Mick MacAnselan

I be lookin' fer a certain shirt of a pyratical bent. Red/Wine/Burgundy, anythin' roughly blood-like. 100% Cotton or other natural fabric. Tied or Buttoned cuffs (no elastic). Loose'n Billowy's good, but no sissy frills. Anyone know where t' find such a garment? (I bought one from chivalry sports (their "Lord's Shirt"), but it turned out to be a polyester blend... they had just changed the specs, but not the web site. Arrrrrrr.... very nice people though, full refund, shipping, etc.) Thankee.

---Mick MacAnselan

I've not been able to put enough plunder together ($45.00) for the Civil War Navy clasp knife: but, I did order and receive a nice wooden-handled sailors clasp knife.

From where? RAGNAR's RAGWEED FORGE.

For now much? A mere $6.00! And I paid an extra $3.00 to have a good working edge put on it (otherwise, Ragnar says, for $6.00 they come unsharpened).

Capt. William,

Might ye have a link t' th' knife ye mentioned?

---Mick MacAnselan

The outside of the hat is smooth, and the reverse is the suede side of the leather. Mine was received before the new darkening tecnnique was employed, I'm assuming. They appear to have surface dyed the leather, which is why the underside is a different color. I've resolved that color issue much to my satisfaction, using the following methods.

I simply "aged" mine a bit on both sides using leather dyes, lots of water, and burrying it in my back yard for several days, then watering said burial ground. Upon removing it from the mud hole, I drug it behind my car through gravel and over rough pavement. After another good and thorough soaking in muddy water, I placed it upon me head to let it dry for a custom fit. Then I gave it a good brushing to remove the debris, and followed up with generous amounts of mink oil on both the smooth and sueded sides.

Though a mighty headache and muddy hair were the unfortunate side effects, a perfectly "aged" and well fitting tricorn resulted.

The headache has long passed, and I've washed me hair since.

I must track down the receipt, but I'm certain I purchased this tricorn from Excaliber.

Ye may be thinkin' I went to a great deal of effort to achieve the "lived in" look, and perhaps you're right. It's an art, this business of wasting time...

Errr, you be kiddin', right? If not, I'd love t' see a pic of th' result!

---Mick MacAnselan

I happen to be one that shelled out the doubloons for this hat, and found it quite pleasing. It fit's perfect, and gives me that geeky Jack Sparrow look that I like so much. Just got it recently, and it's a finely crafted tricorn. See my cheesy avatar to the left.

Rosalinda,

If it be all leather, and you be havin' one, can you tell us about th' grayish bit? How did they manage to make th' two sides o' th' leather differ'nt colors, and why I wonder? Is it a natural gray leather dyed brown just on one side?

---Mick MacAnselan

Aye Ladd,

I took a lookie at th' pic... That grey stuff be th' underside o' the material- NO - it aint real leather, fakey leather type material....

I got me an email from Excalibur Leather, and here be what it said...

"The hat is entirely leather. The gray is the underside of the leather.

Since that photo was taken, we have begun darkening the entire hat

including the underside. The underside does remain somewhat lighter

than the rest of the hat."

Hmmmmm.

---Mick MacAnselan

I be lookin' at the 'Jack Sparrow' Tricorn at Excalibur Leather. It looks right purty, but anyone know what the grayish lookin' material in the middle of the fold be? Looks like some kind of foam or such.

---Mick MacAnselan

Link: http://www.excaliburleather.com/catalog/im...es/Tricorn1.jpg

I be tryin' to decide a'tween a Cavalier Hat (y'know the kind havin' one turned up side) and a Tricorn. Lookin' for the earliest period look... so which o' those woulda been first? Thankee!

---Mick MacAnselan