Daggers.

[capnwilliam]

Philadelphia's me old home-port; from what part of the city do ye hail, shipmate?

Capt. William

[Billie Bonnie]

Philadelphia's me old home-port; from what part of the city do ye hail, shipmate?

Capt. William

That be a difficult question darlin'

I was born in Olney, grew up in Kensington and the North East Philly

during college I lived in Elkins Park, and South West Philly (University City ) and now I reside in Grey's Ferry.

Which bit o' philly did you call home ?

-Billie-

[capnwilliam]

Lady Seahawke,

Goin' back and reading yer original post, I see that you were really inquiring about pistols with folding blades, and not about multi-barrel pistols. Hmm..., must hit me old Stone's Glossary and see what he's got to say about same.

:)

Capt. William

[capnwilliam]

Billie Bonnie,

I see that you've been all around the Philaseas! Me, I was Roxborough for all the many years I lived there, residence-wise. But I also attended school in center city (Roman), North Philly (Temple), and West Philly (Drexel).

Capt. William

[capnwilliam]

Lady Seahawke,

Picking up with the promise I made about a month ago...I found something in ANTIQUE WEAPONS, FOR PLEASURE AND INVESTMENT, by Richard Akehurst.

On Page 37, speaking of the blunderbuss, he says, of a type of same "specifically made for coach guards for protection from highwaymen", that "They were often fitted with a triangular bayonet that sprang over and locked, on pulling back the thumb lever behind the breech (color plate 5)", and sure enow, he shows a picture of same.

But to answere YER question specifically: on Page 38 he says, "A number of brass barreled blunderbuss pistols were made as self-protection and coaching weapons and some of these were also fitted with small spring bayonets." (No illustration shown, more's the pity!)

So, there ye have it!

Capt. William

[Lady Seahawke]

Capt'n William....Thank you kindly for yer post, bought a replica of a cutlass, flintlock combination...kinda cool actually...can use the cutlass part as a sighting aid...and can see where the gun and blade combo would be right nasty to be face'n...

Again many thanks for yer update sir, mighty kind of yer...

[capnwilliam]

No problem at all, m'lady; sorry that I didn't get back sooner.

Now, if'n yer lookin fer documentation on cutlass / pistol combinations (as opposed to pistol / bayonet) : that be another tale!

Capt. William

[capnwilliam]

Capt. Rob:

Did ye ever decide what knife or knives to buy? (How this topic started!)

Capt. William

[Deacon Frye]

Lady Seahawke,

Picking up with the promise I made about a month ago...I found something in ANTIQUE WEAPONS, FOR PLEASURE AND INVESTMENT, by Richard Akehurst.

On Page 37, speaking of the blunderbuss, he says, of a type of same "specifically made for coach guards for protection from highwaymen", that "They were often fitted with a triangular bayonet that sprang over and locked, on pulling back the thumb lever behind the breech (color plate 5)", and sure enow, he shows a picture of same.

But to answere YER question specifically: on Page 38 he says, "A number of brass barreled blunderbuss pistols were made as self-protection and coaching weapons and some of these were also fitted with small spring bayonets." (No illustration shown, more's the pity!)

So, there ye have it!

   

Capt. William

I'd thought Lady Seahawke was talking about the hunting swords with the pistol built into the grip.

As far as the blunderbusses/pistols with the spring bayonets, it's rather my impression that they showed up in the second half of the eighteenth century, which would make them too late for the Golden Age.

Here's a nice one c.1800:

Ken Drake's Antique Arms

And a cute little blunderbuss pistol, from the early nineteenth century :

Bonhams & Butterfields

[Deacon Frye]

Oops, just noticed the last two posts by Lady Seahawke and Capt. William.

I think we're on solid ground with the sword-knife combos being "period".

I've seen them as far back as 1600 with a wheellock.

[Elena]

Pirates carried what ever they could lay hands on, military, or civilian. I'm sure ethnic background and regionality also came into play here, coloring what they may have carried.

Cheers!

Redhand

This is my opinion too. This is why my pirate captain Sol and my mercenary, Chago, besides the prized Toledo sword which is less used, have, for daily fights and work, not a cutlass but a machete. They also have navajas and are skilled in Sevillan baratero fighting style too. The mercenary has a vizcaina too...