Aye ! what a site this is!!

[jendobyns]

Welcome to the pub, KoS.

Mr. Hook there has put it well, the latchets are the straps. You don't have to invest in buckles right away, though. Break your shoes in first by wearing them around, you can fold the latchets over to the inside of your shoe and run a tape through the loop that is made by the fold. Tie the tape together in the center. The latchets should stay tucked into your shoe while you do this. With luck you will remember that when you get your first pair. Flying canoe makes a good product and is terrific at fitting shoes to the customer. You might want to see if they will be in your neck of the woods. Their customers all seem satisfied.

Jen dobyns

[kingofshooters]

@ Hook - Errr where would I get me some stockings from? Never had to buy em before....any recommendations? what colors were most common?

@ Jen - Thank you....I will google flying canoe and see....I'm not aware of any pirate group here in TX , and only the Ren fest i'm aware of comes near Houston which I assume will attract mainly Hollywood types who all look similarly kitted out....so I don't have to get buckles for the shoes? seems kinda strange.....like they'd come off me feet

[kingofshooters]

@ Hook - yeah I wondered about the shoes in that link....they said 1758 and that be a smidge past the GAoP

Uh-oh .....

I found something another member mentioned and I think I need one of these :

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=9272

I've never built one before so It'd be fun , and a challenge

Edited September 1, 2011 by kingofshooters

[Jas. Hook]

King -

I feel that differences in GAoP vs. F&I, War Revolutionary War period shoes are not that great as to warrant concerned. I'd stick to whatever is commonly available/affordable.

Stockings are available through most online vendors. I'm happy with the light weight cotton as they seem to fit my foot and leg best. Some of the other materials are less forgiving when it comes to leg girth and length. Cotton stockings are available in about a dozen or so different solid colors. Personally I shy away from the stripes. Oh, and don't forget about garters! No, not the frilly ones your girl wears. Many vendors have leather garters with buckles available.

Dixie's QA pistol kit sounds like a neat winter time project.

Jas. Hook

[michaelsbagley]

KoS, the fugawees previously posted are likely the most worn model bt pirate re-enactors... it is true they are a bit later period... but as Jas said, they are close enough (basically earlier shoes had longer tongues and narrower latchets).

However, if you want to spend an extra $25 to $50 or more, and perhaps wait longer for the end product... closer to the mark shoes do exist. Look up Loyalist Arms (I personally have two pairs), the Practical Goose, or Reconstructing History for shoes that are a bit closer to the correct period style. If you do a search in the "Theive's Market" section of the pyracy pub you will find lots of links, suggestions and reviews by pub members on the various shoes available.

If you try to call Dixie about the Queen Anne, let us know if you have any luck. I tried for a year to reach them a long while back and never got a response from them.

[jendobyns]

Well, there's these: http://www.burnleyandtrowbridge.com/mensshoes.aspx

and these: http://www.gggodwin.com/cartgenie/prodList.asp?scat=41

if you want to compare styles and prices, and I think Flying Canoe might also be carrying a 17C style.

You could also check out Fugawee. They are out of Florida and have a lot of folks who carry their shoes, so you have a chance of running into them at an Rendezvous or other event down your way.

The top three vendors all carry stockings. Burnley and Trowbridge don't have power restored from the hurricane yet, but the website works. In stockings there is a range. Get the type you like before the shoes, though. It will impact how they fit.

I wish I could show you how to do the latchet thing to tie them. Maybe Fugawee has a diagram on their website. I'm pretty sure I learned it from the info they send with their shoes. It is possible that velcro is involved (inside the shoe, and under side of latchet) for longer term use than just walking around. Will check my shoes later to see. But they Flying canoe doesn't do velcro, and when you get their shoes you walk around in them for a day then come back to have the buckles done (if you're buying in person). But not having gone through the process myself, and not observing how he does it, I can't tell you.

Oh, if it didn't disappear, there is a pic of the original shoes my husband used when we started out, remodeled from some men's oxfords. You might want to look at them to see what you can accomplish with modern shoes. Far from perfect, but a far cry from sneakers, too.

Jen

Good luck.

[jendobyns]

KoS, the fugawees previously posted are likely the most worn model bt pirate re-enactors... it is true they are a bit later period... but as Jas said, they are close enough (basically earlier shoes had longer tongues and narrower latchets).

However, if you want to spend an extra $25 to $50 or more, and perhaps wait longer for the end product... closer to the mark shoes do exist. Look up Loyalist Arms (I personally have two pairs), the Practical Goose, or Reconstructing History for shoes that are a bit closer to the correct period style. If you do a search in the "Theive's Market" section of the pyracy pub you will find lots of links, suggestions and reviews by pub members on the various shoes available.

Michael, thank you! I keep forgetting about those guys! Theirs are more in the middle between the 17C and 18C shoes of the other vendors, aren't they? Good to see there are more choices out there.

However, one thing I haven't seen is a shoe vendor who has shoes that are kind to older, or more delicate, feet. Arthritis, orthotics, diabetes, etc., nobody is accommodating that in their shoes yet. None of us is getting any younger. Just sayin'...

Jen

[michaelsbagley]

The Loyalist Arms shoes are he'll on the feet.

I use a full shoe insert AND an extra heel cushion, and that helps (as long as I don't forget them as I switch them between the two pairs).

