Spec Changelog: July–December 2025

What Changed, When, and Why
Updated as new batches ship and clear QC.

This page logs buyer-visible changes to specs, finishing, fitment, materials, and policy. It’s mainly here so you can see what has been refined over time. I note changes that affect how a piece looks, feels, fits, wears, or is supported.

Each entry has three parts:

• Change — what I adjusted

• Why — the reason

• Impact — what you might notice

Entries are grouped by product category and listed in reverse-chronological order. Dates are your main reference: if your order went out after a date, that change likely applies to your piece.

Picks

This covers spec, material, and engraving changes to in-house Iron Age picks.

[2025-09-01] · Picks — Imperial Collection (Xiphos, Imperator, Bellona, Legatus, Archon)
Change: Rotated the engravings for a more central alignment between emblem and sword motif.
Why: Some pieces showed a slight rotational offset that was visible when checking the emblem against the blade line.
Impact: Cleaner, more centered look when viewed face-on. No change to thickness, edge shape, or feel.

[2025-08-22] · Picks — Legio Ferrata Collection (All Models)
Change: Swapped from a generic UHMWPE to a brand-name UHMWPE material and scrapped the remaining old blanks.
Why: To improve consistency in sheet quality, color, and surface behavior from batch to batch.
Impact: Texture and wear should be more uniform across the line. Feel and thickness remain in the same range, but small variations between batches should tighten up.

[2025-08-22] · Picks — Legio Ferrata “Centurion”
Change: Slightly enlarged the perimeter notches.
Why: To bring the notch size closer to the main emblem scale and allow the sanding tools to fit the recess more efficiently.
Impact: Notches read a bit bolder visually and feel a touch more defined under the fingers. No change to overall outline or thickness.

[2025-08-22] · Picks — Legio Ferrata “Pugio”
Change: Slightly enlarged the notch detail.
Why: To match the updated Centurion notch proportions and simplify sanding in that area.
Impact: Notch detail is a bit more visible and consistent run-to-run. Core shape and edge feel stay the same.

[2025-08-15] · Picks — Iron Age Delrin (Logo) — Standard Size
Change: Reduced logo size by about 15% so it no longer spans the full face of the pick.
Why: To better balance negative space on the front and bring the look closer to the jazz versions of the same series.
Impact: The pick face looks less “filled” and the logo sits more comfortably inside the outline. Grip, thickness, and edge profile are unchanged.

[2025-08-15] · Picks — Iron Age Delrin (Logo) — Jazz Size Update
Change: Replaced the discontinued small Jazz III–style blank from the manufacturer with a larger Jazz XL–style blank, keeping the same 1.2 mm thickness.
Why: The original small jazz shape is no longer produced; the Jazz XL is the closest match that keeps the line alive at the same gauge.
Impact: Tip and shoulder are slightly larger with a bit more real estate under the fingers. Thickness and overall response remain similar, but players used to the tiny Jazz III footprint will feel the extra size.

[2025-07-25] · Picks — Macassar Ebony Spearheads
Change: Reduced the logo size by about 10%.
Why: To cut down on polish seeping into the engraving during finishing and to clean up the overall balance on the face.
Impact: Logos sit a bit smaller and crisper, with less risk of softened edges from polish. Shape, thickness, and bevel are unchanged.

[2025-07-25] · Picks — Parthenon Collection (Jazz III & Spearheads)
Change: Reduced logo size by roughly 10% across the line.
Why: To visually match the Macassar Ebony Spearhead logo sizing and improve overall proportions on the face.
Impact: Logos present slightly smaller and more consistent across Parthenon pieces. No change to edge profiles or thicknesses.

[2025-07-18] · Picks — All CNC-Cut Profiles
Change: Recalibrated CNC toolpaths for smaller cutting tools, trading some cutting speed for tighter paths and higher part density per sheet.
Why: Smaller tools allow more accurate outlines and finer internal detail, while fitting more picks onto the same material.
Impact: Edges and small features are a bit cleaner and more precise. Players may notice slightly more uniform shapes across a batch; there’s no impact on thickness or material.

