Review: Custom Pirate Hat
The Bilgemunky Logo is a trademark of Bilgemunky Enterprises, LLC
Rating: 
Pyrate Leatheworx
www.pyrate.org
*note: I adore and endorse the craftsmanship of Pyrate Leatherworx. However, I’ve received many reports of late from dissatisfied customer regarding poor communication and long overdue orders. Prior to placing an order based on this review, I strongly urge you to also read the comments that follow.
The time had come.
Too many times I’ve attended pirate events, had a fantastic time, and then come home to grumpy emails from readers saying, “I didn’t know you were at [Pirate Festival]! I was there too – I’d have bought you a rum!” Now, I’m not the sort to walk up to everyone and say, “Greetings, I am Bilgemunky – perhaps you’ve heard of me.” (Actually, I’d gladly do this, except for the fear of them saying, “No – now please leave me alone.”) But I’m also not the type to pass up the opportunity for readers to buy me rum. What to do?
The answer, of course, was a new hat. But not just any hat – I needed a proper hat that declared to the world, “I am Bilgemunky, hear me roar (and if so inclined, buy me rum.)”
At the time of this writing there are only two hatcrafters that I would deem worthy of making such a hat – and I just happened to be drinking with the crew of one of them when I first had the idea (drinking rum I had purchased myself, I might add.) I mentioned my interest in such a hat, and we mapped out a rough sketch together. And a short, crikey-knows how many months later, a box arrived at my doorstep.
The hat is, in a word, glorious. Pyrate Leatherworx had captured the dream I sketched out, and turned it into a hat of unimaginable beauty. My request had been for a black, front-fold hat with feathers projecting at an angle from the center, and stradled by the Bilgemunky logo. And this they did in full – the logo was a perfect rendering (always a concern, as I’d have trouble if the logo looked at all “off”), and the feathers were a billowing cascade that could make any pirate look conceited and self-important. Pyrate Leatherworx threw in the additional touch of a white band around the trim, and the entire hat is lightly beaten and aged so as to look in great shape, but not too new.
The hat looked great, and it fit great. But did it work? I found out at PyrateCon, where indeed, more than one fellow pirate saw the Bilgemunky Logo atop my head and then ordered me up a rum. It was a wonderful, wonderful thing.
Of course, should you order a custom hat from Pyrate Leatherworx, I can’t promise it will have the same powers of attracting free rum. But I am certain you’ll get a glorious, unique pirate hat. And if you have a custom logo added, it will be artfully and accurately rendered, and thus allowing you to declare to the world your piratey identity (or failing that, simply declaring that you have a really nifty hat.)
16 Responses to 'Review: Custom Pirate Hat'
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Ordered from this site and never received the product. Never got a refund. Horrid communication from webmaster. If I ever see them I’m making them walk the plank. Order from someone else.
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Got my refund finally after I don’t know how many emails. They seem like a nice group of people that just have some things to learn about customer service. Although, being Pirates, I guess that might be a bit of a stretch. Anyway, please disregard my last post. I like their product set, just seemed to be a bad time for them so my order couldn’t get processed.
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Ordered a hat from them on October 6 of this year…here it is Christmas….no hat, no refund, and no response from them.
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I placed a 200$ order the 1st of Oct. No product and they do not return emails…..
It’s now Jan12/2010 still nothing -
Unfortunately I had the same experience. Ordered in April 09. Tried numerous times to email. Even found a mailing address and tried that. Na da. A year later I’m trying one more time to contact them but not optimistic about it.
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Still no hat as of this writing (May 2010). Recieved one e-mail (after numerous unanswered ones) claiming that they had been delayed by a family emergency, were working on my hat, and would send it immediately…that was months ago.
Looking into reporting them to the Better Business Bureau or something of the sort.
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Finally recieved my hat today after getting the Better Business Bureau involved. As the review above says, it’s well constructed and well worth the money. Unforunately, due to the whole ordeal I (and it sound like many others) have been through with them, I can’t recommend them.
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Ordered and paid for a hat jan. 2010 never received hat sent numerous email. All ignored. Any help would be appreciated.
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I likewise ordered from Pyrate Leatherworx, a ‘Blackbeard’ hat in March ’10 with still no delivery as of July.
After a pre-order e-mail with Clay regarding sizing and Paypal receipt… nothing.
E-mails all ignored, no refund, nothing!
I’m very disapointed to say the least.Jim
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I’m sorry to note that Pyrate Leatherworx has so many unhappy customer these days. While I continue to stand by the quality of their products, there’s little I can say or do regarding these reports of such poor customer service. I’ve sent an email of my own drawing these comments to their attention – with luck (or rather, effort) maybe they can get back on track.
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Bilge -
Thank you for tossing yer’ hat into the ring on this one.Jas. Hook
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7/13/10 Update Received
I’ve received an e-mail from Clay at Pyrate Leatherworx explaining a speed-bump that created delays in some of the orders and that they are trying to catch up and complete backorders. He expects to catch up shortly.
Jim
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I had ordered a hat from the pyrate leatherworx on Feb. 9th of 2010. I sent tons of emails and even attempted to get a hold of them on myspace. I got one e-mail in return stating they had “been delayed” and were working on my hat and would ship it out within a week. A month and a half passed, I contacted the BBB, pyrate leatherworx ignored them, until I finally found a phone number, after scouring the net, and called them, asking for a full refund or reporting them to an internet crimes service, which they responded too and issued my refund. On a much brighter note, after dealing with them, I contacted Jeff MacKay at Captain Jack’s Pirate Hats. After explaining my problem with the pirate leatherworx, he came to my rescue and had a custom Buccaneer hat sent to me within a month. I’d say, if anyone, go with Captain Jack’s, he has great customer service and the quality of the hat is absolutely incredible.
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Same as the rest. Ordered a Barbossa Hat 4/3/10. One response from some Clay about bad felt. Also ordered a black leather belt, but he failed to mention it. Bad cows, maybe. Missed Sherwood, Scarby, AND TRF is fast approaching! Aargh…(cough, cough!)
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For those inconvenienced, I apologize, we are working dilligently to catch up on any orders that were delayed. Unfortunately this year we’ve had various issues with a felt supplier, a seamstress, and a family medical situation. Since all items are custom made by us, completely by hand, these types of situations can cause a domino effect. Depending on the items ordered many orders are on schedule but there are some outstanding orders from earlier this year that are behind our standard 6-8 week schedule. If you have any questions about your order or feel you have fallen through the cracks, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do what we can to correct the situation. Clay pyrate.leatherworx@gmail.com
I bought one of the pyrate.org hats, & it is not only awesome but quite affordable. I highly recommend them!