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The Buccaneer Project


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I PM’ed Hurricane, and he said that he’s portraying Morgan from about 1678-1682. So that would be at the time Dampier was writing…. So still trying to decide on a good date.............

There is a lot of “wiggle room” with gear, clothing and weapons, but it would give us a time period to aim for. I kind of doubt that there would be a time or place where we could all get together, but it would give us a focus to work from.

I haven’t tried it yet, but in the muzzle-loading forum, someone said that by using a punch, you could move the stamped lettering in metal…. I’ll try it on the Taiwan blade….if it works, I have a better machete that I’d like to rehaft and make a better scabbard for…..

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Or, like Patrick, get a wood-handled machete. very much the working man's long-knife! And usually under $50.

Yah... mine was made by some guy who stamped his name in the blade..... Tiawan ;)

I have to find a better one..... I might just go with a hanger, a machetti works, but it looks like I was to poor or lazy to get a real sword..... but it IS functional......

Sounds like I have one from his cousin, Hecho en Mexico.

You can find some sweet machetes from Martindale Cutlery in Birmigham England. There are some nice cane knives that would work not only for plantation work in Jamaica (mine) but could concievably be used in a boarding action.

Monterey Jack

"yes I am a pirate 200 years too late,

the cannons don't thunder, there's nothin to plunder,

I'm an over-40 victim of fate,

arrivin too late.........."

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There is a lot of “wiggle room” with gear, clothing and weapons, but it would give us a time period to aim for. I kind of doubt that there would be a time or place where we could all get together, but it would give us a focus to work from.

Maybe not all of us; my schedule between work and teaching with the HMCA takes up most of my summer. I think we're off to a great start getting this down just by having these conversations!

;)

Monterey Jack

"yes I am a pirate 200 years too late,

the cannons don't thunder, there's nothin to plunder,

I'm an over-40 victim of fate,

arrivin too late.........."

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This just in from Blair Higgins:

Gareth, <okay so now you know me real name...>

Great to hear from you again.

Wow, sounds like you've been busy drumming up recruits.

The site should be ready to host campers by 2007.

Of course, we're still working on financials and planning right now.

The drilled well, septic, and road and electricity are already done.

This piece of property was formally a campground, so a lot of facilities are still in place.

Just needs some clearing, tidying up and a few new period correct buildings, canteen, orientation center, some staff, etc to start.

If you can bring em in, I'm sure we can allow them to burn up some black powder and make a little noise.

We will have spots available for the tents, cook fires, etc.

Yes, the media will be on hand for such an occasion.

Monterey Jack

"yes I am a pirate 200 years too late,

the cannons don't thunder, there's nothin to plunder,

I'm an over-40 victim of fate,

arrivin too late.........."

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Thanx ... If I'm gonna carry one it has to be functional. That's the way I am. I appreciate your feed back and will be looking at some different options. The French boarding cutlass that has a hangar type hilt is my second choice. Anyone have any dealings with Brothersmith that can rate their products for me?

Patrick... some of that Taiwan metal is VERY brittle! Take care not to over do it when hammering as the blade may cack all the way through. Haeting it up could help, but that also takes the temper from the steel, making it more likely to bend there.

Bo

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some of that Taiwan metal is VERY brittle!

That's why I'd try it with the Taiwan blade first...... If I screw it up, it's no big loss......

This is more fantasy that really ever happining…

Could you imagine a Buccaneer event, where a bunch of us get together, set–up a period camp, each person brings a liter (OK… maybe two) of cheap Rum to pour into a communal wooden barrel, and we procure a cow to butcher…. (hey, I said it was fantasy… and PETA would have kittens about that….)

We would have one hellofa bar-b-que, and make boucaan out of the rest …. We’d have to take turns minding the fire, and cutting firewood, and camp chores, but there would be lots of “dead” time to just drink, smoke, and play period games…..(cards, dice, whatever…)

Just think how “authentic” our garb would look after a week in the woods, butchering a cow, and smoking it……..

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Hey, who sez it has to be a fantasy?

If a mess of folks can create a Rendezvous and a bunch of black-powder shoots around the country, why can't we come up with a centralized buccaneer bash. Not that we should call it that.

I agree that the actual butchering could be an issue, but we could always pack it in fresh and go from there. Otherwise nothing in your post sounds all that fantastical.

I'm hopin t see a bunch of you in Nova Scotia next year, m'self!

:lol:

Monterey Jack

"yes I am a pirate 200 years too late,

the cannons don't thunder, there's nothin to plunder,

I'm an over-40 victim of fate,

arrivin too late.........."

