died and gone to heaven with guns

[Matty Bottles]

Well, I don't mean to tell anyone their business, anyway. That's just the sort of officious thing I hate. I realize that my actually saying "don't buy an original" can only be construed as an order, and for that I apologize. I did over-step my boundaries.

But.......

I still think it's a bad idea. Hawkyns has a good point about the prices NOT being very comparable. If you can get an original for three hundred bucks, well, be careful what you buy.

And I know that Disney can buy originals and use them for whatever, but would the movie be any less enjoyable if they used top-of-line repros? I mean, they used repros anyway, for back-ups and firing and fighting, so it just seems a little unnecessary.

For Wild, Wild West, they destroyed a western town that had stood since the thirties, while over two hundred movies and several hundred TV shows had been filmed there. And when they were done, the director didn't like what he had, so he built a miniature of the town, blew that up and digitally altered it. For a minute of screen time in a lousy movie!

Don't get me wrong. I am in no way saying POTC was a lousy movie. Quite the contrary, I think it's great. But it just seems so unnecessary. And I'm not necessarily advocating saving your guns for your grandkids. It's much more selfish than that. If a good example of 18th century craftsmanship is ruined or destroyed, that's one more original for craftsman to reproduce. I don't much relish the thought of carrying a repro modeled after a repro.

But does it bother me much? Compared to all the truly troubling things in the world, not particularly.

[Black Deacon]

Here is something to consider as well. There is a perception in re-enacting/portrail that because you are portraying someone who lived a century or more ago your gear has to look old. Remember. The gear to them would have been new or just used. Not really old so to speak. Gear may have been worn or banged up, slight rust maybe depending on how well the person took care of their gear. But everything was a tool and kept and used as such.

So what does that mean for us? Well, if you are playing a Pirate for (just picking a year here) 1650. What's the background of your Pirate? How well has he lived and how successful has he been? Is he a captain, boatswain, quartermaster or just a deckhand? What would he be able to afford/steel or have issued to him by the Quartermaster as his part of a prize. Look at your pirate and decided his basic income/living level. So now, would he have a bright shiny new sword or one that was worn? Used or new pistol? Would he even have one? Maybe he only had a pin and knife.

Just something to think about.

[hitman]

Lets see here why don't we say......DO WHAT YA FEEL MATE!! I ain't buy'n a real antique wheel lock and then taken it out to the range but I got no qualms taken the torch to a model t so who am I to judge. I wouldn't shoot an origanal cause they have this nasty habit of goin boom in multibale directions at the same time ya know a rapid self dissasembly ( hey damascus steel aint forever mate) and in my opinion there are somethings ya just can't replace. In the end though after years of being a hotrodder and not given a damn about nos parts or what was factory origanal I ain't near bout gonna tell anyone how to blow there dough. Sorry all me southeren comes out when I get like this.

[Deacon Frye]

"No original weapons were harmed in the filming of this movie."

I don't know for sure, but I think it unlikely that any original swords were "used" in the movie in the sense of fight use, though the sword may very well have been used in close-up shots.

Generally, the swords of the main characters have high-grade aluminum blades for several reasons, safety being one of the big ones. Where there's no original, they will use another copy of the sword with a steel blade for close-ups.

I'm not pushing a particular agenda here, and I realize this can be a hot-button topic. There are folks who routinely use centuries-old Japanese swords worth tens of thousands of $ for cutting practice, risking destruction of the sword. They feel perfectly entitled to do so, and perhaps they are. Certainly legally they are.

Their are times when you have to inflict a bit of wear and tear to gain knowledge. Metallurgical analysis, for instance, still requires sacrifice of a small amount of a sword's metal, for instance.

The noted writer and educator on swords, Ewart Oakeshott, was a big believer in putting original swords into people's hands so that they could understand what they felt like. And yes, his swords (which I believe he carried to lectures in a golf bag at times) did see some wear and tear.

Personally, I think the concept of stewardship is important. That is the idea that the gun, sword, whatever is a piece of history temporarily in my care; as opposed to "it's mine, I can do whatever I want with it".

For an interesting article on Hollywood's past sins in this department, see:

http://hometown.aol.com/machood/studioswords.html

[Capt'n Jack Sparrow]

Not sure what you mean here. There are lots of good repro pistols in the 3-5 hundred dollar range. Originals in good shape are in the 1-5 thousand range. The fancier the piece, the more $$$$$$ If you've got a source of good originals for less than $750, please do let me know.

I have some original blades, 2 of which I carry routinely. But I look carefully at the event. Bad weather, or security problems and they stay home. Lots of people with dirty fingers, and they don't leave the scabbard (can we EVER get people to respect steel and not keep their damn fingers off the blades?).

I think my problem with carrying period pistols is that there is no protected way to carry it. Holsters aren't correct, so it gets stuffed in the belt or hung around the neck on cords. They get bashed and scuffed far beyond an acceptable level. Wood chips, steel breaks, and small parts get lost. Either way, it's no longer worth what I paid for it, and it just doesn't look as good anymore.

Hawkyns

I have found some via dealers that are in the $900 range in the style I want. I havent seen the repros make this style yet and also be Silver mounted.

I never every let anyone pull my blade unless it's a fellow actor. I have had people try to pull it but I'm faster then they are. That really scares me that someone who even think to pull someones blade but it does happen.

[Hawkyns]

I have found some via dealers that are in the $900 range in the style I want. I havent seen the repros make this style yet and also be Silver mounted.

Another issue here, stylistic. I've been looking at, handling, and firing blackpowder wepons for 25 years. The fancy ones- silver mounted, carved buts, wire and ivory inlay, whatever, look great to the non-shooter. Most of those fancy bits will hurt when the piece fires and is driven into your hand. Many of the weapons in the Met's collection of 18th century firearms fall into this category. Beautiful workmanship, but were they ever designed to be actually fired? Some of them you couldn't hold at all. Obviously, this doesn't hold for every fancy piece, but it is a very common problem.

My take on the pirate is that he was a workman and a weapons specialist.

Such people generally choose function over form. Same thing with today's professional soldiers. Not to say that some didn't carry an ostentatious piece, but I can't see that as being the common route. Most of the repro manufacturers are working for the largest market, and outside the pirate community, function is paramount. There are some absolutely gorgeous pieces out there, but they are custom designed, one of a kind pieces. And that's where the dollars re-enter the picture....

As I said, stylistic difference, and personal philosophy. Your mileage may vary.

Hawkyns