New Stirling Arms

Meet Rory Duncan. Jim (left) and Rory (right) have become great friends. Rory contacted us last year wanting to learn a little bit about making wasters and ended up apprenticing with Jim. We can't say enough about Rory as a person and a woodworker. And we are proud to say that he is continuing to make the wasters Jim created, through generous feedback and support from all of you, and now has his website up and running. When he and Jim aren't fishing (and Jim isn't rebuilding our house), Rory will be making wasters for you. You can visit his website at www.duncanarms.com. New Stirling Arms was a gift to us and it feels oh so good to give it back.

It is with joy, a touch of sadness, but most of all humility, that Jim and I announce imminent closing of New Stirling Arms as a waster manufacturer in March of 2019.

We officially retired from attending public events and faires in 2016 and began what is probably Jim's greatest challenge yet; renovating our 100+ year old home in the Gold Rush country of the Sierra foothills. Friends, we have pulled square nails out of this house! Jim recently finished producing custom, wood sash windows and they are exquisite. It is a new adventure unfolding and we are having a great time.

If you intend to make a purchase from us in the near future, please do so before March 1 as the website will officially go dark mid March. After that, all regular production will cease entirely. All swords made in this final period of construction will have a -19 in their serial number signifying that they are the last of their kind. Jim may be available for custom work on a case-by-case basis as time and energy allow. You may reach us at this email to make such inquiries.

We will forever be profoundly grateful to all of our customers throughout the past 17 years, most especially those of you who were so influential in the early years as Jim developed his art. In particular we would like to thank John Clements and the amazing men and women of ARMA Association for Renaissance Martial Arts, including Stewart Feil and the incomparable cook in Houston, Texas, Steaphen Fick of the fantastically successful Davenriche European Martial Artes in Santa Clara, Paul Tosetti and Melissa Tosetti of the Tosetti Institute of MMA & Fitness in Redwood City, Miles Robinson for envisioning the swift, German long sword waster, and Cameron Smith for lots of sanding. Without you all, we could never have done what we did....

5301 wasters, including
901 hand and a half long wasters, our most popular waster
463 German wasters, with 33,825 views, the most views of any item on our website
62 Mainz rudius (rudii?) sold to the Pentagon for the departing Harvard Strategists
332,283 website views, not including catapults
264 events in 6 states
Website sales in all 50 states and 14 countries (including Russia, Finland and Greece)
Most expensive waster ever sold: The very first balanced waster for $1700 at a RESCU auction in 2016

Thank you, thank you, thank you for everything from the bottom of our hearts.
Love,
Jim Colgate and Tina Bailey

Jim's first custom job of the winter season. The roast beef booth for the great people of Daybreak Crepes and Coffee at the Dickens Christmas Fair.

Heads up to our loyal patrons! You will continue to be able to order our wasters on our web site for many years to come. Jim will also be more available for custom work as he retires from the renaissance faire circuit only. Thank you for the first 14 years of business. Here's to 14 more!

Come visit New Stirling Arms at Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire this weekend and next!

This is New Stirling Arms' final year on the faire circuit as Jim heads into retirement. We hope you will all come see us and enjoy this time with us.
2016 Faire Schedule:
May 7, 8, 14, 15 Southern Cal Renaissance Faire
June 18, 19 Oregon Renaissance Faire
August 6,7, 13, 14, 20, 21 Washington Renaissance Faire
September 17 - October 16 Northern Cal Renaissance Faire
October 1, 2 KVMR Celtic Festival, Grass Valley CA
October 15, 16 Folsom Renaissance Faire

This is where you will find Jim this weekend. Such a joy and honor for New Stirling Arms to return to this biannual event for the 5th time!

ARMA Houston - ARMA International Gathering 2015 In August 2015, the members of ARMA Houston, Texas welcome you to join us in a three day training event. This 6th ARMA International Gathering will give like-minded swordsmen from around the world the opportunity to train together, share our knowledge, and cross swords. It is a chance to enhance you…

New Stirling Arms travels to Washington for the first time ever at Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire in August. Hope to see you there!

The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire

August Jaussen's completed Jester Sword. The hilt was hand painted to match the costume he wears as an actor at the Northern California Renaissance Faire. Thank you so much for the opportunity to create this little gem, August!

Business meeting to finalize plans for 2015. It's going to be a great year as we make trips to some new places. New Stirling Arms will visit Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire for the first 2 weekends. We will also be at Southern California Renaissance Faire for a guest artist spot. We always look forward to ARMA's biannual International Gathering in Houston, this year in August. As usual you will find us at Valhalla Renaissance Faire and Northern California Renaissance Faire. If we miss you, you can always hit up our web site at www.newstirlingarms.com.

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It starts this weekend and runs for 4 more! The second oldest renaissance faire in the country. Come see us! We have lots of special pieces we don't usually have on the rack....like a Zweihander with purple heart accents!

Northern California Renaissance Faire The village of Willingtown has returned to Casa de Fruta for another season, bringing with it the pageantry, revelry, and romance of the most popular time period in history! The Northern California Renaissance Faire brings to life a colorful, bustling Elizabethan village, complete with a championshi…