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Patrick... you just depicted an actual White Trash Fur co. gathering... minus the bucc. garb! That's what we're famous for! PETA won't come near us, hell we'd eat them too if we couldn't find enough GOOD meat!

Don't let my normaly civilized grammar fool ya! I'm White Trash Ozark hillbilly backwoods all the way! :)

At one of the events I attend here at Truman Dam every year, last fall after tourist time was over I was driving home to shower and grab some more stuff for the next days demonstration, and hit a button buck about 200 ft. from the entrance. Next day it was cooking over my campfire for the days grub! :lol: Some of the organizers had a fit, but hey...they have it in writing that ..."we encourage all displays of authentic woods-lore."... so I called them on it!

It is a big event that the whole area gets involved in , and I was in my longhunter garb, standing on the road shoulder feild dressing the thing with my longknife in the headlights of my truck while about thirty or so vehicles drove by! I was in longhunter heaven and will remeber it as long as I breathe. THIS is White Trash Fur co. defined!

They'll probably change the wording before next years event, but that will be seen and dealt with in it's time!

Not fantasy at all mate!!!

Later...Capt. Bo

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Alright, after talking to Loyalist Arms at length I decided to create another yahoogroup specifically for in-depth discussion of this topic.

Its an open group, allowing readers to see what's going on as far as traditional buccaneer gatherings, post photos of weapons, clothing and gear and to help promote Buccaneer Bay in Nova Scotia.

There obviously isn't anything there yet, but I plan to add some stuff over the next few days.

The address is TraditionalBuccaneers@yahoogroups.com

Doesn't mean I won't keep posting here, but now we have an exclusive site to play on as well.

:ph34r:

Monterey Jack

"yes I am a pirate 200 years too late,

the cannons don't thunder, there's nothin to plunder,

I'm an over-40 victim of fate,

arrivin too late.........."

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If you guys ever do a buccaneer gathering in Novia Scotia, count me IN! That would be blast. Could add good Atlantic fishing to the mix, some clams....oh yeah!

No worries, Joshua; if I can just figure out why no one can access the new yahoogroup yet, it'd be a big help, though. I'll keep in contact with Blair and all my findings and updates will show up here and on the yahoogroup. And if it can happen in NS, who's to say we can't make it happen in Carolina, Florida, California....or Jamaica?

:lol:

Monterey Jack

"yes I am a pirate 200 years too late,

the cannons don't thunder, there's nothin to plunder,

I'm an over-40 victim of fate,

arrivin too late.........."

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Better yet, Honduras! Or the Belize River. Let's bring some period axes and saws, setup camp and just start sawing down logwood...course sooner or later I'm sure we'd get arrested and tossed in some horrid South American prison until a mustachioed thug in aviator shades and Castro fatigues comes to "question" us...then we escape in a jungle mudslide and go plummeting over a huge waterfall..wait that's Romancing The Stone. :rolleyes:

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I don't know that we want to get that popular! :rolleyes:

Here, GoF just showed me this link to get to the yahoogroup:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TraditionalBuccaneers/

Kind of a back door ti I can figger out why you can't find the group just going to the directory.

Monterey Jack

"yes I am a pirate 200 years too late,

the cannons don't thunder, there's nothin to plunder,

I'm an over-40 victim of fate,

arrivin too late.........."

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Found this link today... its about French trade goods

http://www.lanouvelle-france.com/index.html

pretty neat, I would think anything on a ship heading to the Americas (for trade) would be fair game for any Buccaneer to use (or Pirate to plunder).

GoF

Come aboard my pirate re-enacting site

http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/

Where you will find lots of information on building your authentic Pirate Impression!

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WOW..... interesting site (obvioulsy book marked that one...)

..... well there goes the rest of my day..... :lol:

I'm in the process of making a Buccaneer page to show my garb and gear..... right now I'm maybe a third of the way done with it...... The biggest problem, Is that as I've described what I have now.... I noticed how much more work I still have to do to get everything more period....... :lol:

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UH-HUH!... OH YEAH! :) I can hear the anvil ringin already! Thanx GoF!

I'll be workin on those axes very soon. I've got some old leaf springs that should be perfect for the task. I make the awls already, but hasn't been much call for them in my present time period. The strikers I make are the English pattern, but I 'll bang out a few of those French oval ones for demonstrations and comparison. Thanx again!

Capt. Bo

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Capt Bo....

I have to laugh! When you first came in here, you seem tired of the authenticity thing and just wanted a period to relax in....

