[Nathan Robinson]

What changes has your collection gone through in 2005?

What items did you add to your armoury?

What items did you sell?

[Brian M]

I added the Tritonia, and have the SoSMT on order. Hopefully that one will be done in the next 2-3 months if things go smoothly.
Next year (2006) will probably see a lot more additions.

Brian M

[Taylor Ellis]

I actually didn't add anything in 2005, but I have a big purchase in 2006.

[Jeremiah Swanger]

[C.L. Miller]

I didn't actually recieve much in 2005... my only new swords were an ArmArt S4B that's destined to become a "project" sword once I get some free time and my lovely, lovely Reeve.
As for what I've ordered... well, I've in queue for a few things that'll see at least three years worth of tax returns in Czech hands =)

[Jason Elrod]

Well my collection went through a slash, burn and rebuild phase. I sold everything for various reasons in late '04 and early '05. This year I've added only two swords: an Albion Talhoffer and Phoenix Metal Creations Type XIIIa. Hopefully '06 will be better. Albion threatens to bankrupt me with orders placed on the Munich, Meister, and Lichtenauer, and I also have a custom order set with Manning Imperial. Now I just have to find a way to pay for it all.

[Jonathan Blair]

I didn't add or subtract so much as massively modify.

I have (or should I say had) a Museum Replicas Shrewsbury Sword bought when MRL first started dealing with Windlass Steelcrafts instead of Del Tin. After having it a year or two, the suede leather grip disintegrated and in short order so did the wooden grip. The full width tang was only half the length of the grip with a slightly bent welded rat tail extending the rest of the way, which I think contributed to the problem. Over the years, I have tried different ways fix it, but nothing ever took.

Last weekend, I brought it over to my uncle's house and using his machine shop, we cut that baby in half. The one piece made from the foible section of the original sword is eighteen inches long and the remainder is twenty-two inches long. Concentrating on the eighteen inch section that night, we ground the last five inches of the blade edges down to form a tang, modified two 1/2-inch fender washers to fit the tang as an upper and lower guard, and built a rivet block out of some spare tool steel he had laying around to hold the upper guard in place.

Now, I have the beginnings of a rondel dagger. Time permitting this busy season, I have some filing work to do to flatten the cross section some and a grip to build, and once that is done, I'll take some pictures and post them. Then later, I'll make another dagger out of the forte section.

My purchase will be waiting until early next year when I have enough money saved up: my first Albion!

[Gordon Clark]

Mine went through some big changes -

I added a couple of armour pieces from Valentine, a breast/backplate set and an Italian sallet. I then sold my custom sword from Jason Dingledine and my A&A French Mace, and bought an A&A Writhen Rapier. I somehow lost my Albion utility knife during the year. I also have a custom A&A glaive that should be finished soon, and I have an A&A German Bastard Sword (pre owned) on the way, purchased from another forumite.

Gordon

[Anton de Vries]

2005 was a financial disaster, and to top it off I just lost my job.

Added nothing and sold off a few minor items.

I'm determined to fix the money thing and buy a sh*tload of new stuff in 2006.

[William Goodwin]

2005 was on odd year

Gained a Darkwood Armory side-sword early in the year only to have to sell it off later (reality bites!)
Also added a MRL Type 2 Schiavona that I picked up from E-bay for a steal then proceeded to antique it.

Switched gears a bit with the next two being vintage pieces...

added a P1897 British officers sword / George V
& a model 1902 US Army saber (from ebay @ $26.00!)

Bill

[James Holczer]

As far as my collection goes, 2005 wasn’t to bad of a year. I add a Vladimir Cervenka schiavona (thanks again Nathan) and a custom Rapier from Darkwood. Both were sweet acquisitions. All in all not a bad year.

[Aaron Schnatterly]

What changes has your collection gone through in 2005?
This is "Collection, Version 3.1" - started again late in 2004, picked up a couple of small items, then quickly disposed of most. In Feb, 2005, I made a call to Mike Sigman. It's been "downhill" since then.

What items did you sell?
Nothing of any consequence... a p.o.s. warhammer, gave away a SLO.

What items did you add to your armoury?
A couple of little things...

Production pieces:
Albion Vinland
Albion Knight
Albion Regent
Albion Landgraf
Albion Ritter
Albion Squire
Albion Brescia Spadona
Albion Hersir
Albion Berserkr
Albion Mercenary
Albion Reeve
Albion Munich (on order)
Albion Knecht (on order)
Albion Mair (on order)
Albion Liechtenauer (on order)

A&A French Mace
A&A German Flail
A&A Horseman's Axe
A&A Medieval Knife
A&A Rondel Dagger
A&A Knighty Pole Axe
A&A German Rapier

Lutel Warhammer


Custom pieces:
Eric McHugh Seax
Jesse Frank Seax
Illusion Armoring 16th C harness (actually on order since 11/04, long overdue )
Peter Fuller custom German sallet & bevor (in his queue)
Peter Fuller custom German High Gothic fingered gauntlets (in his queue)
Armour and Castings Gothic Harness (nearly complete )

and finally (but saved the best for last)
Peter Johnsson custom sword and scabbard. (Peter will deliver personally in Sept '06) Snicker-snack!


