Peace-Tied

[Kidd Dread]

ok... dread has a question.

as i get my pyrate garb together, do research and just go plain pyratical i looked up some ren-faires to learn more about them as well...

most have weapon regulations. when it comes to cutlass, sabres, swords and the like i read: must be "peace-tied". so, is there a certain way that this is done? is a certain knot expected to be used? any info on this will be greatly appreciated.

translation:

lookin' to educate meself on this peace-tyin' thing, wouldnt want to visit a town and not be law-biding... right?

[Rummy3]

LMAO - Being of Girl Scout heritage, I have been known to teach the best peace-tyers a thing or two. Good to know that you have done some advance research. I think it is a good idea to do the tying yourself, so you get them the way you want them and with the type of leather or string you want to go most inconspicuously with your attire. Typically, there is no rule except that the blade cannot become unsheathed. Enjoy!

[Cap'n Pete Straw]

Some of my frogs (that's the little device that holds your sword to your belt) are laced together with leather thongs -- I typically incorporate an extra matching piece... when an event calls for peace-tying, I free up the extra strip, run it around the sword and tie a quick square knot that holds it securely in place.

For instance, when Civil War reenacting, I have an extra leather thong attached to my Enfield bayonet scabbard. It hangs loose most of the time (and gives the neat Confederate impression that something is old and falling apart), but when entering the battlefield, I will take a moment to tie a quick slip-knot around the bayonet -- those things are incredibly expensive to replace. This is for my own monetary sanity more than for any safety concern.

At this past weekend's Bristol Renaissance Faire, they had security peope running around tying down pieces that were not already secured. For this they used those plastic cable-tie locking strips (sometimes called "Zip-Strips"; the ones Riot Police use as handcuffs in emergencies). They caught my son and tied down his sword. It took several minutes, and I found it rather embarassing to be "outed" in this way. A little later, we found a leather worker who was giving away leather strips of various thicknesses and lengths. We took one that was about a foot long, and replaced the cable-tie with it (I had to use the scissors in my Swiss Army Card to cut through the cable-tie, which was an added pain in the arse). Now my son understands why I suggested we do this in the first place.

You could be proactive and carry some of those strips with you -- they certainly would pass anyone's minimum Peace-Tying requirement. They come in black which is probably unnoticeable with your gear. Personally, I hate them and would rather go with leather.

[julius27]

Most o' the faires I've attended like ta put a zip tie through yer weapons at the gate. Like has been said already, though, as long as some sort o' tie is present an' the weapon stays in its sheath, ye shouldn't have any problems. I usually cut the zip tie off an' properly dispose o' it soon as I'm outta sight o' the gate an' never had any sort o' problems 'cause o' that.

[Cap'n Pete Straw]

Most o' the faires I've attended like ta put a zip tie through yer weapons at the gate.... I usually cut the zip tie off an' properly dispose o' it soon as I'm outta sight o' the gate an' never had any sort o' problems 'cause o' that.

... Exactly.

So it helps to have that extra strap (you can find SOMETHING useable off the shoelace rack!) as a back-up... especially if They are stationed elsewhere than the opening gate.

[Sir Eric]

Yah, I've only been to one faire where they automaticly put a zip-tie on your weapon, regardless if you had peace-tied it or not, and of course once we were away from the gate we removed them as well, and nobody ever said boo to us about it.

I like to use a thin black ribbon myself... it just kinda has that little bit of "fancy-schmancy" thing going for it that I like. Sort of a "poor-mans-fancy" if you will. I use a pretty basic overhand knot (like you'd use for your shoelaces) but pull the ends through the loops so it can't untie accidently.

When we do our club and bar shows, I tie those weapons in very tightly. We're far more concerned about the beligerant drunk trying to pull our steel than we are about drawing on each other.

[The Doctor]

If and when I decide to haul my cutlass to faire, my baldric has long leather latigos I can use to secure my blade. The thing the gate crew fail to recognize is the knot I use. I'm used to tying things to saddles so they are secure, but can be readily released in an emergency. One tug on the correct end, and the weapon is free. Otherwise, the knot won't budge.

And Eric, your concerns are the same as mine. I'd never want to get into a fight while I'm drunk, but I'm terrified of some drunken mundane sod wresting my weapon from me and committing some wanton mayhem. I've seen teenage boys try and grab a sword, as if they're some cup of bad news. Luckily, the shop owner grabbed a blade and slapped the sword from the man-child's hand. The kid and his parents were summarily ejected from the faire.

[Patrick Hand]

Kidd Dread....

Peace tieing a weapon is where you secure (tie) it so that it can't be drawn.

