I have a few questions about swords and pistols

[Silent]

Im just really starting to get into reenacting for pyracy. I use to do civil war but I was not an officer so I didn't get to use a sword/cutlass.

Now my question is, what do you use to attach the cutlass and flintlock pistol to your person.

I understand that the cutlass goes in a sheath but what does that attach to.

As for pistols I'm lost all together, are their holsters?

What else can you put on your person? I've been told everything from feathers, cups for drinking, cumpasses, bags for whatever. What else?

Thanks for the help *hands you a mug of rum*

[Capt. Sterling]

Whew... lots to yer question. Best bet would to go to Captain Twill and start searching the threads there... you would have sword, scabbards and baldricks or waist carriages depending on your time frame. As for pistols you can always tuck em in your belt or waistband or sash(again sashes depend on yer time frame as they did go out of style by the 1700s and then it appears only officers wore them).

Again start in Twill and the good reenactors there will help push ye in the proper direction.

[Silent]

Thanks for the insight

[blackjohn]

Your hands...

Ok, other than that... for your cutlass... it depends on your personal beliefs I think. If you believe pirates maintained their cutlasses as their own personal weapons, then they had some sort of scabbard attached to a belt, either a waistbelt or a shoulderbelt. If you believed that cutlasses were kept stored in a barrel or something near your battlestation until needed, then... see my first answer.

Pistols... we've discussed this before but I'm always happy to discuss it again. We know the following. Holsters existed. They found pistols in holsters on the wreck of the Whydah, though I have yet to see information on them, or how they were worn. Pictorial evidence suggests some sort of shoulderbelt with holstered pistols dangling from it.

We also know pirates kept pistols worn around their neck on "ribbands" (as attested to in the historical record). This is supported by physical evidence -- the Whydah pistol found wrapped in a ribbon. I believe this may also be seen in a few historical prints.

Then there are belt hooks. Easily documented (see Borders Away) and practical. I don't know if any have been found in archaeological context with pirate wrecks.

From personal experience I have learned the following... just shoving pistols in a belt or sash is an invitation to loosing a pistol. Shoving a pistol with a ribbon tied to it in a belt is a good way to keep from loosing said pistol. In fact, this very thing happened to me on Saturday. While wearing two pistols (one on a ribbon, one a hook) I started to run, and the pistol on the ribbon slipped from my belt but didn't get lost.

I could go on... but eh... whatever...

[Cut-throat]

From the historical prints I have seen, many of the pirates pictured wore scabbards on their belts. I heard somewhere (can't remember where) that baldrics were not really used during the GAoP. Seems that they were being phased out by belt scabbards.

In the historical prints of Blackbeard, specifically, they picture him with a sort of twin bandolier that he holstered his pistols with.

I don't know if this helps, but there you go

[julius27]

I have personally made what I call a "boarding rig" consisting of a leather belt worn over the shoulder that holds a sabre, dagger, kukri knife, two pistols in holsters, and a short cutlass on the back. I have a wider piece of leather right at the shoulder to distribute the weight over more area. The sabre is sheathed and held in an Elizabethan frog that is attached to the rig at hip height. The dagger is kept upside down at the shoulder like a military pilot's knife. The holsters for the pistols are simple leather tubes attached to the front of the shoulder belt at a near verticle angle over my belly. The other two blades are held by straps to the back of the rig. Its really overkill for long term wear, but I had read so many court testimonies describing weapons covering the boarders that I had to make it and try it out. I'll post a picture of the ghastly thing soon, if you'd like.

[historyfanatic]

I usually carry either a briquet or a smallsword in a leather frog that is sewn to my belt. (This is accurate for late 18th century, which is more my era. Not sure about earlier...) I have a French Charleville pistol with a belt clip with works fairly well depending on where and how it is stuck into the belt. Many seafaring pistols had the buttplate screw replaced with a ring. This allowed a lanyard to be attached to one's belt to avoid dropping it overboard.

There is a very good book called "Pirates, Privateers and Patriots of the Revolution". It may be a little later than your time period, but nearly all of the knowledge will be accurate even earlier. The book is invaluable for any historical sailor...

[blackjohn]

Many seafaring pistols had the buttplate screw replaced with a ring. This allowed a lanyard to be attached to one's belt to avoid dropping it overboard.

I have not yet encountered that in our period, and I usually keep a weather eye out for these sorts of things. I'll keep a special watch for it now! Obviously, it is a "no-brainer." But then again, so is the wheelbarrow...

And... hey... since this topic isn't under Capn Twill, anything goes!

[julius27]

This is how I carry my pirate weapons. Usually I go a bit lighter than this, but just to show what could be done.....