Personal projects included all armour and soft bits for my Templar kit, scabbards for my Vinland, Squire, Ritter, and (nearly done) Reeve. I also picked up or made some additional clothing items...

All in all, I'd say it's been a pretty decent year for MY armoury.

2006 will show some significant changes. I'll spend a lot more time learning and creating than acquiring. Lots of behind the scenes going on...

[Chad Arnow]

2005 was a pretty active year for me, probably the last one for a while:

Bought:
Albion Regent (& leather sheath)
Albion Sempach (& campaign scabbard)
Albion Mercenary
Sovereign Scabbard (not from Albion)
MRL Towton
Lewis Moore Gauntlets
A bunch of books


Sold:
Albion Mercenary
MRL Towton
MRL Burgonet
Del Tin 2150

[Russ Ellis]

[Joseph Minarick]

Bought:

A & A Iberian Mace
Albion Warhammer Head
Jody Samson Bounder Broadsword
Tod's Stuff Sling (Yeah, I know it's cheating to buy a sling, but he does such great work...)

Of course now that I am back in country I will be able to better enlarge my collection over the course of '06.

[Roger Hooper]

I didn't sell anything

I added:

A custom Tinker stage combat longsword

An Eljay English Baskethilt with ATrim Backsword Blade

An Albion Reeve

A Del Tin DT2175 dagger

[Pamela Muir]

My collection really only got started this year. In 2005 I bought an AT1592, a CF/AT 1520, an Albion SL Bastard sword, and a Darkwood "economy" rapier and matching dagger. I talked my husband into buying an Albion SL Great Sword for "himself".

For 2006, I have on order an Albion Maestro Liechtenauer, and an A&A Italian practice sword.

I place the blame for my growing addiction on Bill Grandy for letting me play with steel during my lessons and then putting swords up for sale. I also give credit to Nathan Robinson and the rest of you at myArmoury for teaching me so much about swords and thus encouraging me. It's been fun.

[Sean Flynt]

In the last year I expanded my focus chronologically, geographically and thematically, pushing back my collection to ca. 1500, encompassing German martial culture and adding armour and polearms. I sold several nice but inexpensive swords that were simply too far outside of my main collecting interests. Combined proceeds from the sale of those items allowed me to add an outstanding on-off piece by E.B. Erickson. My collecting has taken on a more DIY approach as my skills grow. This is partly because this approach is cheaper than buying readymade items, partly because I find the work challenging, fascinating and rewarding and partly because it allows me to add items not available off-the-shelf.

Acquisitions:
MRL "Scottish Burgonet" (reviewd for myArmoury.com)
E.B. Erickson 17th c. English hanger
MRL spear head hafted by myself in the style of a 16th c. Continental boar spear (project documented in forum)
MRL "glaive" head hafted by myself in the style of a 16th c. German Küse (project documented in forum)
An Anglo-Scottish dudgeon dagger in the style of ca. 1600 (DIY project documented in forum)
A German rondel dagger in the style of ca. 1510 (DIY project documented in forum)
MRL German Rapier in the style of 1550 (a rehab project documented in the forum)
A German halberd head in the style of 1500 (awaits hafting in early 2006)
A German mace of ca. 1500 (to be purchased between Christmas and the new year).

Sales:
A reproduction Leech & Rigdon Confederate Staff and Field Officer's sword and sword belt.
MRL "German Falchion"
MRL German "Hanger"

All told, with both acquisitions and sales, including the most expensive piece I've ever bought, I spent an average of approximately $50 per month, or an average of $105 per addition. Without the big purchase the average would be a mere $11 per month or $55 per addition. Sales provided three-fourths of the cash for my big purchase. I bargain-hunt and buy pre-owned pieces. I research. I wait. I "do it myself" whenever possible to save a few bucks. I sell pieces to maintain the balance and size of my collection and fund new purchases. It's all part of the enjoyment.

[Greyson Brown]

Well, some of you have already put me to shame, but 2005 has been a big year for me compared to the previous ones. I finally bought some good swords by adding some Albion offerings to my collection. Specificlly:

Next Gen Crecy
Next Gen Poitiers
Next Gen Squire
Next Gen Landgraf
Squire Line Knightly sword

I also count the improvement of several grips as part of the changes to my collection. Those can be seen here if you are interested.

-Grey

P.S. Early next year will see a Next Gen Agincourt and a Next Gen Sheriff added to my collection, but don't tell Mike Sigman just yet. I need an income tax return first!

[Craig Peters]

I bought an Albion Squire Line Bastard Sword and a Next Gen Knight. And Aaron, the amount of stuff you've bought this year is just sick. Think about all the other poor saps who can't afford those things and then end up reading about your latest additions... :-P