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2nd January 2013, 11:50 AM
#101
Talking about weapons,
I remember in the 50s we always went ashore in the lunch hour for a bevie complete with Knife and spike on the belt.
No one ever objected, no one thought anything about it, a line of Sailors stood at a bar with all those "weapons " on,
it was just part of you.
In all my years of Seafaring I never saw anyone use a knife or even a spike on anyone.
Today in UK Kids are killed every week by knives. Must be hundreds stabbed throughout the year.
Cheers
Brian.
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2nd January 2013, 12:03 PM
#102
knives etc

Originally Posted by
Captain Kong
Talking about weapons,
I remember in the 50s we always went ashore in the lunch hour for a bevie complete with Knife and spike on the belt.
No one ever objected, no one thought anything about it, a line of Sailors stood at a bar with all those "weapons " on,
it was just part of you.
In all my years of Seafaring I never saw anyone use a knife or even a spike on anyone.
Brian.
How true that all is Brian, as a cadet I remember getting a bollocking from a bosun when I appeared on deck without my knife and spike on my belt, you were improperly dressed without it and they were considered a 'lifesaver' in some circumstances aboard ship. I think every first trip cadets ambition was to have his homemade canvas sheath for knife and spike. Some of the A B's had real leather ones, looked awful when new but when weathered looked great; however on £6 a month there was no hope of owning one of those but did treat myself to one when 2nd mate on the coast, where everyone on board was expected to get their hands dirty.
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2nd January 2013, 12:07 PM
#103
I still have mine, the spike my dad had made by a blacksmith from a chisell in 1952, so I am ready, on standby, in case the phone goes and I have to join a ship Somewhere.
I can dream.
Cheers
Brian.
Last edited by Captain Kong; 2nd January 2013 at 12:16 PM.
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2nd January 2013, 12:56 PM
#104
after the Christmas we have had boxing day i got a parking ticket because my blue badge was upside down £60.00 talk about happy Christmas if i knew were the main office was there would have been another mass shooting. talk about being kicked when you are down. i will appeal i would hang before i pay it.jp
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2nd January 2013, 02:43 PM
#105
The barstewrds, John refuse to pay, go to gaol.
Let the State keep you, costs more that £60 a day in there, get new Glasses, New Teeth, free electricity, free heating, free food three times a day, instant medical treatment, play Pool all day, work out in a Gym free, use the library cos your local one has closed down due to the cuts. use a computer, your laundry done twice a week, for free,
and the family can go and visit you. better than paying £60 .
Cheers
Brian.
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2nd January 2013, 05:07 PM
#106
Clan line ships carried a Goanese Catholic cook with the Bangladeshi crews , this was so there was no religious objection to cooking pork . I was talking to the cook one day and queried why there was never crackling on roast pork , his explaination was sailors take it , I could not reason thaat , until he explained that they cured the pig skin on the pork joint and made a sheath for their knife and spike from the leather , they made some very nice leather work out of our missing crackling .
Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 ) 

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2nd January 2013, 05:53 PM
#107
i still have a green river knife spike and a lignent vitae fid worm and parceling board.jp
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2nd January 2013, 06:00 PM
#108
I have those to John also a palm and some needles which comes in handy some times, when I am travelling and the siuit case bursts and then I can sew it up. I have SIX anchors.
I had a lot more, I collected them from various ship breakers yards,
I also had a Four foot diameter four bladed ships propellor and two sets of mooring bits and two mooring bollards and three other Anchors . Stockless and sheet anchors and a kedge.
They all disapeared when I went away for the weekend, The Police would not believe me when I reported the theft.
The Gypos were in the area at the time.
Cheers
Brian
Last edited by Captain Kong; 2nd January 2013 at 07:15 PM.
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2nd January 2013, 06:10 PM
#109
Bloody hell Brian!!!, i would be scared of leaving my house there, especially while on long cruises. I remember when there was a shortage of beer barrels, and they could not figure out why. It then turned out that most pubs put their empties outside the pub, and the gypos just went round in a truck and picked them up, all aluminium . They then got too greedy and recruited the yard foreman, so went straight to the depo, and loaded up. And then got caught, KT
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2nd January 2013, 06:48 PM
#110
She's a cracker

Originally Posted by
robpage
Clan line ships carried a Goanese Catholic cook with the Bangladeshi crews , this was so there was no religious objection to cooking pork . I was talking to the cook one day and queried why there was never crackling on roast pork , his explaination was sailors take it , I could not reason thaat , until he explained that they cured the pig skin on the pork joint and made a sheath for their knife and spike from the leather , they made some very nice leather work out of our missing crackling .
That's what I like about this site, memories awaking memories, remember those nice yellow sheaths, seems mostly the bosun and chippie had them on the ships I sailed on; but didn't they used to crack in the cold weather if I remember correctly unless you rubbed boiled linseed oil into them, which also gave them that nice colour
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