JoshuaRed

Aye, it's true Foxe. Human nature never changes. Though not always as colorful as Pepys, Samuel Sewalls journals (that incidentally cover the entire GAoP) show an equally wry look at early life in New England. And it's precisely why ever pirate enthusiast needs to read Dampier's original works. GREAT stuff.

Still tryin' to figure out just how and when cocked hats became associated with the Renaissance....not that anything at a Ren Faire bears any resemblance to the Renaissance anyway. That's kinda like dressing up as a cowboy except wearing bell-bottom jeans.

Unfortunately there isn't any such thing as what you're looking for. A historically accurate sword would not be safe, because after all, a sword is a weapon. Even a blunt one can be dangerous to kids. And historically accurate swords aren't cheap either. I would take the advice of the above post and go with the toy route.

One ' these nights we all need to get piss drunk-3 sheets to the wind and meet in the chat room for a pirate party!

Wow was it really? I guess it makes sense, a sick whale coughs up a mammoth sized lunger, it floats ashore and people make candles out of it. :) Supposedly it smelled very sweet, almost like perfume and was very clean, almost soapy, to the touch.

LOL it's not the only thing I've done since then...

Hey thanks!

pornography n' biscuits! That's great!

Here's a comic-style piece I did last fall: I've got some new stuff coming out soon.

I like yer style, Nelson. Nice ink work.

Yes, followed immediately by Dampier's collected works. And DEFINITELY Rediker.

Yeah, whaling wasn't that common among the colonies during the early 18th. I think the earliest record of a whale being caught in New England was off Nantucket or Cape Cod around 1713...or is it 1703? Something like that. Whales were caught during the 18th, but it wasn't big business until later in the century and into the 19th. It was bigger in Europe though...so maybe their paths did cross! At any rate you're right, it would be a damn valuable haul. I could be wrong, but I think the primary source of ambergris was to merely find deposits of it washed ashore. I know Dampier talks at length about that. I'll have to dig out his books so I can find the specific chapter, but he talks about exploring Ambergris Cay or some island off Belize and finding some mammoth chunk of it that would pay for the whole voyage. Apparently he tried in vain to convince his crew of the value, and finally talked a few of them into helping him lug this monster piece on board, but I don't know what became of it. Time for me to do some diggin! :)

Well a lime blew off my tree...that was the extent of our damage...

Perhaps a Toys R' Us firefighter coat...the kind that comes with a plastic red helmet... Aye, havin' a wife that likes to shop makes me a husband wot spend a lot of time waitin' in the coffee shop. But when I go lookin' for her she can often be found in the makeup section...but I don't knock it...ever seen some o' those makeup counter cuties? The grey/black combo is pretty cool though...I'm put off by the fact that it's got no workin' pockets and no lining. It's like a car with no upholstery!

Ain't that the smock what the girlies behind the Clinique counter at Macy's wear?

I don't know that I'd prioritize at the top, but it is a great book. Haunting and poetic, it's almost more like a long ballad. The funny thing is that the first part of the book that covers Morgan's youth in Wales (I think?) is RICH with descriptive detail and is apparent that Steinbeck knew a lot about this region/era. Yet once Morgan escapes Barbados things get real vague in a hurry. It's pretty easy to see that Steinbeck did little to no research on the details of 17th century seafaring, buccaneering, etc. It almost reads like two different authors. But don't let this detract you, it's still a great read, and the missing of a few details is no biggie, nor is it the point of this book.

I'm a lover, not a fighter.

Flogging Molly and some Tom Waits.

You rang?

A tarred knit cap? I don't doubt it for a second. They tarred everything. Course a tarred knit cap would be an awfully lumpy, unforgiving garment, eh? Might do just as well wearing a wooden bowl on your head!

Yeah the Pyrate Brethren will come down just as rough as those salty dogs, aye! :angry: I kid becuse I love. Those guys certainly personify "A short life and a merry one"...yeah right.

And anudder thing! Let me tell ya, swingin' that axe could do a LOT o' damage...perhaps more than a cutlass. Holdin' it is easy to see why these were so popular.... My next plan is to do some personalizing of it by carving into the handle. Nothin fancy, just some initials, maybe some simple symbols.... *Hic* too much rum tonight.... :angry:

I bought a nice boarding axe from G. Gedney Godwin ( a Valley Forge sutler) that looks very similar to the pic GOF posted higher up in this thread. It's also fairly close to a circa 1713 Spanish boarding axe, so all things considered I'd say it passes for accurate. Here 'tis:

Yeah I use the Townsend wool felt blank as well. In my case I just distressed it a bit and pulled up the sides with a small tack stitch instead of shaping. But I would like to shape my next one.

Heck a straw with a spitball counts as a primitive cannon! Damn fun too! 'Specially when ya shoot someone with glasses and manage to get it lodged between the frame and their face. NEVER gets old!