Now I see your true colours! Youre as rabid as the rest of us!

Welcome aboard! I enjoy your insight and experience. Its not often we get "newbies" to the board that add so much so quickly!

As far as axes go... can you make a boarding axe (or can you reccomend someone who could do a decent job?)

GoF

Come aboard my pirate re-enacting site

http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/

Where you will find lots of information on building your authentic Pirate Impression!

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Dammit! I'm busted! :unsure:

GoF... It really isn't that I'm tired of authenticity, it's the few who think it necessary to berate the newbies, or those on limited income who cannot make things happen as quickly as the "Peacocks" think proper. I treat everyone that is making an effort the same as the guy who made everything by hand. I've said elswhere that it's better to appear well dressed and put out accurate information than to count stiches in the cloth.

I have never done anything as big as a boarding axe, but I have access to several other smiths in the area. One of them is a VERY accomplished knifemaker and he helps me out alot. If you'd like to send me a sketch or a photo, etc. of what you have in mind, I will do all I can to make it happen. Bill Miller is a Japanese- American, (the knife maker), with unbelieveable talent, and his prices aren't cheap, nor outrageous. If I cannot build one with his help of knowlege, I'm sure that he can, and I'll get a quote price wise.

The man that got me started made me promise that I would always gift the first new item I make to someone who would appreciate it. So.. get me that info and I'll try it.

Capt. Bo

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That sounds like a plan....

Hey, I posted in the plunder forum that i have a bag of a bunch of buttons... 1600-1800 or so that have been "dug" up from mainly the UK and some from Germany.

Most of them have lost their loops, but if you are handy with a soldering iron, you could probably make some work.

If your interested.... I'll send them to you. Most are made of pewter but there are a few tombac ones as well. I am guessing the bulk are F&I or Rev War era civilian buttons.

GoF

Come aboard my pirate re-enacting site

http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/

Where you will find lots of information on building your authentic Pirate Impression!

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Speaking of things to make....

The other universal ship weapon is the half pike. The pike heads look simple enough (to someone who doesn't know a friggin thing about metal work) but if you are interested in making some coin, I am sure they would sell.

GoF

Come aboard my pirate re-enacting site

http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/

Where you will find lots of information on building your authentic Pirate Impression!

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I like the idea of the pike, and being familiar with the particulars of hog hunting, I'm certain that the boucanier made use of them as well. the hogs are very dangerous to hunt and as they become feral, they grow tusks that they keep razor sharp, and slash at the ankles and calves of the hunter, if the shot didn't kill them, you'd better have something to defend yourself with. I watched a hog hunting video a few years ago, and they went through three cameramen to get a 1 hour video.

I'll be in touch soon to exchange info.

Capt. Bo

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Sorry I had to cut short earlier. My hay for the horses was being delivered and had to go.

As for the buttons, if you don't have any takers by now , sure thing! I'll give em a home and solder some loops on the good ones. With three kids of various ages we are constantly building new outfits, and period buttons are way cool. I have to confess that most of the stuff we make is machine sewn, just too many "irons in the fire" to spend time hand sewing.

I'm in the recovery process from shoulder problems/surgery, so I'll be working back slowly at the forge. Fortunately I'm right handed and the injured one is the left! Still can't quite grip the tongs and rotate much, but i'm making progress with the weights and workout.

In about two more weeks, i'll be ready to give it a try. I've really got the itch now! PM me when you can and I'll get you my contact info and adress so we can get these things going. Pikes should be fairly simple, depending on the method of attachment to the shaft. Later...

Capt. Bo

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Pikes should be fairly simple, depending on the method of attachment to the shaft. Later...

Capt. Bo

Cap'n,

Have you seen the pike heads in Gilkerson's "Boarders Away" Volume one?

The HMCA would be interested in several pike heads( with langets) that can be attached and removed from the shaft as needed for shipping to various workshops coming up in 06 and 07. Drop me a note off the forum sometime and we can discuss costs and such.

Glad yer healin'!

:P

Monterey Jack

"yes I am a pirate 200 years too late,

the cannons don't thunder, there's nothin to plunder,

I'm an over-40 victim of fate,

arrivin too late.........."

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Dang.... other stuff gets posted, and I gotta reply to that first.....

Capt. Bo, wouldn't making a boarding axe be the same as forging a "hawk"' but before folding it over, you'd have to forge weld on the langets?....

Oter than two drawings on how to make a buccaneer jacket and shirt. I have the first page and the garb page almost done...... next is my gear.......

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