[2025-07-10] · Picks — All CNC-Engraved Pieces
Change: Moved engraving work to a newer, smaller CNC with a modern 32-bit controller.
Why: The newer control hardware produces smoother, more consistent engraving compared to the older 8-bit controller, even though the previous machine was still within spec.
Impact: Logos and decorative cuts should look a bit crisper with fewer tiny stepping artifacts. There’s no change to the base materials, thicknesses, or shapes.

Knobs

This covers spec and supply changes to guitar knobs, including bases and IA-made tops.

[2025-09-07] · Knobs — All Metal Bases
Change: Switched to a new guitar knob base manufacturer after the previous supplier went out of business; first batch received and passed QC.
Why: To keep the knob line in production with a stable, long-term source for knurled metal bases.
Impact: Fit, height, and general feel are matched to the prior bases and checked in-house. Most players shouldn’t notice a difference; this change is mainly about continuity of supply.

Killswitches

This covers wiring, LED options, and supply changes to Iron Age killswitches and pre-wired harnesses.

[2025-08-15] · Killswitches — Vintage Gold LED (Blank)
Change: Phased out the blank-top Vintage Gold LED killswitch. Only the logo version remains in the line.
Why: Demand for the blank version was noticeably lower, and keeping just the logo version simplifies the line and keeps branding consistent.
Impact: Existing blank units are still supported while supplies last, but new orders will be for the logo-only version going forward.

[2025-08-15] · Killswitches — Spartan Steel LED (Blank)
Change: Began phasing out the blank-top Spartan Steel LED killswitch; it will be discontinued once remaining stock sells through.
Why: Similar to the Vintage Gold version, the blank variant sees lower demand and adds complexity to a relatively narrow category.
Impact: For now, remaining blank units may still be available until stock is gone. After that, only the logo version will be offered. Existing blank switches remain supported.

[2025-07-01] · Killswitches — Latching LED 
Change: Removed the red and blue LED options, consolidating to a single white LED offering.
Why: The manufacturer increased minimum order quantities, and latching LED switches are a lower-volume item; carrying multiple LED colors was no longer practical.
Impact: New latching LED orders are available in white only. Older red and blue units remain supported while supplies last.

Policy & Packaging

[2025-11-12] · Policy & Packaging — “The Oath” Article Added
Change: Published The Oath — How We Build & What We Stand Behind as the single page that explains what’s made in-house, what’s partnered, and the standards Iron Age is held to when something goes sideways.
Why: To put all of the concrete facts—process, provenance, QC, and support—in one place instead of scattering them across product pages and FAQs, and to draw a clear line between story and shop practice.
Impact: New and returning players can quickly see how pieces are built and what’s guaranteed, without having to guess or piece it together. It’s now the reference point for how I handle build quality, repairs, and fairness in support.

[2025-11-05] · Policy & Packaging — “Sword & Laurel” Article Added
Change: Published The Sword & The Laurel: What Our Mark Demands to define what the sword-and-laurel emblem stands for in terms of intent, discipline, and earned rest—for both maker and musician.
Why: To make the meaning of the mark explicit and separate the myth/ethos side of the brand from the concrete build standards later laid out in The Oath, as part of a small brand restructuring.
Impact: When players see the emblem on a pick, knob, or switch, they have a clear statement of what it’s supposed to signal—intentional work and kept promises—without confusing that story with the actual specs, tolerances, and policies that live elsewhere.

Matching Your Order to These Changes

Use your order date and the approximate ship date as a guide. If your order went out after a listed date, that change most likely applies to what you received. If it shipped before, it probably does not.

If you’re close to a change date and not sure, or your item doesn’t match the spec you expected based on what you see here, reach out through the contact page and I’ll help you sort it out.

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