“There and Back Again; A Mystery Chunk Tale”

My own personal feelings...

Since the V2 wasn't based on a real-world item (like a Graflex) and the only way to have a replica of the V2 is a modern reproduction, I have no problem with a reproduction chunk. I don't HAVE to have a vintage original. It's just not that big of a deal to me.

That being said, this is still a very cool find. Good luck to those trying to source them. (y)
 
It's totally not worth for anyone to upbid the boots past around 200 which seemed normal before the discovery. Really. There's a few of us with enough to keep them cheap until supplies run out. So please don't go into bidding wars over them.
not sure I understand - does that mean that there's a supply of those original parts on the rpf that will be sold later or that is already being sold? Maybe I missed something in the thread.
 
My own personal feelings...

Since the V2 wasn't based on a real-world item (like a Graflex) and the only way to have a replica of the V2 is a modern reproduction, I have no problem with a reproduction chunk. I don't HAVE to have a vintage original. It's just not that big of a deal to me.

Very much this. I'm perfectly happy to have cast resin replicas on my ROTJ bunker grenade...

Dan
 
My own personal feelings...

Since the V2 wasn't based on a real-world item (like a Graflex) and the only way to have a replica of the V2 is a modern reproduction, I have no problem with a reproduction chunk. I don't HAVE to have a vintage original. It's just not that big of a deal to me.

That being said, this is still a very cool find. Good luck to those trying to source them. (y)

I am kinda with you. For me... having an original just as a thing is cool for memorabilia sake. But for an actual saber given exactly what you said, I'd rather have a repro that I could tap and use a set screw for. The chunk being visually correct to me matters more than the actual brad attachment and it being an original part. To me that would matter more on an ANH OWK (though that also is not a pursuit I have taken since my Roman's is accurate enough for me).

My interests lean towards FX hilts anyway so... the attachment method would be super awkward in an FX setup I think.
 
“The Lord of the Chunks; The Return of Community”

I have titled this section as such because: as we’ve seen before the most contentious part of this process is the automatic tendency to want to profit off of discovery.

I’ll state it simply. If you engage in bidding wars and drive the price up for these boots that’s extremely unnecessary and very disheartening.

More will be found. I’d encourage the objective of the community to be friends and allies rather than profiteers. As you can see... one boot can fetch a high price but may contain very few or many good studs to proliferate.

Bin the studs if you get them. Price them proportionally by their wear if need be. And by all means try not to force the boot values to skyrocket... that’s my hope.

I realize it’s a nuanced process but; it’s been rewarding to share discovery and acknowledge finds and allow friends to win bids at low prices. There are more studs than one person can shake a finger at anyway on each boot (given the boot) and enough to be spread around.

We have the power and ability to prevent these boots from skyrocketing while making it fun.

That said. Myself and I believe others HAVE boots and will sell studs at their leisure... just a matter of time and whoever does so first.
 
Waders...

Hip waders...

Studs on the soles...

I was so godamn close!

Oh man, you were!
‘Hobnails’ was a path into militaria... (I’ll admit an EXTREMELY interesting one)
“Vintage UK Wader Studs” was the path to fly-fishing and tangentially rain-boot ‘fashion’.

I doubt many of us imagined them on the bottom of boots while leisurely standing in a river. Or so I say ;)
 
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this is the image I saw last year that stuck in my mind.... and then again this month. The auction I found this time as a result was a matter of good timing! And the rest fell in.
 
I doubt many of us imagined them on the bottom of boots while standing in a river. Or so I say :)

It somehow seems fitting that the mystery chunk on a beat up old saber that was probably nearly scrapped until they realized they needed it for ROTJ comes from the bottom of hard worn boots.

I’m calling it now, if it wasn’t scrap sheet metal that was lying around, the mystery lever (enigma lever?) is probably from a super rare variant of an already rare old British toilet.
 
Haha micro toilet?

funny you mention the enigma lever. I've been looking into that too along with Bryan. Nothing yet though.
 
It's totally not worth for anyone to upbid the boots past around 200 which seemed normal before the discovery. Really. There's a few of us with enough to keep them cheap until supplies run out. So please don't go into bidding wars over them.
There's a pair I considered bidding on, but if someone on the forum is already bidding on them, and willing to sell a chunk, I'd rather just e-shake on it and buy an individual chunk from them than get in a bidding war to buy 46 chunks plus a pair of boots I can't fit into.
 
I think the real key here at this point is just going to be patience. I know there's a lot of us who want these, but I still think that ultimately there's still probably plenty of them out there. I think if people try to get them NOWNOWNOW there may be bidding wars and hoarding and all manner of weird unpleasantness. But eventually, While there probably are a few hundred of us who care, I doubt there's much more than that. Even among collectors it's a small strange minority that evens knows the mystery chunk is a thing, let alone cares about getting a real one. I'm betting that if I wait a while, maybe get a replica for now, then one day down the road one of you will end up with a pile of nails you can't do anything with and let one go to me for a reasonable price. I wont even mind if you make a small profit, as long as you don't go crazy with it, why not?
 
Another thing I’m trying to figure (and I’ll let everyone know how it goes) is to pull the studs and refurbish them with modern ones.

In my case, my wife actually quite likes the boots and they fit her well!
It seems a bit of a shame to waste all of them... so I imagine that one could make some money on those other particular niche markets even with just a re-sole or re-studding. Perhaps that will be my 3rd tutorial.

The second I am considering is to show how to burn the zinc off the stud safely and reveal the raw carbon steel underneath for darkening or otherwise
 
Presuming you can even get them. For some reason even before this news, these things fall into some weird boot collecting community and are sought after regardless... haha

HAHAHAH... "weird boot community."

Did I know they existed? No.
Am I surprised? No.

If you think the camera collectors hate us, just wait until the boot folk come for us.
 
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