Updates

Sorry about the lack of posts... I've been busy with work, reading & other household projects. I plan on writing at least 3 posts this weekend & an eBay update - I recently purchased 3 nice New & Old World arrows & I'm watching some interesting auctions ending Sunday.

A word about eBay

I'm admitting I'm behind the curve here. I became familiar with eBay fairly early, but I did not become a serious eBayer until recently. I started selling books back in 2003 and have been selling progressively more in the interim. I think my first purchase was in fall 2002 - it might have been a lot of old youth bows and a workshop-made crossbow. Right now I purchase two or three items a month via eBay.

I've cut back lately. I don't pay for items with my checking account. Most of the time, I can make enough cash selling books and objects to place reasonable bids on many items. I've found it also helps to limit searching. I used to make several searches once a day (which even then would not find every item I'm interested in); I currently watch a couple of seller's items and occasionally search my saved seller's items.

My big, secret strategy for winning...I place several low bids on lots of items. I lose most of my auctions, but when I win them the price is right. If I end up winning more items than I'd expected or can afford, I sell the surplus (often for more than I paid for them). I don't bid on auctions manually (unless I'm away from my laptop and I have to bid with my phone). Instead, I use a sniping service to bid within the final 8 seconds of an auction. It pays to take advantage of best offer and buy it now options if possible.

I'm bidding on a whole bunch of knives, spears and arrows tonight and will report on the outcomes shortly.

Previews...

I just received a nearly-complete Ngbandi stabbing lance from the Central African Republic. I will get to that next week. I also have a workshop-made medieval-type crossbow in the mail (but that will probably have to wait until I get to my other crossbows). I will describe a few Asian spears shortly, and review "Material Culture of the Formosan Aborigines" by Chen Chi-Lu when it shows up in my mailbox. Particularly interested (of course) in Formosan crossbows, arrows, etc. Should be some nice pictures of the Formosan knives with integral handles, like the Northern Philippines hinalung and pinahig knife/spears.