What arms and armor are you planning to get in 2017? Is it something definite? If not, is there anything that you wish you could get, but not right now?

I have nothing planned. I may well give in to a few impulse buys during the year. If I was going to get another custom sword from Arms and Armor, it would be for this rather odd sword from the Askeri Museum in Istanbul. I'm curious to see what it would be like to wield it.

How about you?

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I'm playing the waiting game, to see if any new H/T fittings come to market. Thinking about doing something with a H/T bare blade. :D The wheels, they be a' turning. :D .............McM

For the first time in perhaps seven years I have two custom commissions coming due this year. One coming from Spain which is more on the fantasy side of things, and one from Poland that is going to be a high end historical full kit. If anybody is interested enough to guess who the commissions are with, I'll post some concept drawings/photos. But only if somebody can guess who the commissions are with - in the spirit of having some fun with this!

I might pick up a random anything else if I find a deal too good to walk away from (there are very few of those anymore).

Perhaps a few odds and ends from MRL or far Eastern Europe for a low cost costume (its been over a decade since I did that).

Mostly I'm saving money to get the last of my bikes switched to disc brakes and so I can get a convertible sports car. I'm in the heart of the mid life crisis years, and I have designs to drive something entirely pointless but entirely fun while my parents are still around to disapprove of it, and to completely enjoy it!

If we guess one do we unlock the information for that one Joe? If so, is the one from Poland being done by Maciej Kopciuch?

This is the second year in a row after quite a few off that I have some things in the works.

I am on Rob Miller's waiting list for a custom Type XII with a blade based on the Cawood sword.

I am also currently on Brian's list at DBK for a custom rig for my Longship Armoury Celtic custom hand and a halfer.

If I hit the lottery I would throw enough money at a few others to make me some custom fantasy inspired blades.

Scott, I can't wait to see that R.M. Cawood! Of course, we will be anxiously awaiting a full-on progress report! :lol: I think the Cawood is a fantastic design. I absolutely love my Hanwei Cawood. It's the best looking, best handling sword I own. Something about that long, sloping guard just makes it 'click' in so many ways. I'm sure Rob will build one that is 1000% better though. Send him a box of extra camera film!! :D ........McM

Hello
I have a Kriegsmesser coming from Vladimir Cervenka early this year.

I'd really like to buy a Prince and a Laird from Albion this year to complete my XII to XVII collection (for many years I've wanted to own one of each of the Oakeshott sword classifications, including the "a"s that fall into the 14th century). Also I'd like to finish working on the scabbards for the swords I already have. And maybe order some scabbard bits from Todeschini.
Another handgonne (tannenburg style) and an A&A spear would be nice for my arms collection too. But those are much further down my wants list. I have a crossbow tiller I need to finish carving and then assemble and 2 dozen longbow arrows I really want to complete before the spring.
-Terry

Scott, your Maciej Kopciuch guess is correct.

I will attach <the> concept drawing of the sword. Its a fairly simple Type XVI but the attention to detail is what I suspect will make it special. The furniture is a bit on the rare side in the historical record according to Maciej (straight cross is the common variant). He did find some museum examples so it is historic but not quite common. Scabbard and suspension will end up being modeled on some other period appropriate examples he has posted on his site.

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Aww...too bad, Scott. Those Cawood-style fittings are superbly comfortable in the hand. It allows such a free-flowing, rocking motion. Whatever you get, I'm sure it will be spectacular....coming from R.M. Back in my glory days, I almost commissioned a custom Claymore from him....now....wish I would have. :( ....But....I ain't dead...yet. ;) .....McM

I plan on getting the rest of the Austrian 1861 family, I have the full length already, (dated to 1909 with regimental engraving not the blade) and am saving up to get either the 1907 Landwher or the shorter but stockier 29 inch Variant.

Ought to finish my targe by the end of the month, and considering a miniature one after that. Also planning a set of little belt knives to go with them... though I only want one, I've got lots of material for furnishing, and the sweet spot as far as shipping goes would be to order three blades.

Then there's that Elamite dagger. Whittling the grip scales is tedious, but once they're fitted, it should all come together very quickly. Routing the scabbard will mean lots more tedium though.

And a bunch of reenactment arrows: the light "show" ones with the Bulgarian socketed points and genuine reed shafts, and some heavy-duty bamboo shootin' arrows with tanged points that won't pop off when they lodge in a wood target.

And a crescent sparring shield. The core and handles are done, I just need some thin rawhide for the facing, and a nice design to paint on.

And a little Scytho-Siberian stick-and-rawhide shield. And finish fitting the handle for the spearhead I bought in 2015.

Oh, and a new scabbard for my Iron Age Irish dagger. I found out that the glue I used on the first one is probably what's causing the blade to rust.

If I get a job, I'll obtain a blade for that hunting sword project I've had on the back burner for six years. I also want to buy an epee du soldat. Probably from G.G. Godwin.

And commission some iron Achaemenid javelin points.

The bronzes... maybe next year. Getting waxes cast at an art studio is expensive.

I'd also like to sell or otherwise clear out some of what I already have.

Joe, that design is great. Something about a wheel pommel and slightly flared guard with a hand-and-a-half grip always struck me as perfection.

I think the one thing I WILL buy is the 'relatively' new Cold Steel Viking hand axe. I think with a little careful reshaping of the head, and some haft staining with a leather wrap, it will make a sweet fighting axe. Making the beard a bit pointier ought to shave off a little weight, and it should wind up being pretty quick in the hand. :D .........McM

I would like a nice example of a Keris... the price however seem to have shot up recently. Gone are the days when I was buying them for £20 a piece.. :(

This year I'm going to join my local HEMA club finally! :D :p I'm excited!
The Kansas city swordsman's guild.

Bought another Scottish National firearm late in 2016 - a fowler - which does not count for 2017 of course but unless I find something similar that I cannot live without, probably nothing. Although...a model 1872 Colt open top would be nice.

Currently planned this year, a very nice project with Maciej Kopciuch, that should be done in a few months... but I guess we'll talk about that soon enough, so no spoil at the time.

And, I'm also discussing with Leo Todeschini for a nice Hauswehr set, that would be used in real-life conditions... hiking and cooking. We will see!

I would like to do many, many more, but that's a little frustrating to have tons of project but not enough money...

I have one thing coming to me that has been years in the making. The planning and discussion started way back when I had more cash available to me. I guess that is how life is sometimes. Luckily I have things to sell to pay for it now!! Nothing else is on the list, though. I will show the piece once I get it.

Roger, I really like that original and would love to see a modern creation made of it!

Hmmm...Nathan. I THINK I might know the answer to the piece you will be getting soon. I won't spoil it by giving away any speculations though. ;) :D .........McM