Wanted to relate a very POSITIVE experience with a vendor....

I recently hunted down some of the less expensive Medium Steel Chapes that a number of us use when constructing scabbards.
Celtic Web Merchant in Great Britain has these....

http://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/scabbard-chape-medium.html
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Even with shipping, these were a very good deal. So I got 10. Once they finally escaped from US Customs and got here, I was a little disappointed to find that I had been sent 10 SMALL chapes - really only good for daggers.

So, I contacted Celtic Web Merchant. They immediately sent me the right MEDIUM chapes, and asked me to KEEP the small chapes as a gift.
Folks, that is STUNNING performance from a vendor - it hasn't escaped me that they probably took a loss on this transaction.

I'm highly impressed with these folks - they've illustrated extreme honor when things go a bit awry.

I just bought a helmet from them, received it today

Another satisfied customer

i have purchased a few items form them over the last year or so.

and i have to agree with Dean, they are great at customer service and excellent to deal with.

I totally agree.

I've bougth lots of stuff from them and met them in their showroon.
Very nice people and great customer service.

I ordered this from them late november last year:

http://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/early-nor...elmet.html

I specifically asked them, as this was a christmas present (to myself), whether I could have it before christmas. They answered that there was no chance of that, as they had a long queue of work on their list. On the 23rd of december, I received a notification from our post-office, that there was a package waiting for me. Yes, it was my helmet!

Considering that the helmet was custom made to my measurements, I think their service is beyond outstanding. A helmet, made to measurements, in less than a month, and during the christmas rush, of all things. For the price, the helmet is outstanding, and with padding and mail coif, it fits like a glove. Big thumbs up for this company!

I haven't ordered or purchased anything from them, but I find it very useful to know about good customer service from a vendor that seems to be honest, and in certain cases, like with Harry in the post above, exceeded expectations by avoiding " Over promising and under delivering ", which is often a curse with some makers or vendors.

( Some very high end makers are surprisingly still in business even when their bad customer service is known to many, and given a pass with lame excuses for repeated missed deadline and broken promises ).

The quality of the product is a separate issue and a lot depends on the size of one's pocketbook, their specific knowledge about historical accuracy or knowing the quality of what they do decide to purchase.

I have bought high end Albion and A&A swords for example but I also occasionally buy some Windlass or Del Tin because I liked the specific product and was ready to compromise for the sake of a much lower price point.

Also some judicious choosing about what a vendor has in stock is up to the person: Other good vendors also sell SLO and wall hangers and very low end fantasy movie swords but at the same time some also sell Albion or A&A.

Finally one might only find one thing like the chapes that might be appealing. ;) :D :cool: