Pyrate Leatherworx
www.pyrate.org

Reviewed product: Custom Eyepatch

This may come as a surprise to you Jack Sparrow lookalikes out there, but part of the excitement of being a pirate is getting to dress in a fun and unique manner. Sometimes this means choosing the right slops and jacket, other times it means sporting a fine hat or funky facial hair. But other times it means we get to ACCESSORIZE!

Eyepatches are a longstanding staple of the pirate look. For the healthy-bodied individual they're more comfortable than peglegs, and less dangerous than hooks (remember not to pick your nose!). For those disinclined to doing much research, eyepatches are generally available in three styles - black leather, brown leather, or Walgreen's Black Satin (right next to the athlete's foot medicine.) But that's why it's important to read Bilgemunky.com, because in this way you can know about all the fantastic options available to you. And when it comes to eyepatches, in fact, the options are quite infinite.

Pyrate Leatherworx makes and sells eyepatches. And if you want plain brown or black leather, they're happy to oblige. But if you'd like to add some embelishment, this is where they truly shine. They're indeed quite happy and capable of making you an eyepatch that sports just about any sort of decoration you might imagine. For myself, it should come as no surprise that I opted for the Bilgemunky.com logo, figuring they would just grab a premade black patch and paint it on. The actual process appears to have been a bit more involved.

My completed eyepatch is rugged and textured. The logo is not only painted, but embossed, chiseled, and in all other ways "built in" to the leather. This creates a looks that's original, rustic, and is easily the most "historically feasible" rendition of my logo. It's not often that the Bilgemunky.com logo is made in such a way as to almost look period, but in this case it's not much of a stretch. The patch itself is sturdy, and surprisingly rigid. It's formed into a domed shape, making for a comfortable fit. And Pyrate Leatherworx uses a unique strap method that ensures there are no knots to distract any and all admirers.

For anyone wanting a fancier patch, but not wanting to trouble with coming up with a design, Pyrate Leatherworx offers a couple standby images, those being skulls and (disturbingly) eyeballs. But for those wanting a truly one-of-a-kind eyepatch to set them apart from those other lubbers, a Pyrate Leatherworx patch could serve you well.