Hoping Barta will get to me soon as it's been nearly 6 years on the waiting list. I am set for 2011 for an inspiration of XI.5. from Records.

Pay off an Albion Vigil.

Tods Stuff fancy eating knife with shear steel- plus one of his maces.

That should be it. THis is actually a big year for me in the hobby department.

I spent the last year working on a late 14th kit; maybe a few soft-kit odds & ends to further flesh that out.

Do not yet have a bollock dagger, so I may remedy that.

I find myself the proud custodian of several offerings from Albion, but they are naked and look cold, so scabbards & suspensions are likely to be the main focus this year. Two of these are messer based weapons: Knecht & Soldat. So, if I get work done for these, there may be the addition of by-knives & prickers to accompany them.

I'm contemplating to acquire a cervelliera for my 12th century kit, to wear under the mail coif. The one I have is property of the company, and pretty ugly (including a rubber padding).

Alternately a chapel de fer (obliviously to wear over the the coif), but I have a pretty big head, and I have difficulty to find my size (and at the moment I don't have the income to purchase a custom piece)

I'll take a dive into the 15th century, to be more specific: into the 1480s. Three armor parts are already ordered:

A german halfvisored sallet, a bevor and a pair of gauntlets. All three are based upon existing pieces. Perhaps a breastplate with tassets will follow in summertime.

Several handmade clothings will accopany my new kit as soon as I find the time to make them.

Regards,
Thomas

2011 looks to be a great year for me!

I still have two years to wait for my Polish Sabre from Patrick Barta (by that I just mean my place is due to come up in line...) so stay tuned for "What's on your list for 2013?" for that one!

But I DO have a custom, very ancient historically based spearhead and buttcap in the late design stage from Fable Blades (a very cool design too, I might add) and a damn-near-every-single-edged-cutting-sword-known-to-man inspired "fantasy tactical" (for lack of a better way to describe it) heavy cutting Dao in the pretty much designed and ready to go into production stage from DJ at American Kami.

And any day now, maybe even today when I get home from work, my new "Bottleslasher" telescopic cutting stand will be arriving... Very exciting. These things are very cool and not so expensive... http://www.bottleslasher.com/ So it looks like it's time to retire my very aged homemade wooden stand, and to get my old Kat out for some exercise. She's been sitting so patiently on the rack for months, waiting for just something like this to happen... There are some local Hokushin ShinOh Ryu Iaido guys who want to start having cutting comps in my area (I've never tried one, on account of not really having practiced cutting that much), so I might use practising for that as an excuse to raid the neighbourhood recycling bins. Haha!

Purchase or project completion in 2011

Sooner:
Breast/fauld from MT (due in a few weeks)
Sword inspired by paintings of Memling (ready to begin)
GDFB sallet project (in progress)

Later:
Bluing and turks' heads for A&A Town Guard
Rebuild/redesign for A&A Dürer
Austrian bastard sword ca. 1500
Single-hand sword ca. 1461
Early 15th c. falchion
Buckler
Morion-Cabasset

Dreams:
Mail standard
Jack or livery coat

i hope to finish a few kits this year. clean up the loose ends as it were. heres to the 5th BC Greek, 3rd BC Etruscan, 1360 English man at arms, 1774 Militia, 1880 wild west, 1970s Navy Chief

Blackening my armour and replacing the leather and buckles, and getting my soft kit even more dialed into the turn of the 15th century. A dagger would be nice. I have a new late 15th century longsword in the works and and looking at finishing up my germanic baskethilt.

The only thing for sure so far is the AA custom 'O' from the pay-it-forward contest. I've had a preliminary dicussion about commissioning something (likely late Viking Era) from a local swordsmith I have not tried before, but nothing firmed up yet.

PS - I plan to invest in some better display furniture. Last fall I discussed the basic design for vertical sword display with a local carpenter (he built some of our kitchen furniture and does wonderful work). If and when that comes about, I'll be sure to post a picture. This is a side of our hobby that tends to be undervalued.

First, in the next few weeks, a viking type H brass plated hilt on a Hanwei Saxon blade and a scottish ribbon hilt in transition between early SW11 and later beak nosed construction on a Windlass blade, both by Alojz Krišto. Later in the year a dane axe, petersen type M, that I planned in 2010 but the project got delayed because Hanwei Saxon appeared... After that, who knows... Maybe some transitional viking/medieval hilt on a Hanwei Tinker Viking blade (brazil nut, cocked hat?), we'll see...

In 2011 I plan to finish up my first "real" kit, WotR era billman/glaiveman. That means:

- Gauntlets, probably armour and castings basic gothic.

-Pole weapon, probably a GDFB glaive.

- Rondel dagger #1 from Tod's stuff.

-End my obsession with shiny metal and buy a complete soft kit.

I might also make what I consider a "big purchase" and get either an A&A Knightly Poll axe or an Albion liechtenauer.

Might also (if finances permit) a 16th century militia kit. Probably just a soft kit +sword.

That's about it. :)

Rondel Dagger from JT
Italian Pole axe from A+A
A set of Milanese legs from St George
A late 14th c. Italian helmet and a pair of spears, one for sparring, one sharp, from Manning Imperial
A Fiore longsword from Albion (not ordered yet)
A scabbard for Fiore longsword from Tod's Stuff (discussed but not yet ordered)
18th c. officer's saddle from Stuart Lilly (for mounted combat)

Wow. I think I need to go earn more money...

I'm not sure what 2011 will hold. With my buying strategy and spotty income, it's often a crap-shoot to figure out what the next year will look like.

I know I'll get in two custom pieces commissioned in the second half of 2010, one from Tod's Stuff, one from A&A.

Beyond that, I'm not sure. I have a little money squirreled away (not enough for a really good sword). I'm pretty much out of room in my display stand, so one purchase might be a jigsaw and a little bit of lumber to add onto it. Any new weapons I buy will just compound the need to add on to the stand.

But I could use a nice baselard. Books are always an option, too. I want to make sure I have enough for Tobias Capwell's book on English 15th century armour if it comes out in 2011.

So I guess I don't know. Definitely a book or two. Maybe another small item or two, like a dagger or short polearm. Maybe a trip to the doctor if I hurt myself using the power tools to add on to my stand. :)

I have three projects slated for 2011:
* an "antiqued" dirk on order with Vince Evans that is on track to be completed in January
* an early style dirk from Tod that is expected around March.
* an 18th century style hunting sword I am making myself from parts and castings

Those are the only definite projects I have slated for 2011, but I am always on the look out for quality reproduction 18th century swords, pole arms and things of Scottish interest. In particular, I would love to upgrade my sporran.

Chris

Hmm, on my list definitely are some underarmour paddings- some experiment with nalbinding and chainmail from finds in Russia; then another experiment with mittens in nalbinding technique for use in combat...
Hope to finish them this summer...