Review of ashcraft baker. Buyer BEWARE!!!

[Swete]

Take the money you would use for the legal assault, and spend it on a new helm. But, continue to warn any and all newbies you come across of the dreaded Ashcraft-Baker monster who devours the money of the uninformed.

[Deansinger]

I'm looking around for a different helm already. Just sent off another email inquiry to Ashcraft, but I really don't expect a reply. Call it a lesson learned. I still don't have a lot of money to throw at it, and I still have a big nose and wear glasses (part of the reason I chose the helm I wanted from him, it looked like it had room to accomodate). I just bought a house and have been moving my family and horses down from Nevada, so a large amount of money is unlikely to suddenly become available.

[Balkr]

be awares-

They are back on EBay sellling as "poverty2riches"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FRENCH-SCROLL-S ... 337983e278

Balkr

[Paladin74]

be awares-

They are back on EBay sellling as "poverty2riches"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FRENCH-SCROLL-S ... 337983e278

Balkr

Are you sure that's them? I checked their listings...they have 3 AB helms and a whole host of other stuff that is nowhere near anything remotely medieval. Just a thought. Those helms also look a lot better than some of their stuff that I have seen.

[GunnarUlfson]

be awares-

They are back on EBay sellling as "poverty2riches"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FRENCH-SCROLL-S ... 337983e278

Balkr

Are you sure that's them? I checked their listings...they have 3 AB helms and a whole host of other stuff that is nowhere near anything remotely medieval. Just a thought. Those helms also look a lot better than some of their stuff that I have seen.

They are both in Tucson, AZ. Might be a coincidence, but....

[Kain556]

at this point shouldnt this post be locked as everyone should know by know just dont...

[Balkr]

Not completely certain but when I saw those I thought they looked familiar. If you go to their website, they have the same helm on the front page-

Balkr

[Domingo]

More than likely a friend or relative that he has huckstering this stuff for him (not that Kelly has many friends). Looking at the sales history, they have only started selling the SCA/LARP stuff in the last month. Looking at the profile pic, Kelly isn't in it but that doesn't mean a thing.

[Swete]

Just thought I should reawaken the totem of horror for all the new guys to behold and tremble with fear.

[Count Johnathan]

http://www.facebook.com/#!/kelly.ashcraft.165

[Bender]

I bet he's making more doing signs.

[Grimbah]

Wow he's a real person... I thought my helm was just a mysterious creation from somewhere many ages ago...

[Effingham]

It's always depressing when you find that evil (or even just indifference) has a face.

[Bender]

I can see mobs of guys roaming the streets of tuscon, looking to yell "Hey Kelly-I want my money back NOW!!!!" And the ensuing yakkety sax chase scene

[Domingo]

I just love the fact that he has his house mapped on his FB Page...I'm not that crazy

[Foxman]

2 weeks ago new fighter at fight practice says they've been looking at getting a helm
found place good price, looks ok
group of us fighters are like cool - where from
new fighter - ash... baker... something?
dawning horror in our voices - ashcraft baker???!?
puzzling look on new fighters face - ummm yeah
Us - oh sweet jesus no!

Yet another helpless soul saved!

[mulloy99]

Same thing happened to me when I ordered my helmet.... this was what i said on another review...

mulloy99
Post subject: Re: Ashcraft BakerPosted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 8:13 pm
New Member


Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2010 8:21 am
Posts: 38
I bought a the Celtic Helmet and there Mild Steel Gorget. I was told that I to get it in 3 weeks, it ended up taking 3 months. When I got it the helm was beautiful...bbbbuuuuutttttt the gorget was a piece of SHIT!!! the rivet for the letter snap came off and i had to fix that, there was rust all over it and and didn't fit at all. Over all if you need a cheap loaner helm for a sea group it is a good choice. But personally i would go to illusionarmoring.com they have great armor and will make it right if anything is wrong!

good luck my friend,
c

[Amanda M]

I'm not sure I would even recommend Illusion. Their delivery times are monumentally slow. I wouldn't order their stuff myself unless it was in stock. There's such a good list of armorers nowadays that they aren't in my top armorer list anymore. Ten years ago they were but even then it took a friend of mine two years to get her helmet.

[muttman]

I just found out last week that one of our new guys got screwed by him too.

[Ingvarr]

it's like a right of passage in the SCA. Everyone should have to suffer through either being ripped off by him or worse, having to wear one of his helmets.

[Brennainn]

I have a friend who will never fight again because of one of those helmets. Screw him.

[zippy]

I am still getting emails about him. Again I am the Baron in his area, but I haven't seen him in over 5 years. I can't do anything to help, sorry.
Zhigmun' aka zippy

[Caius705]

I have a friend who will never fight again because of one of those helmets. Screw him.

