They're be pirates in these waters!! Well, not really waters, but the dry land where I live. I love Halloween and the chance to dress up and role-play a character. For Halloween 2006 I decided to be a pirate. I wanted to look the part and store bought costume just don't work for me. There are some really great pirate websites out there for re-enactors and fans. I included a pirate link section at the bottom of this page.
This picture shows my
arsenal as a pirate. My weapons includes a 44 inch long rapier for close combat.
I never really liked a cutlass so I opted for a lighter weapon of which the rapier
fits. The rapier is really a weapon of defense when boarding ships we are to
plunder. My main weapon is my blunderbuss which is the flintlock on the right side
of the picture. The blunderbuss is a cross between a pistol ad a rifle. Some
pirate references I have found suggests the blunderbuss was like a personal hand canon.
Since I read it was used during boarding combat, I tend to think it was like a
primitive shot gun. Since the blunderbuss is my primary weapon, I carry lots of gun
powder for it. The little wooden bottles you see are called apostles and were used
to carry gunpowder for one shot. There are twelve bottles which contributes to the
name for this. Sadly the bottles do not open, but are for show. One the
bandoleer belt that the apostles are tied to I have a smaller English style flintlock
pistol. This is my backup pistol in case someone gets close while I am loading the
blunderbuss. Now my hat is not really part of my arsenal but I thought it looked
good with me weapons.
The picture to the right shows my
pirate garb. I have to say it takes a good bit of time to get into al of the
clothing. The chemise is one piece and rather long so it makes put a skirt on a
little tricky. The majority of the time is spent trying to slip into the bodice I
wear. My bodice ties in the front, in the back, on both side and on the shoulders.
This is a really amazing bodice and not a cheap zip into article of clothing.
It can take me 10 minutes to lace up all the cording in the bodice. I also
wear several skirt hikes which are leather sleeves that slide onto my belt and they have
two metal rings. The rings are used to pull the skirt through so a corner of the
skirt can be lifted. This keeps the bottom of the skirt out of mud and makes it
easier to walk. Also, skirt hikes contribute to showing some leg. Now my boots
can be pulled and unfolded to rise way over my knee. I seldom wear them up but keep
them pushed down to reduce heat. My entire garb can be rather hot at times.
The leather pouch is an old sporran I got from an old Scotsman I know. (Thanks Angus)
Now the apostles for my garb I made myself. I started with a wooden hand-railing I purchased from home depot. I used a sander to slowly grind down the wood and shape a bottle. I used leather cord to tie them onto a belt though in the 14th century leather was seldom used to attach apostles to a bandoleer because leather cord would age fast and break. I think they used a twine coated in wax in the past but I was felt the leather cord was sufficient. The leather holsters I made with some small leather sheets purchased from Michael's Craft Store. The flintlocks are rather heavy and a holster was needed to carry them without discomfort. (Flintlocks slipped under a belt often don't feel comfortable)
Fun Pirate Links:
International Talk Like A Pirate Day - This is the website for the annual talk like a Pirate Day every September 19th. This website helps with vocabulary and sayings. It is a really fun site though I suggest you don't try talking like a pirate at work.
Pyracy Pub - This is a great forum for those who want to learn about pyracy re-enacting. There are some really seasoned pirates at this forum and they like to share pyracy information.
Pirates in Paradise - This is a festival that happens each year in Key West. It is four days of pure piratical escapades celebrating Key West's rich & colorful maritime heritage.
No Quarter Given - This is a pirate newsletter website that follows things/news/events in the pyracy culture.
Pirates' Relm - This site has a collection of historic pirate information. It is a great site if you want to read about the differences in tall ships, terminology, and weapons of the times.