Weapons

This page is not intended to be a list of all weapons used by pirates – just those commonly worn by pirates, and some related weapons.

cutlass

Short, curved, wide-bladed saber with a thrusting point and a stout handguard, developed in Europe in the seventeenth century, remotely related to the English falchion of the thirteenth century, and used mostly in naval warfare and by pirates. (Powell, Cutlass)

dagger

Next to stones, probably the most ancient of all weapons, originally made of chipped flint. A sharp-pointed, straight-bladed knife intended primarily for stabbing, it can be held with the little finger toward the blade for powerful downward stabbing or with the thumb toward the blade for more versatile thrusting and slashing. (Powell, Dagger)

falchion

European short, single-edged sword popular from the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries, featuring a wide, heavy, straight-backed blade, a convex cutting edge near the point, and usually an S-shaped crossguard. It evolved into the cutlass. (Powell, Falchion)

flintlock

Dominant muzzle-loading firearm ignition mechanism, invented around 1610 and common from 1650 until the end of the muzzle-loading era in the mid-nineteenth century, a simple improvement of the snaphance, from which it differs by being single-action rather than double. When its trigger is pulled, the hammer pushes the pan cover away from the pan, thus creating sparks, igniting the primer, and firing the weapon. (Powell, Flintlock)

grenade Small bomb, either thrown by hand or launched from a hand-carried device. Developed in Europe in the sixteenth century, it originally contained either gunpowder or an incendiary mixture, but later versions contain smoke screen, poison gas, or other chemical agents. Grenades are detonated by percussion, impact, or a short time fuse activated just before throwing or launching. (Powell, Grenade)

saber

Long slashing sword invented in Europe in the eighth century. Used in most wars since then, it achieved its greatest prominence as a cavalry weapon in the nineteenth century. Usually curved with a blade-length single edge on the convex side, it could also be edged a few inches down from the point on the concave side for backslashing. (Powell, Saber)

scimitar

Traditional saber of Islamic nations, developed prior to the Crusades, characterized by a long, thin, single-edged, crescent-shaped blade. Varieties include the Persian shamshir, the Turkish kilij, and the Arab saif. (Powell, Scimitar)

snaphance

Invented in Europe, perhaps by the Dutch, some time from 1550 to 1570, a major technological advance in muzzle-loading firearm ignition mechanisms. When the trigger is pulled, the powder-pan cover swings up and the hammer swings down so that, when the two collide, sparks are produced which, as the hammer continues down into the pan, ignite the priming powder and fire the weapon. The shaphance achieved great popultity in the seventeenth century and made the flintlock possible. (Powell, Snaphance)