Ivan Henry also posted something about a pair from the UK that were comparably priced, and a bit lower in the heel which would likely be easier on the feet than the beefy heeled Loyalist Arms or Reconstructing History shoes.

[Mission]

However, one thing I haven't seen is a shoe vendor who has shoes that are kind to older, or more delicate, feet. Arthritis, orthotics, diabetes, etc., nobody is accommodating that in their shoes yet. None of us is getting any younger. Just sayin'...

Good shoes are the first step, at least from my experience. I still stand by the Robert Land ones I linked to. Then you have to throw gel inserts into them. I had gel inserts for my cheap shoes and that made them better, but there is still an absolute world of difference between those and the Robert Land shoes I bought.

[Capn Bloody Sam Rackham]

Welcome aboard, mate!

[jendobyns]

Hmmm, can't seem to find Ivan Henry's info on shoes from the UK. Searching for shoes does not appear to be working right now. Is there a separate thread I'm missing? I'm almost ready to go to Sarah Juniper!

And thanks for the review of Robert Land. While they don't yet make a woman's shoe, the men's shoes could be very useful to some of the men in my group with foot issues.

[kingofshooters]

Thank you everyone for dropping VALUABLE knowledge on the topic of kit. Shoes I guess are the first thing to go with and fortunately I'm in pretty good shape , so no foot issues I'm aware of(hope I don't develop any from the shoes...LOL). Now I must temper my enthusiasm for the the new toy versus things I really need to get first....shoes , slops , etc...hehehe never an easy thing for me once I get wrapped into something new. @ Capt Sam----> thank you

[William Brand]

Just temper your wants with really practical alternatives. As a sailor, you could carry a big stick in place of a cutlass. If you look at many a drawing and painting of sailors ashore, you will often see them carrying a snapsack or ditty bag on a good stick, and sticks are good for weapons ashore. Since you're buying walking shoes, get yourself a good piece of hickory until you can afford a sailor's knife or a pistol.

[kingofshooters]

WRW.....that's something else! Carry a big stick huh? That would be kind of cool too I guess....I've made me mind up to go for shoes first and now I've got to decide which one's to go for...Jen presented some good affordable options , and the loyalist arms are a good looking shoe....decisions decisions

[Jas. Hook]

WRW.....that's something else! Carry a big stick huh? That would be kind of cool too I guess....

Oh No!... not another dreaded press-ganger. "Have cudgel - will recruit."

Don't they wear t-shirts that say got crew?

Jas. Hook

[Mission]

And thanks for the review of Robert Land. While they don't yet make a woman's shoe, the men's shoes could be very useful to some of the men in my group with foot issues.

Jen, in all fairness I should note that they're the only shoes I've tried other than the really cheap ones. However, I sometimes find my feet hurt in production regular shoes, not to mention PC ones. I was pretty impressed that I didn't have to spend much time "wearing these in" which is the experience I have read about some others having here on the forum with similar cost period correct shoes. I don't even bother putting shoe trees in them any more; the only concession to comfort I make is the gel soles at the heel. The fact that I wore them all day at Put-in-Bay (lots of walking on concrete) without even considering changing into my tennies impressed me.

[Ivan Henry aka Moose]

The Loyalist Arms shoes are he'll on the feet.

I use a full shoe insert AND an extra heel cushion, and that helps (as long as I don't forget them as I switch them between the two pairs).

Ivan Henry also posted something about a pair from the UK that were comparably priced, and a bit lower in the heel which would likely be easier on the feet than the beefy heeled Loyalist Arms or Reconstructing History shoes.

Aye - http://www.re-enactm...8th_century.htm

These are the ones I have.

Edited September 6, 2011 by Ivan Henry aka Moose

[Capn Bloody Sam Rackham]

Welcome aboard, mate!

[kingofshooters]

@ Ivan- Thanks ...I'm all about comfort if I'm going to be in 'em all day.

@ Cap'n Bloody Sam - thanks for the welcome , and sorry in advance for any newb questions...LOL

[kingofshooters]

Ok....got another question that the search function didn't provide an answer for.....is there any historical evidence to suggest that there were pirates who were bald? There is of course a reason for asking the question...LOL

[Jas. Hook]

King -

I think that male baldness has always been around, do you mean were they purposely shaving their heads?????

Jas. Hook

[kingofshooters]

Right...I just can't see them purposely doing that...shaving their heads...I guess if you want to look correct and you do shave your head or close to it with clippers(as I do) , then wearing a hat or bandana is necessary.

[Jas. Hook]

I guess it depends on what image you want to present. Short because you wear a wig, or look like Pintel in POTC or Mr. Bowen in Cuthroat Island. A lot of pirates were shown having top-knots.

Jas. Hook

[kingofshooters]

I guess I feel guilty because I'm thinning at the age of 44.....let my countenance grow back even though there be some REALLY blond hairs in there now(LOL).....I was going to let my hair grow back as I'd been using the clippers on it for the last 2 years , but didn't like the thinness and bald spot on top....so it's bandana I guess...period of course!

[jendobyns]

Shaving heads happened. Made hygiene a bit simpler. Then top with wig for occasions where you were to look your best. Not sure that would have been done at sea, though. The average sailor, who knows for sure? Wigs came in all sorts of materials and price levels. And definitely, baldness happened!

So you're safe shaving your head and wearing the bandana.