Armory Review: GK Armory

[MJBlazek]

I recently recieved a new breast and back plate from GK Armory.
It is SS, brushed finished, burgundain gothinc with tassets and faulds. Cost =$610

Armor Quality & Fit.... 10
This is a beautiful breast and back. Simple yet elegant. I sent Jeff my measurments and it fits perfectly with out ever having gone to a fitting.

Turnaround time.... 8
I was told that I would have it in Nov. but didnt recieve it until Feb.
While the qaulity of the armor made it worth the wait it still took longer than originally said.

Communication...9
Communication was great...after I got on about it a little bit. I didnt have to try hard, but It took a mimimal ammount of coaxing.



Overall Impression....9
Great armor, great guy!
I would do business with Jeff again in a heartbeat!



Here is a link to GK's website...

http://www.gkarmory.com/
and to the breastplate on the site

http://www.gkarmory.com/gothicbreastplate.php




Matt

[LWCM]

Do we get to see pictures of your new armor? Maybe a link to GK's website? Congrats on your new shiny stuff

[wilmot]

MJBlazek,
You got such a deal, Kelson is one of the best there is.

Ronald


PS. You still don't deserve it.

[MJBlazek]

Update...

So I took my new armor to the first fighter practice Ive been too in almost a year....and you know what!? People were a lot nicer to me this time!! heh heh heh


Really, the armour recieved praise all around...and of course some people who lifted it up were, "Man Im going to dent that thing on my first hit" until I informed them that it is made out of stainless.

I gave everybody who asked GK Armory's web address.


Also the helmet that Halberds made for me took in its share of praise too...a lot of ooo's and ahhh's all around. Though it does require a couple more components/modifications.


Its fun to make armor geeks drool!

[Gerhard von Liebau]

Could you show me what helmet you have from Hal? I forgot which one you got... Does it historically go with this armor, or is the mix currently a bit of an anachronism?

Glad the cuirass is working so well for you, sir!

Cheers!

-Gregory-

[Sean Powell]

I recently recieved a new breast and back plate from GK Armory.

Turnaround time.... 8
I was told that I would have it in Nov. but didnt recieve it until Feb.
While the qaulity of the armor made it worth the wait it still took longer than originally said.

Matt

Thats a a minimum of 8 weeks late and maybe 12 if it was the delivery was the end of February. You gave this 8/10. I have a lot of respect for Sir Kelson as a person and for the quality of armor produced by GK Armory but it never ceases to amaze me how we as buyers are tollerant of missed delivery dates in this field.

Profesionally I have a supplier that is 4 weeks late with a delivery of $27,000 in medical components. They are delaying the launch of a product that is costing several thousand dollars per month in lost revenue. 1 month late and they rate maybe a 5. 2 months late and I have our purchasing department pull them from our approved suppliers list.

I guess that is the difference between the business world market and the hobby historical recreator market. It's not that I don't understand the complexity in creating one-off funcional works of art, and its not like all my projects are done when I think they are going to be, but I have to think that a business that is being run like a business should have a better grasp of its delivery schedule then that...

...just my oppinion of course.

Sean

[MJBlazek]

I tried to give him a lower score on it..I really did!! Hes just a really nice guy!


Gregory...heres a link to some pics of the helm....its a little anachronistic....only a tad...probably the nicest helm in Malegentia though.

[Gerhard von Liebau]

Here's why I think the 8/10 for the turnaround would be acceptable...

-If there was no date that the cuirass was "absolutely" needed by.
-If GK kept in contact throughout the process, informing him of the delays.
-If It wasn't TOO long a wait.

-Gregory-

(p.s. I don't see the link! )

(EDIT: @ link below. Thanks, sir! Yes, the helm is a bit ahistorically creative, but it looks sweet! I'm sure it goes great with the cuirass!)

[MJBlazek]

There was no date...and I wasnt in a hurry.

Kelson was finishing his reign as King of the East Kingdom...so I knew he was busy.

He pretty much kept in contact.



oops! here you go! http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... highlight=

[Sean Powell]

Kelson was finishing his reign as King of the East Kingdom...so I knew he was busy.

O.k. THAT any Scadian will accept as a plauseable excuse. Lateness forgiven.

What concerns me is the number of armorers who are late as a standard operating procedure... those that arn't winning crown tourney rarely have acceptable excuses but we accept them anyway.

I suppose I'm just pissed off because I'm now seeing this affecting my project at work and its stressfull.

Sean

[wilmot]

Greetings,
Kelson not only was finnishing up his reign but started a job which limited his time greatly. He has spent just about every free bit of time since then working on orders and considering the product at the price (I watched Kelson make it, the pictures do not do it justice) you got such a deal. Kelson just gloved a pair of 1050 spring steel gauntlets I made and they are as good as it gets.

Ronald

PS. You deserve it less than ever
(Sorry, it's now tradition)

[Blackoak]

Something that plays a HUGE factor (IMO) in late delivery time is communication, which he said was great. If my order is late, and I am notified, I am a lot more tolerant. I think we as a group tolerate this more than in the regular business community is because it is handmade by true craftsmen. I am currently waiting on a piece of armour that is going on 7 months late, and the ONLY communication I ever get is when I finally catch them on the phone to get my new delivery time. Very Frustrating.

Congrats on your armour, it is really beautiful work!

Uric