Well then, show yer weapons...

[1stMate Matt]

It seems that stage combat is growing quickly in the pirate re-enactor community. Makes me happy. I have gotten several emails from pirate groups that want to step up and try their hands at some steel on steel. I have done my best to stock them with quality pieces but if I am out of their price range there are a few decent blades that I can point them to. The first choice that you have to make is steel or aluminium. Alum was growing fast in popularity about 4 years ago but steel has made a come back the last year or so. Of course I prefer steel but remember never ever mix the two on stage. Steel vs Alum cuases breaks and that is never good with a crowd around.

[PoD]

My growing arsenal:

These are the weapons that I am trying to keep period correct. The majority fit the mid 17th century period of the GOAP.

The Guns: My Blank firing English Doglock pistol at the bottom. Above that a 17th century French flintlock pistol. Above the are my 2 early 18th Century Belgian flintlock replicas

The Blades: My Mortuary Sword at the bottom. My monster hanger above that (work in progress). A replica Plug Bayonet above that and my Stiletto Dagger above that.

The Tools: My marlin spike at the bottom, Boarding axe above that and a billhook at the top

Then theres these odds and sods which arent period correct but look good when accuracy isnt an issue:

Prussian Dagger at the bottom, the one above that was sold as a replica of Blackbeards sword which it isnt at all. The sword above that was made up of a spare blade and spare hilt i had. Then theres an italian dueling pistol at the bottom and some replica pistol from pirates of the carribean above that.

[Commodore Swab]

My "newest" edition is almost finished here she is for now. I still need to get some good wire to wrap it (I decided on a wrap instead of pins), weld the tang on, finish the trigger, cut the stock for the tang, drill and tap the screws, then tear it all down and go thru it finishing assembly. The barrel is bronze, the trigger guard and trigger are white brass (looks just like silver may be a german silver), the wire wrap is silver, and the stock is walnut with a beautiful bit of grain in it.

[casketchris]

[Mission]

For a complete explanation of my 'weapons', follow this hotlink.

[Captain Jim]

Horrifying! You bloodthirsty bastard! How could you inflict wounds upon you adversaries with such diabolical tools of evil?!

[peglegstrick]

Mission.......being that I had me leg taken off above the knee a few years ago.....your weapons are the scariest of all! Shivers all over!

[Mission]

Next month's article will be about doing period amputation. (I expect it will run at least 6 pages.) However, I bumped this up not to talk surgery, but to get it going again.

[peglegstrick]

Looking forward to the amputation article.......for some odd reason I am obsesed with that.

Some of the guys I used to reenact the CW with tried to get me to do the amputation thing in the field hospital...using a fake (rubber) leg.

I didn't want that to be the only thing I could do....could not walk for extended periods of time over rough ground so blue sleeves were out...not so sure how a horse would react to only one leg knee raining so gold sleeves were out....and I cant afford a field cannon & casson.....That knocks out the red sleeves but....

A pegleg works O.K. with the Pirate thing. So here I am.

P.S. Do enjoy your articles Mission.

Edited February 22, 2012 by peglegstrick

[CandyCotton]

I know this is nothing special around here but I have a nice rapier from Museum Replicas. It was actually my father's and he gave it to me

[Cascabel]

A great gift from him, and a very graceful piece. I have always loved the look of a swept-hilt rapier.....

>>>> Cascabel

[CandyCotton]

I love it but it's a little big for me. I'm just 4 apples high as my Pa likes to say. I'm lobbying hard for a nice smallsword.

[Jas. Hook]

CandyCotton -

There are a lot of short swords out there. Also look at hunting swords which are a lot shorter in length.

Hummm... 4 Apples... could be a neat nickname or screen name.

"Arrrgh, Cap'n Barbossa mind ye keep an eye on yur apple bin... young 4 Apples just came aboard."

Jas. Hook

[Cascabel]

There are also some very nice short military hangers available. Usually not real expensive either. They have cast brass hilts, and serve quite nicely for a pirate cutlass. Blades are curved and in the neighborhood of 20-24 inches. The British ones are more attractive than the French style in my opinion.

[CandyCotton]

Oh sure, I'm a bit partial to the "bunker hill" sword I see on various sites. But I love rapiers and their smaller cousin, the smallsword. I've been considering Windlass steelcraft's 1840 NCO sword as a cheep alternative.

Edited March 30, 2012 by CandyCotton