Just a couple of comments: No boat builder would put a lapstrake boat together with trunnels. The size of the fasteners would be too big and would make the edges split. They would use clenchnails or rivets. The Koreans and Chinese sew their plank edges together with very small woden or iron pins.

The iron hoop razor probably refers to the "razor" made of a barrel hoop that was used as part of the "crossing the line" ceremony. A pollywog could not become a shellback until he had been shaved, no matter how old he was or how many sea miles he had.

A friend of mine once did a school session and threw out the usual request for verses to the kids. All they could come up with was "Drag him 'cross the deck 'til he's full of splinters." Clearly folk music!