Blunderbusses

[robinghewitt]

Hi Dutch

I have an old rescue dog. He's not much of a dog but someone has to have him or he wouldn't make it. I think he feels the same way about me. We go together as a pair.

Same goes for a lot of antiques, fixing them up a bit so someone thinks they are worth having is the only way they will survive until the market accepts them as worth preserving.

The blunderthingy I just bought has a very dubious cock. If I can find a better cock I might change them over. I don't see any reason why I should have higher standards than all the other people who have owned it since 1793 :idunno:

Robin

 

[Dr5x]

Robin, I watch your progress with personal interest as it seems your Blunderbuss and I have a similar problem.

As I can't see fifty yards I have given all my guns away but am still able to keep my hand in the sport by doing a lot of on line coaching with continued success.

Did you ever find a use for that huge spool of artificial sinew I sent you?

Continue to be well and busy preserving what would otherwise be lost to all of us.

Dutch

 

[robinghewitt]

Did you ever find a use for that huge spool of artificial sinew I sent you?

That was a long time and several mini-strokes ago, but I seem to recollect I used it to whip the new string for my English bullet firing crossbow. I tried waxed thread but it didn't hold or look as good as your sinew did. The English BFC string splits around 2 pillars and you have to whip it good to keep it in place.

Where that crossbow is now I am not exactly sure, I think I lent it to Richard who owns the wood where I sneak off to shoot my cannon. I will have to ask him, thanks for reminding me :thumbsup: :rotf:

 

[Dr5x]

This is the time of year that the wee crocus shoves its head above the soil and I would appear at the rifle range about 15 miles away. This year, however, that probably wouldn't happen because of the endless rains in Central US. and I believe the closest outdoor range is now about 25 or 30 miles away.
I has been predicted that this year will be blessed with a lot more rain days than usual so take advantage of any sunshine that dares appear.

Ditch

 

[robinghewitt]

Sounds like nothing has changed then... :grin:

Whan that aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
Tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the ram his halve cours yronne,
And smale foweles maken melodye,
That slepen al the nyght with open ye
(so priketh hem nature in hir corages);
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages

 

[Kansas Jake]

I don't know that I've read Mr. Chaucer since my college days many moons ago.

 

[robinghewitt]

The rainy weather, the time of year, the inconvenience of the long journey. It all seemed to fit Dutch's predicament so well I could not resist :surrender:

 

[Dr5x]

Robin, I looked at the rules and Middle English is not forbidden or even mentioned.
What does Chaucer say about hunting?

Boy you took me back to 1948-9.



Dutch

 

[Zonie]

ff I don't think Jeff (OK, Geoff) wrote anything about hunting but his Canterbury Tales has two stories in it that got my attention for sure.

When we were studying Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in High School, my English teacher told the class, "You may read any of the tales you wish to read but do not read the Millers or the Carpenters tales.

After finding a neat copy of the tales at the Public Library, the first thing I read were those two tales. What an awakening! :shocked2:

The book had the original text with the original spelling on one page and a modern English translation on the facing page.

Did you folks know how many of todays common "4 letter words" we mustn't use were in use 600 years ago? :shocked2: :shocked2:

The Millers and the Carpenters tales are both about unfaithful wives and their exploits with other men. :grin:

Now, how's that for really getting off topic? :grin:

 

[azmntman]

:thumbsup: well done

 

[robinghewitt]

What does Chaucer say about hunting?

He doesn't but Shakespeare left us...

As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,
Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
Rising and cawing at the gun’s report,
Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky,

 

[Stumpkiller]

When we were studying Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in High School, my English teacher told the class, "You may read any of the tales you wish to read but do not read the Millers or the Carpenters tales.

"And so it was that later as the miller told his tale that her face, at first just ghostly, turned a whiter shade of pale." -- Procol Harum

 

[nhmoose]

https://www.bing.com/search?q=white...=4&QS=LS&SK=AS3&sc=8-28&form=HPDTSS&pc=HPDTDF

 

[robinghewitt]

Oh poo :td:

New blunderbus arrived and it has to go back

Lovely stock, wondeful old chequering, lock has a good name, markings and even a date. Monster barrel to die for...

But the wrong cock, a real dog's breakfast of a cock flopping about on a much smaller tumbler. The touch hole that lined up so perfectly with the pan turned out to be a dent that would have hit the breech plug if drilled.

It's a wallhanger but I didn't pay a wallhanger price so it has to go back.

So sad but whaddyado? :idunno:

 

[Coot]

Would the seller refund the cost of having a new cock made? I know it would not be original but apparently the existing cock is not original & it would at least return the buss to working order.

 

[robinghewitt]

The seller is not a problem, he said I should take the weekend to decide what I wanted him to do then let him know on Monday.

Unfortunately the gun is now tainted for me. The relocated touch hole is a sure sign that something serious does not belong. Fixing is not an option :dead:

 

[Feltwad]

The seller is not a problem, he said I should take the weekend to decide what I wanted him to do then let him know on Monday.

Unfortunately the gun is now tainted for me. The relocated touch hole is a sure sign that something serious does not belong. Fixing is not an option :dead:

I do not blame you ,I have always said they are far to far overrated and demanding a high price . I have come across far to many with botched up jobs including bugled barrel etc especially the brass barrel ones .
Feltwad

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Robin, Gordon,

Also we see at present a rash of faked ones showing up at auction in the UK, with "Dublin mail" and all sorts of other markings. They all have the same false proofs and spurious markings yet Look pretty convincing.
They are fakes and when we see them , we warn the auction house.
Can not go into details on what is wrong, as the people who turn out these fakes may read the threads and alter their present offerings.

Richard.

 

[spudnut]

The seller is not a problem, he said I should take the weekend to decide what I wanted him to do then let him know on Monday.

Unfortunately the gun is now tainted for me. The relocated touch hole is a sure sign that something serious does not belong. Fixing is not an option :dead:

My belgium( not on the scale of your collection) has the touch hole drilled at an angle pointig toward the muzzle ,as if it were drilled straight in it would hit the breech plug,dont know how safe it is ,and you have to load it carefully to make sure the prime will set off the charge, but it still goes boom!