My new fids

[kass]

No, I don't think you can wear fids either...

[Patrick Hand]

I've seen people wearing belaying pins in their Pyrate "costume"(yah... I'm being snide...) ..... but ..... why.... the advantage of using a belaying pin as a weapon (club) was that they were all over a ship....... why carry one ashore as a weapon.... walking sticks work sooooo much better.....

A fid would work as a weapon..... but so would a sail needle, or a screwdriver.....

As a sailors tool, it's cool .... but to carry one as a weapon..... eeergh.....

[Gentleman of Fortune]

But not only that... Belaying pins are part of the ship's equipment... so to quote the immortal words of Tom Apple.

Belaying pins

Seeing sailors sporting belaying pins in their belts

has got to be one of the worst affectations done by sailor reenactors.

Any bosun worth his salt would have a conniption fit if he saw a sailor

carrying a belaying pin off of the ship. The belaying pin is part of

the ship's equipment, not the property of individual sailors.

GoF

[kass]

In the 80s, I used to wear a sail needle through my ear...

[MorganTyre]

Hehe, to defend my post about making some fids that "at least fit in with my costume" - I should clarify that in real life I am a modern rigger and so frequently am seen with tools of my trade. In fact, as I type I have a tube of a dozen or so sail needles and a palm in my pants-pocket. I intend that my costumed alter-ego be the period equivalent. If I should happen to have a fid shoved in a belt it is not to be confused with an impromptu weapon or something there simply as a prop to look "salty" (such as a belaying pin - which I also mentioned would be out of place off of a ship) it's there only because I was heading from one job to the next and got distracted to the point where the tool was temporarily stowed and forgotten about - much as the needles and palm in my pocket. More likely these assorted tools (fids, serving mallets, balls of tarred marline, etc.) would be stowed in a chest or in use at my camp and not just miscellaneous gear slung and stowed about me like bits of seaweed and marine detritus hanging from a ghost pirate in some old movie.

And in defense of my use of the word "costume" I meant it not in the sense of a halloween costume and all that that implies but "the prevailing fashion in coiffure, jewelry, and apparel of a period, country, or class" (as websters defines it) - which to me extends to the general look of griminess and desperation, ragged clothing, stench of tar, etc. that is consistent with the working poor of the era be they shipboard or wharf-side. As far as I'm concerned this is more appealing and certainly more authentic as most of the modern reenactors I've seen which - while stunning in their finery (and I do envy their kits) seem just too clean and well put together to fit with my idea of what months of life at sea will do to you. Pirates to most of us symbolize freedom but in reality first and foremost they were desperate, poor, and short-lived and it's that look I'm aiming for with my "costume". Of course this is all hypothetical as in real life I am desperate and poor :) so assembling pieces I am satisfied with is very slow going.

Now, if that all sounded like a rant - I apologize. I don't mean to sound snippy. I just wanted to make sure you guys knew where I was coming from.

[Patrick Hand]

Now, if that all sounded like a rant - I apologize. I don't mean to sound snippy. I just wanted to make sure you guys knew where I was coming from.

I wasn't aiming that comment about "costumes" at you,... You already typed...

I suppose acceptable to carry if your persona is a ships carpenter or a rigger

I was poking fun at the Pyrates that walk around with everything possibley found on a ship (and then some) hanging off thier belt, to look "salty"

[kass]

And I was just making fun of the fact that if it's not a dress accessory, I don't know about it. Kind of a one-trick-pony, me!

[Fox]

When I'm at living history I tend to keep most of my stuff like fids in a bag - my toolkit if you will. It's there and handy if anyone expresses an interest, and easy to get at if I want to do any ropeworking demo's.

The exception is my marline-spike which lives in my belt all the time (except when fighting - it's too damn lethal to even risk taking into combat). There are two reasons: 1. it makes me look a bit salty (as if the tar spattered trousers didn't do that) and 2. it's a damn useful all-purpose tool, not only for splicing but also for poking, prodding, using as a poobar etc. In fact, between a marline-spike and a knife you've more or less got an 18thC swiss army knife - I believe it can even be used for removing stones from horses' hooves...

[MorganTyre]

Sorry again, I didn't really mean to make that earlier post sound fussy. I read it after writing it and thought - wow that reads more negatively than I mean but I couldn't think of a better way to write it so I just added the disclaimer at the end. Glad to know neither you (Kass) nor Patrick took any offense. Now that I've let everyone know exactly where I'm coming from and how I want some level of ye-olde authenticity I'm off to go finish that PVC black-powder cannon I read about somewhere....

[kass]

Cheers Morgan! The next round's on me.