REVIEW: Chivalry/Revival Cats-Paw Finger Gauntlets

[Woeg]

REVIEW: Chivalry Bookshelf / Revival Enterprises: Cats-Paw Hourglass Gauntlets (late 14th century)

This is my latest review on my newest armour acquisition, a pair of finger gauntlets by Chivalry Bookshelf / Revival, as found on their website here: http://revival.us/cats-pawhourglassgauntlets-2.aspx

Warning! Long review, with pics!

THE ORDERING PROCESS

Back in January, I was given the go-ahead by my darling lady to order a set of finger gauntlets as a birthday present. I contacted Revival, since they were running a preorder on the gauntlets above and I was definitely interested in them. My request was for a set of finger gauntlets in stainless steel, with matching knuckles/fingers. At the time, the only items in stock were the mild gauntlets, but I was told that the stainless parts should be in within a month, and that following that, the gauntlets would ship within two weeks. I placed my order at that time, and my order was acknowledged on the 29th of January. My total price, for stainless gauntlets with stainless fingers was $527.30 after shipping.

Despite what I was quoted in the initial email, the website quoted 8-12 weeks delivery, so I resolved to expect that as the time, rather than the 6 weeks quoted as a possibility when I ordered; one, the stainless parts weren’t in yet, and two, having put in a bit of time in a production armoury, I know that armourers can get backlogged with such things. After twelve weeks had passed, I asked politely for an update. I received none. A week later, I asked politely again, and was told that there was a screw-up at the metal shop and they cut out the wrong metacarpals. I gave a polite thanks for the update, and waited.

At 17 weeks, I still had yet to hear anything, so I contacted them via email again to ask for an update, and again received no reply. At 19 weeks, I asked again, and was then told that the stainless metacarpals had finally been received, and that my gauntlets were on the workbench and would be about a week longer before shipping. I was elated! Alas, my elation was for not. At 23 weeks, I again VERY politely asked for an update, since I have been told four weeks prior that the gauntlets would be one week. Again, no response. At 24 weeks, I asked again. Again, no response. On the 25th week, I noticed a toll-free number on the site that had not been there before, called, and was told that the items were in the shop, should be shipped within a week, and that I would be called back with an update. I was not, though I wish I could say that such surprised me.

At 28 weeks, I was frustrated enough to write another polite email, though this one of sterner stuff than the previous. I let the armoury know that, while I would forgive them a delay in response due to Pennsic, I was expecting a firm response by the 20th of August as to the status of my gauntlets (their site declared they would be back and responding to emails by the 18th), or I would be forced to pursue other avenues to resolve my order (i.e., refund, etc). The 20th came and went, and I heard nothing. Ten days later, I received an email that said “Payment Receivedâ€

[Godric of Castlemont]

Nice to see a review that is not all 5's, thank you.

[chris19d]

I've found it easier to get a hold of them by phone than email but the speed that they throw out an answer leads one to suspect that its made up with out looking up the order. I was told my order shipped saturday, and the order just updated to shipped with in an hour or so, and the tracking number comes up as "no information found" consistent with a freshly shipped package no one that had been floating around the fedex system for 3 days. Not a huge deal, and not a deal breaker for ordering from them again but annoying.