Confession is suppose to be good for the soul. I hope so become in some Freudian-sense, I need to get something off my chest. I am a Weapons whore! Yes, I know, sad but true. An otherwise fairly upright person getting sucked down into the bottomless pit of weapons depravity. I may look normal and act, well, fairly normal - whatever that really is anyway! - but let me get to a computer terminal and I immediately close the door, draw the curtains and hunching over the terminal start looking a forbidden and graphic sites...like myArmoury for new listings, Track of the Wolf, ebay; the list comes on and on. I am soooo ashamed!

My addiction to steel pornography came slowly and insideously like most perversions. I started out think "Wouldn't it be nice to collect handmade versions of the Brown Bess Long Land Patters musket!" Then I thought, "Well, there are pistols from that period as well" and then swords and then pole weapons and then I got interested in my Scottish heritage and became - alas!!, the depths of depravity, a basket-head!!!. Then I got hooked on certain makers like Vince, ELJay, Eric, Craig, Tod, Ian and others.

See what I mean? It just takes over and...gee, does any one know of a Twelve Step Program for someone like me? Maybe Swords Anonomous?"

Maybe Nathan needs to put in a new Forum for those addicted...upps, no, that would be like a candy store offering diabetic testing suppies or a liquor store sponsoring an AA meeting! Okay scratch that idea. Maybe we just need sponsors so that when we see something outstanding, we can make a call and get a fellow Forumite to talk us off the ledge. Opps, No. That's wouldn't work so well either because our sponsor would probably talk us out of buying it so they could make a offer themselves.

Guys, I just don't know. I can't take it with me...but I just can't help myself! I guess I will just have to settle for sewing a big Scarlet Letter "S" on my shirt and live with the shame!

[ Just mostly tounge-in-cheek! :p ]

(I will take this opportunity to offer you the same service offered to Mr. Michael Edelson in this earlier thread.)

Dear GG Osborne,

It appears to me that you have a very serious case of TMW (Too Many Weapons). I am a professional. I am here to help you. Simply ship the majority of your collection to me and I will ensure they are cared for properly until you recover.

Even with my obviously impaired sense of morality, I couldn't inflict that pain on another human being. Thank you, however for your obvious compassionate nature and kind understanding of my problem.

This maybe a bit like the gremlin on your shoulder whispering in your ear, but I for one like you just the way you are :)

Best
Craig

Nothing for it but to force you to hit bottom. You won't recover until you do after all. I recommend buying a couple thousand dollars more worth of weapons till it bankrupts you. Then when you realize your "sickness" you'll be able to work toward recovery...and sell off all the weapons at discount to the rest of us. :-)

I really appreciate your advice. It is certainly worth considering seriously. You know, I've given this alot of thought and have come to the conclusion that it would probably be best that I just melt all of the swords down into scrap steel, sell it to a junk dealer and distribute the proceeds to the poor in humble repentence for all the harm I've done. How could I live with myself when I envision your poor wife and family sitting in the cold while you are sitting in the cold house admiring your collection. It gives me the collywobbles such thinking about it. So, sorry, I think the destruction idea is best.

uuuugh....leather....now that is a constructive idea. Were you recommending bindings, suspension or restraint?

CG,

Have you attended the Western Martial Arts Workshop? I know the name sounds innocuous, but I was recently informed that it's 'a drinking group with a sword problem' ... could be just the self-help group you're looking for ...

Can we please keep this topic focused? Now where were we...ah yes

GG Osborne wrote:

...leather... bindings, suspension or restraint?

Hummmm...a weapons pimp with a big sword, now that's a fresh concept!