Captain McCool

That is one fine interwebs establishment, mate! Say, do you have more pistols coming in? I noticed in your pictures that you show a shot of one of the "Cutthroat Island" pistols, which are hard to find nowadays. I've got one, but I had to put a different hammer on it, because it was missing it when I got the thing. It'd be cool to get my hands on an "unsullied" one.

Hell, I never thought I could write a song, but I'm doin' it! You'll never know til you try!

Oi mates! We've been focusing on really filling the shop over at the Castaway Trading Co. Etsy page, and we've just added a new item today! Check out our newest pirate belt, as well as all our other cool new accessories! The two recent belts we have added to our shop are actually made almost entirely out of overstock materials from the PotC costume department. The buckles and the leather itself came to our buyer directly from Disney as part of a larger auction, and we have upcycled them into awesome new pirate belts for all you scruffy buccaneers out there! The only thing NOT from PotC is the brass rivets we used to fasten them together. Check them out below, and as always, let us know if there's anything else in particular you'd like to see in our shop! http://www.etsy.com/listing/86575399/leather-pirate-belt-extra-large-natural

Right, got it. Thanks!

Brilliant idea mate! I'm actually in the process of writing a ballad of my own anyway, only it's more about my fictitious pirate ship, Heart of Gold, than about my character himself (although he does get a line or two). I'll put up what I've got so far. It's just the first verse, and it's to a tune similar to (but not exactly the same as) "The Foggy Dew". When I was just a lad I took to the raging sea, Thinking I would seek my fortune with the Crown. Not a penny did I have, so I signed aboard with glee, Thinking I would join a ship of great renown. But the rations were mean, and the bo'sun was a fiend, And the captain he was a cruel rake! Ah, but little did they fear, their demise was drawing near, For the Heart of Gold, she followed in our wake! Heart of Gold, she came to save us! Heart of Gold, for mercy's sake! Ah, but little did they fear, their demise was drawing near, For the Heart of Gold, she followed in our wake. There's a bit more I've written for a couple different verses, but nothing really finished yet. I'll put the whole thing up when it's done!

Do you mean Reconstructing History had them, or Loyalist Arms had them?

Yeah, they have some quite serious sizing issues as well. I know this from personal experience as well as testimonials from others. At any rate, I didn't mean to turn this into a CABoot bashing thread. It's supposed to be about period footwear anyway, and frankly they don't make any. The other thread about the Reconstructing History shoes makes me think they look really promising. Very nice shape and overall feel, IMO. As soon as I can scrape together the doubloons I think I'm getting myself a pair.

Yeah, so I take it GoF isn't offering them anymore? That used to be where everyone got them, from what I understand. These shoes are looking better and better though. As soon as I can scrape together enough dough, I'm totally getting a pair.

We don't currently have any of those ready, but they are on our "to-do" list for the next month. However, that brings up a great point: what sorts of things would you (and the rest of the Pyracy Pub population) like to see in that regard? Materials? Dimensions? Prints? Colors? Etc. And what sort of money would you feel comfortable spending for these items?

I'm also interested in how well these shoes have worn so far, and what sort of fit they have. I've been interested in getting myself a pair of these for a very long time, but never really wanted to invest until someone else was the guinea pig, heh. They do look really nice though. I'm sorely tempted to grab myself a pair.

Okay folks, it's been quite a loooooong while since I've worked at all on this story, but recently (inspired by National Novel Writer's Month) I have written a little more and done a lot of revision and editing. I would like to put it up on the forums again in the near future, but I don't presently have a lot of time to edit all the italics tags, etc. (not to mention making the story "board safe" as far as profanity is concerned), so instead, for the present, I am going to post links to the story as it is posted over on DeviantArt.com, and if you'd like you can leave any comments on it here or over there, whichever you prefer. Cheers! Prologue: http://manveruon.deviantart.com/gallery/24330721#/d2ikqk3 Chapter One: http://manveruon.deviantart.com/gallery/24330721#/d2ikv47 Chapter Two: http://manveruon.deviantart.com/gallery/24330721#/d2ikvsd

Just figured I'd mention that we've added yet more new items in the last few days, so anyone interested in rustic, castaway-style piratical accessories should definitely check the shop out! We've got a LOT more on the way too! Some of the planned items include: -Period-style Canvas Haversacks -More leather belts and baldrics -"Jack Sparrow" style palm gloves -More leather-wrapped glass rum bottles in different colors -TONS more hats! -Sashes & Bandannas -Custom, hand-sewn pirate flags -Voodoo dolls If there's anything else you'd love to see in our store, please let us know! We're always looking to expand our inventory!

