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Dean F. Marino
Location: Midland MI USA Joined: 24 Aug 2011
Posts: 229
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 Posted: Thu 08 Jan, 2015 9:20 am Post subject: Relating a GREAT Vendor Experience - Celtic Web Merchants |
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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
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.
In edhil, hai edhil. In edain, hai edain.
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Harry Marinakis
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| Posted: Thu 08 Jan, 2015 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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I just bought a helmet from them, received it today
Another satisfied customer
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Matthew Bunker
Location: Somerset UK Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 483
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| Posted: Fri 09 Jan, 2015 10:37 am Post subject: |
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| Harry Marinakis wrote: | I just bought a helmet from them, received it today
Another satisfied customer |
Really? Which one?
Their early medieval helmets and most of their weapons (especially the seaxes) are all dreadful.
Although they don't actually make them, they're just an agent.
"If a Greek can do it, two Englishman certainly can !"
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Mick Jarvis
Location: Australia Joined: 18 Jul 2010
Posts: 78
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| Posted: Fri 09 Jan, 2015 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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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.
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Harry Marinakis
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| Posted: Fri 09 Jan, 2015 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Matthew Bunker wrote: | Really? Which one?
Their early medieval helmets and most of their weapons (especially the seaxes) are all dreadful.
Although they don't actually make them, they're just an agent. |
I was in the market for an inexpensive 10th C Viking-style for $100 or less that was readily available. What I did not want was a $800 helm and a year's wait.
So I bought the St. Wenceslas helm, looks like it's from GDFB. I'm happy with it.
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Mark Griffin
Location: The Welsh Marches, in the hills above Newtown, Powys. Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 802
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| Posted: Sat 10 Jan, 2015 1:02 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Celtic Web Merchant in Great Britain |
They are based in Holland.
Seems like you got a very good deal with the chapes.
Like most similar importers and re-sellers you can find the odd tolerable item that may be useful in some circumstances. Most of it is pretty dire. A look on their jousting and gladiator page made me shudder with horror. Sword wise they seem to stock everything from Spanish tourist souvenirs to Depeeka up through Windlass, Cold Steel and Del Tin.
As for their armour. 90% is fantasy (although with the usual paragraph on how its based on this or that in this or that style), to very poor and the other 10% I might expect to see on a film or re-enactor on a very restricted budget. And I'm being VERY charitable there.
But if you care about getting decent historical artefacts that are an accurate representation of what they are supposed to be there are other, better suppliers around.
On a slight tangent- Ecologically I object to the squandering of energy and resources to produce this crud.
Currently working on projects ranging from Elizabethan pageants to a WW1 Tank, Victorian fairgrounds 1066 events and more. Oh and we joust loads!.. We run over 250 events for English Heritage each year plus many others for Historic Royal Palaces, Historic Scotland, the National Trust and more. If you live in the UK and are interested in working for us just drop us a line with a cv.
Last edited by Mark Griffin on Sat 10 Jan, 2015 1:29 am; edited 2 times in total
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Jeroen T
Location: Holland Joined: 23 Oct 2013
Posts: 56
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| Posted: Sat 10 Jan, 2015 1:14 am Post subject: |
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I totally agree.
I've bougth lots of stuff from them and met them in their showroon.
Very nice people and great customer service.
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Harry Lindfors
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| Posted: Sat 10 Jan, 2015 1:14 am Post subject: |
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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!
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Sat 10 Jan, 2015 10:36 am Post subject: |
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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.   
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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