Most Faires will have plastic zip ties or ugly cord, or as everyone above has posted, you can do it yourself before ariving, and have it look better.....

[The Doctor]

Thank you, Patrick. It would seems that with all our zealotry to express our collective disapproval with zip tie/Curlix peace-tieing practices, we neglected to answer the question "what is peace-tieing?" Thank you for putting us back on track!

[Rumba Rue]

Ugh! Using plastic ties is ridiculous! It certainly takes away from the 'look' a person is trying to present.

At most of the events here in S. Calif. usually a piece of rope cording is tied around the weapon to make sure it can't come out. And if you are carrying weapons, usually you have to get them checked before you can enter the event.

I know in Arizona at the big faire there in the spring they tie red ribbons around the weapons even if they've been tied in by the owner, so that Security knows they've been checked.

[Kidd Dread]

thank ye all! i knew what it was, but didnt know the methods to be used.

just the thought of a plastic-tie on my cutlass turns the rum in me gut!

so, i am going with the leather cord and square-knot method. i truly wish i knew the "mad jack quick-release" knot! we pyrates should have these specialties shared among each us. at a faire we would know who we are at a glance [he must be one of us quick-release pyrates, i'll go introduce meself!]. again, thank you all for all the guidence. this is no doubt the best pyrate site due to who ye are and what ye make it!

[Cap'n Pete Straw]

My question is: How do you peace-tie a prosthetic arm hook?

The $%@& Polo-shirted (In)security guards at Bristol Renaissance Faire last Saturday claimed that my pirate hook constitutes an unsheathed metal blade (I ran my tongue along its "edge" to prove how petty and stupid they were being.

One guard actually said: "Oh, some little kid could walk right into it!"

And then I saw a guy walking around in a metal LotR First Age Elven Helmet -- this thing had a curved metal (pointy!) blade at least 12 inches long:

This picture is of the fiberglass helmet (I, too, have a fiberglass one). The guy at the park was wearing a knock-off metal helmet, with a crest consituting a sharp, potentially lethal blade. What if some kid went flying through the air and landed on this guy's head?

I am willing to bet that more children were injured last weekend by red-hot burning embers carelessly wielded at the eye-level of children by absent-minded smokers than were injured by pirate hooks.

Sorry... still bitter.

[Patrick Hand]

How do you peace-tie a prosthetic arm hook?

The same thing they did in Hook..... use a cork....

Think of all the jokes about corking it........

[Capt. Sterling]

Hey tis all politically correct hype... soon you won't be able to carry a sword period....

[kass]

At some Faires you can't carry any weapons at all. But you have to understand that there are some idiots out there who'd start a fight and use them. I don't think it's unreasonable to ask patrons to peace-tie their weapons. It hurts no one.

Cap'n Pete, I think you should "cork it". It would be such a hoot!

[Cap'n Pete Straw]

A cork! I wish I had thought of that! In the event I take it there again, I think I will get an extra-large jumbo cork (I know a source)...

[kass]

It's what I always say, Cap'n Pete. If you can't beat the idjits, laugh at 'em!

[Kidd Dread]

cap'n pete, send me a pic of the hook, we'll design a sheath

to wear at the faires! if they say anything, just say: its sheathed!

[Zephaniah W Nash]

At Scarborough Faire back in the Spring -- yeah, I'm behind the times, but I only now remembered it -- I heard someone talking about having to peace-tie their repro wheel-lock firearms. These were obviously non-firing weapons (okay, obvious to anyone who knows anything at all about firearms), but they were required to be peace-tied, though not to walk into the faire, but to participate in the parade.

Not a word was said to me at any time about having my repro flintlock stuck through my sash, or through my better half's sash after she foully stole it from me.

Is this something anyone else has ever encountered, or does peace-tying typically only apply to edged weapons (as has been my experience)? I'm thinking it may have just been an over-zealous organizer, but it was all a second-hand experience at best...

[Rumba Rue]

I haven't heard of piece-tying guns...only sharp pointy things.

I do think that other faires in other states may be a bit over-zealous.

[Zephaniah W Nash]

True enough, Rumba, but this is Texas! We just about issue handguns at the border when people come through, and they were worked up over non-firing repros...

The more I think about it, the more I think the person who was asked to peace-tie might have done something else to cause annoyance, and that was the easiest remedy the organizers could think of at the time.

[Tora of Tortuga]

I work security for a convention, and this pass con's them was pirates and we even zip tied repro flintlocks. We did it more as a yes its been check more then to keep it from cocking. It was also to keep the con goers and gen pop happy, and because our costume weapons policy has always had a peice tied clause.