Regarding the eyepatch thing....... If there was any basis in fact about that, it would have been common practice among ALL seamen, including merchants, fishermen, naval personnnel, etc. No written reference to the practice exists that I am aware of. I had never heard of it before the Mythbusters episode. Pure horse manure, like so many other things that make the rounds on the Internet !!!! (One of my favorites being the excuses for Jack Sparrow style eye make-up on pirates. Again, if there was any basis in fact, it would have been commonly done by ALL seamen, and not just pirates.) >>>>> Cascabel QFT! Again, "it's plausable" does not equal "it actually happened." Beyond that though, I thought the article was pretty well done.

Be that as it may, Priscilla at CA Boots is also one of the rudest, least attentive, and least caring individuals I have ever had the misfortune to deal with. The attitude of the company is the biggest problem. That being an attitude of "We're always right, and you don't know what you're talking about, so there's no need for us to try to appease you as a customer." I never once received an apology for the abysmal experience I had with this company. Sadly, yes, a lot of merchants out there seem to have this same mentality, but I have never dealt with one I so wholeheartedly despised than this particular company. In my personal experience, at any rate.

I would just like to put this out there: CA Boots is one of the worst companies I have ever dealt with, and I will slander their name anywhere I possibly can. Terrible customer service, astronomically high prices for quality which has greatly declined over the last several years, and ZERO accountability for their own mistakes (which are exceedingly frequent, and severe). Buyer beware.

True dat.

Hey, me too! I'm just glad I wasn't alone in my truancy!

We're tentatively looking at the area around Ventura, but that's far from certain at this point. If we head out that direction, we certainly will!

Oh yeah, good question... nuts... I usually find it near where they have the paints, I believe. But it should be somewhere near the woodworking, leather, beading, and whatnot. Those are usually all in the same general area. If all else fails though, I'd say ask an employee (assuming they know what they're talking about... which... well, y'know).

I must say, it'll be a bummer to lose a fellow landlocked Colorado pirate, but to be quite honest, my lass and I are seriously considering moving out Californi-way in the next 6 months. We're kinda' done with Colorado too.

Okay, I've got an easier solution than all of these, if you've got a Michael's craft store nearby. It's called Sophisticated Finishes, and it gives a fantastic artificially aged patina to brass. They do recommend caution with their greening solution specifically because of the copper oxide concern, but I've never had a problem with it. However, as michaelsbagley said, you might not want to get it too near your eyes.

Ah yes, very good! I love that book! I think I may need to read through it again to see about getting some ideas for the shop, actually...

They definitely will. Was there anything specific you had in mind? We were thinking of putting up some voodoo dolls, as well as more gris gris amulet necklaces.

Ahoy ya' swabs! I thought I had put up a thread here about this a while back, but maybe not. Or perhaps it got cleaned out somehow. Not sure. At any rate, this thread is dedicated to my most excellent Etsy store, the Castaway Trading Company, makers of fine pirate/voodoo/zombie/beachcomber/general-miscreant-type wares! Our shop was inspired by our exploits at the local renaissance festival a while back, when we decided to go as "filthy castaways." The costumes were a huge hit, so we decided to start making accessories based on that theme, and selling them online. So far we've got hats, belts, bottles, jewelry, keychains, and more! Most of our products are designed with "ruggedness" in mind. We specialize in things that look like they've taken something of a beating - things that don't look clean, pretty, and new. We're also happy to do custom orders, so if there's something special you want, and you don't see it in our shop, let us know and we'll see what we can do for ya'! You can check us out here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CastawayTradingCo And as an aside, the Pirates in Paradise festival is fast approaching, and though we were originally hoping we might be able to make it out in person this year (always been a dream of mine), it looks like we're going to have to put it on hold til 2012. HOWEVER! If any of ya scurvy currs be lookin' for some excellent accouterments in preparation for heading down to Key West yer own selves, check out our store online! We've got lots of fun gear that would be PERFECT for a festival like Pirates in Paradise! Keep a weather eye out for more in our shop! We keep expanding to new and more interesting items, and we have a few great ones on the way in the very near future! Cheers!

They did a pretty decent job on this, actually. One of my favorite bits was on the flags. At first I was like "okay, you guys are getting this way wrong," but then they went on to mention the fact that most pirate flags we think of as "historical" are just based on loose - and probably innaccurate - descriptions, and I was appeased, heh. My only big gripe with the article was the part where they basically stated that since Mythbusters proved the eyepatch thing could PLAUSABLY be used to adjust for seeing below decks, it was essentially proven that pirates actually did this. Hell, I don't even know where Mythbustes GOT that myth. I'd never even heard of it previous to that episode.