effectively encouraged use of coca by an increasing majority of the native population to increase their labor output and tolerance for starvation. Coca was first introduced to Europe in the 16th century, but did not become popular until the mid-19th century, with the publication of an influential paper by Dr. Paolo Mantegazza praising its stimulating effects on cognition. This led to invention of cocawine and the first production of pure cocaine. The active ingredient (an alkaloid) from the coca plant (erythroxylum) was first isolated by a chemist named Albert Niemann. In 1860 he gave the compound the name cocaine. Cocawine (an alcoholic beverage that combined wine and cocaine, developed in 1863) and other coca-containing preparations were widely sold as patent medicines and tonics, with claims of a wide variety of health benefits. The original version of Coca-cola was among these.

Sweet tea with lots of ice and a few shots of raspberry vodka in an old McDonalds cup from this afternoon...

“In the old City of Jerusalem one afternoon in 1956 I discovered a collection of woodblocks which struck me as unique in character.” So begins John Carswell’s compellingly simple account of his discovery of the remnants of a centuries old tradition of tattooing in the Holy Land that goes back in written records to at least the 1600s and quite possibly much earlier. In the tattoo/coffin-making shop of tattooer/coffin-maker Jacob Razzouk, Carswell recorded the designs of 168 wood blocks that were carved with various, mostly Coptic Christian, tattoo designs. Prominent among them is, of course, the Jerusalem cross. Pilgrims to the Holy City have likely used it for centuries in order to commemorate their journeys. The symbol of the Jerusalem cross has a long history in the world of Christendom as well as the world of tattooing. Sometimes described as a cross potent between four crosslets or a cross of equal arms, each terminating in a cross bar, there is no mistaking this distinctive and squarish cross symbol out of the dozens of types that have been used in tattoos. Its earliest appearance as a symbol seems to have occurred, not surprisingly, during the first Crusade (1096), in the coat of arms of Godfrey of Bouillon, the first Latin ruler of Jerusalem.

Mary, I need at least 150 of the buttons, if and when you decide to take up another order. After all, PiP is only about 9 months away!

Not even close to being period. These are mostly 20th century "traditional" nautical tattoos.

I'll have a bunch of period wood working tools as well as a shave horse and a spring lathe. Now if I can only find the time to practice up on my carpentry skills...

Paula and I will be there as part of the Mercury crew, if you'll have us back... We've been shipwrecked and missing for almost a year now, my short teaching job in NM has turned into a 14 month stint. By the time I get back to Florida in October I'll have several months of unused shore leave to my credit. There would be no better way to spend my vacation than as part of PiP again!

Mission, as always, you're doing a great job of giving us the color commentary on all the adventures at PiP this year. This is the next best thing to being there for all of us who couldn't make it this time around. I'm looking forward to the follow up on these and other stories, as well as the final draft with pictures, which I'm sure will appear on your website continuing our favorite surgeon's tales. Unfortunately my campsite (erroneously credited to Willie Wobble last year) won't be gracing the web-pages of your adventures this time, but I'll be back next year for more fun!!!

I notice that we're still on the roll call list but, unfortunately, Paula and I won't be joining the crew down in Key West this year. Next year we will be sure to make it there no matter what. I'm still stuck out in New Mexico braving the 20 degree mornings (not like home in south FL) and will be here until next June. After working on new garb, buying a second pistol and long gun, and picking up loads of carpentry tools along with other odds and ends to use at PiP, I was unable to get any time off. It looks like I'll have another year to practice my woodcraft before trying it out in front of the public. The spring lathe and shave horse will be in storage until then... Hope everyone has a great time and I'll be checking back often looking for lots of pictures. Iron Jon & Paula

I also remember riding 15 miles or so to my cousin's house on my bike... ... with a shotgun and 22 rifle strapped to the handlebar and sissy bar and nobody ever stopping me or even thinking twice about it !

The first phone number I remember having back in the 60's started with a 2 letter exchange instead of the normal 3 digits. I still remember it, it was TF-6-0931.

Didn't one of you drunkin' bastards have a camera phone up there ???? I seem to remember seeing some of those pictures the next day...

I never intended to bash you with my posts here and have edited them for now. I've seen your work and I will be looking forward for the delivery Monday...

Edited -

Edited -

(Sorry for taking it a little further off topic!) Do you happen to have any pictures of his work? I know I'm in the market to replace the 1770's British infantry officer's sword and 1860's U.S. naval cutlass that I'm using now. Maybe if you can get enough people here on the Pub interested he can start a limited production at an affordable price.

...still waiting on the FedEx tracking number!

I'm packing up everything I own for the second time this year. I'm trying to get it all done in between working the late shift and sleeping whenever I can. It's a little easier this time since I'm moving from a house and not a 3rd floor apartment without an elevator like my last move. Everything gets to go into a storage unit for the next year so there will be no unpacking for quite a while this time. (not mentioning that everything wasn't unboxed from the last move yet...) My work will be paying for a furnished home for me for the next year while I'm in New Mexico teaching so I should be able to save up for a few nice toys !!!

Thanks Matt. It has to get here by the 26th since I will be moving out of state and will be traveling for most of the next week. Iron Jon

Here are some of the people I remember seeing at PiP last year. I may not have actually formally "met" all of them but I think we at least said hello in passing or shared some rum around the fire! Capt Stirling & crew Maddogge Tiger Bill Amanjiria & crew Mary Diamond Silkie McDonough Haunting Lily Edward O'Keefe William Red Wake Patrick Hand Captain Jim Mission Hurricane & Crew Bone Island Crew The Callahans Willie Wobble Greg Hudson Harry from the Fort There were many more Pubbers there that I cant recall right now...

1stMate Matt - I'm still waiting to hear from you and now your mailbox is full. Get in touch with me please. Iron Jon

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Last year, a Canadian couple and their grandchildren spent the better part of the day hanging around our camp. They had their dog with them at the beach but they didn't spend the night at the Fort. The one time he did let the dog off the leash it only took the park rangers a few minutes to show up and tell him to tie the dog up, even though it hardly left his side. The Fort normaly doesn't have overnight camping so I don't really know what rules would apply there.