What's the story behind this? If you don't mind telling. If not, no worries

[Brennainn]

A friend of mine ordered a helmet. The helmet caved after about a year of use causing a concussion that took several months to get over. When he called the armourer to ask, apparently the armourer said that he was using cheaper steel( apparently this is all recoreded by E-mail, but I haven't seen it myself.) I looked at the helmet and it was crap. I actually made him a new one, a real nice one actually, and he had to give it back saying that he has to quit fighting. He views this as the straw that broke the camel's back he has been fighting for a long time. He has a boy and wants to make sure he's around enough to be around. I need to get pictures up, we are selling the helm and some of the proceeds are going to my firend, but I digress. Anyhow, Ashcraft Baker sells an inferior and unsafe product. No helmet should fail suddenly enough to cause trauma. The equipment isn't worth buying even when it's there. I twas supposed tyo be a 13 g hat. We don't hit that hard around here.
As I had said, screw em. Don't buy from them, don't buy equipment that they have made, it's unsafe.

[WmOfLoddington]

When did AB become so crappy? Reason I ask, I think I may very well be the exception to the rule. I am not defending them by any means. From what I have read in this thread, i will NEVER do any business with AB again and consider myself lucky with my original transaction with them. I ordered a starter helm from AB about 4 years ago. It still has solid welds and the rivets are still holding strong. All I had to do was strap it and due to my freakishly long neck, I had to add an aventail. But, as everyone has said, it is ugly as homemade sin. Now, it is time for me to go more persona appropriate, so after the holidays, i am going to begin looking for a good Greathelm. Several folks on another thread suggested accdntprone. I have made contact with him and "made the introductions". Like I said, I am not defending AB, I just like to let folks know when I have a bit of good luck, for it isn't often. BUT, I won't be taking that gamble again.

William

[AedanMac]

Thought I would toss a since a question was raised today about AB.

[jlg520]

sweet mercy. five pages of this. almost sorry i asked... almost.

in today's news, the e-mail listed for orders and paypal on the AB website now gets kicked back undeliverable. so that's probably good.

[thunderwinde]

sweet mercy. five pages of this. almost sorry i asked... almost.

in today's news, the e-mail listed for orders and paypal on the AB website now gets kicked back undeliverable. so that's probably good.

I'd wager he's just changing to a new one - probably just a few too many claims on that one...

[Paladin74]

I think I just did a good thing...had a relative newbie in the IWTB a Crusader thread mention that he hadn't heard back from Ashcraft about a helm, could we point him in the right direction...so I did. Toward Hjalmr or ArmourerEric (it was his pricepoint).

[SigRandr Vadrefjord]

Once again thanks Paladin for the link for me to actually see what all has happened with A/B. I was referred to him by a Knight in my barony. Like I said in other thread finacial arent where I would like them to be right now but in a couple of years I would love to buy one of Icefalcons helm. I currently use loaner gear which i wouldnt mind doing until i had the funds for a really nice helm, however in my barony we cant take loaner gear home with us and there are night when our practice gets canceled but there are 2 other practices i could goto that are close to me (within 45-60 min drive) that i cant go because i dont have my own helm. My armor is being made currently but in 2 months out the only thing that i am lacking is my helm. I just need to deside if im going sugarloaf or greathelm. Once again thanks for saving me from A/B

cheers!

[Maddoux]

I'm just gonna bump this up with my own anecdote.

One year ago tomorrow, I ordered some hilts. I'm not a heavy fighter, not now at the very least, but I enjoy doing woodwork and was working on some shields and whatnot for a few of the other newbies. I figured some cheap hilts that could be used on practice/non-combat shields would be nifty. I placed my order at 7:03 PM. At 3:10 AM on the 13th, I had a response with the shipping price. I paid, and received notice of payment at 11:43 AM that day.

That was the last I heard from him. As mentioned, almost a year has passed, and still no hilts. I've given out all the shield blanks that I had made, and given away the rattan I'd purchased. I haven't really missed out by not having the hilts, I really don't care. I'm a brewer and a bard, and I have a rapier kit all ready to go. Had I gotten the hilts in, who knows what I'd be doing now.

I'm down seventy bucks, but I've still gained a lot more over this last year than that money is worth. I could worry about the money I've lost, but the sound of beer brewing soothes me. I'll let you all fight, I'll provide the drinks and libations once the sun has set.

[Joseph]

Between 6 and 7 years ago each of us started with an AB helm.
Master Horace would eventually outgrow his after getting a concussion.
Mine got a nasty dent in it.
Nkante still has his and its in decent non dented shape.
KiTT has his and fights in it every week.

I would never send someone to AB for a helm as I've read this thread twice now.
But I am surprised he got that bad bc for ugly football helmet like helms, the price was enough.
Sucks to hear it

[Roland Brokentooth]

For just a little more than AB charges, you can get a perfectly good (and more period looking) helm from Emorokian Arms or Ironmonger.

[Paladin74]

I think this thread should probably be stickied.

[Swete]

I think this thread should probably be stickied.

Sadly, it cannot due to potential legal issues (slander and such.) This way, JT does not assume liability as he is not necessarily "approving" it. We just have to keep it near the front page.