Matchlock with sliding pan cover

[Brian Anderson]

?? Testing the match?? There is a reason for the forehead to nose depression in the face on the 'serpent/dog/cock' . lf you press the match into it with 1/2" or so to the coal, it will line up with the pan. Try it.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Brian,
Is this always the case?

Does this not make the part of the drill, "Try your match" rather redundant?
As we know, there are many forms of serpent, or match holder, but it Would be interesting if this unwritten law applied to all of them!

Best,
Richard.

 

[Brian Anderson]

l'm sure 'not always' -- perhaps only in my experience (the notch and its alignment are fairly pervasive)

l also am curious concerning ' try your match'

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Brian,
If we look of the series of commands for loading and firing the matchlock musket, After the match is fitted into the jaws of the serpent, the next command is "Try your match" where the trigger or sear is raised, and the match depressed towards the covered pan. adjustment can then be carried out before the next command.

I will look for it for you.

Best,
Rich.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Here it is Brian,

Detail,

"After priming, he flipped the pan cover over the priming powder and on the order "Try your match", operated the serpentine to ensure that the match would hit the powder. On the command "Guard your pan" he
placed two fingers over the pan to ensure that random sparks did not fire it prematurely as he followed the order "Blow off the coal". He would then blow the match to make it glow.....

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

Interesting to note: In the "Try your Match" picture...that is the only picture wearing spurs! Maybe that is a clue to "try your match" as being important?

 

[TobJohn]

Interesting to note: In the "Try your Match" picture...that is the only picture wearing spurs! Maybe that is a clue to "try your match" as being important?

That is a really great catch! Adds another level of mystery to the European use of matchlocks with cavalry. It could be a dragoon, but I am not sure if they used musket rests.

De Gheyn (assuming this is one of the de Gheyn manuals) used the same guy to pose for multiple sets of instructions, so could also be a mistake from changing costume. I’ll have to check when I’m home for the name, but the guy posing is an early example of a male model.

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

That is a really great catch! Adds another level of mystery to the European use of matchlocks with cavalry. It could be a dragoon, but I am not sure if they used musket rests.

De Gheyn (assuming this is one of the de Gheyn manuals) used the same guy to pose for multiple sets of instructions, so could also be a mistake from changing costume. I’ll have to check when I’m home for the name, but the guy posing is an early example of a male model.

The model must have shaved between posing for some of the pictures.........

 

[TobJohn]

The model must have shaved between posing for some of the pictures.........

Maybe they had a bunch of fake beards and mustaches. “Now for a silly one!”

This is only from casual observation, but it looks like a lot of the translations and reprints of the exercise of arms manuals changed the look of the guy.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

No,
He just stated off clean shaved, but by the time he was loaded and primed and trying his match, his beard had growed back!

Heck of a catch on the spurs, Wheellock!

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

Or maybe his beard singed from careless handling of the lighted match? Happy camper that it was not the powder loading sequence that lit!

 

[hectorintca]

The model must have shaved between posing for some of the pictures.........

Damm..good spot! Dr. Watson would have been impressed.