The Armour Archive

Hey everybody, I figured this would be an appropriate place to get some help. I placed an order with Waldrk (website http://www.waldryk.com/ back in June for a Basic Bascinet, and I was told that I could expect it by October/November 2005. So, both those months roll by, I ask to find out what the story is, and I hear that there have been some delays. Well, okay, I can understand that, and they tell me they'll try to get it to me by the end of December/beginning of January. And that was the last I heard from them, back in mid-December.

I have e-mailed and called several times since then, and the e-mails have gotten no response, while the phone calls have been unanswered without the possibility of leaving a message (rings and rings until I get the 'call cannot be completed at this time).

So, I really want to get this helm so I can start fighting--anyone know any other way to get in touch with this guy so I can get some head protection and see some action? Or, if the helm is nowhere near to being finished, get my money back and get a helm from Forth Armory or Armour and Castings?

I'm sorry to bring this up in a public forum, but it's in the hope that someone might know something I don't.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

i just bought off the shelf type armour from ashcraft baker and it took more than a month to ship. he's supposed to be fast. you can only imagine how long a custom made one might take.

just remember what someone told me at practice, if armorers were reliable, they might have normal jobs

OH Man, thats the guy that makes the Valsgaurd looking helm with the antler face gaurd...I LOVE that helm!

Just stick with it. I orderd some arms from him and it took a year to get them. Great work just a little slower. Keep asking for updates.

Edward

The real problem is that I haven't heard anything in about two months. I just want to be able to get in touch with Waldryk and find out what's up; I'm sure I'll be able to borrow a helm for the time being. Really, I just want to be informed.

email them everyday, and tell him you want your helm or your money, that should get his attention...

David Stifler wrote:The real problem is that I haven't heard anything in about two months. I just want to be able to get in touch with Waldryk and find out what's up; I'm sure I'll be able to borrow a helm for the time being. Really, I just want to be informed.

Just FYI, But waldryk was just Announced for Elevation in Knighthood.

He has been walking around for a bout a month or so with that "pole axed" look.

I'm not sure on his normal shipping times (I just drove down to a fighter practice to get my arms and gaunts) but I work with HE Master Jon Tristram the kingdom seneschal. I can ask him tomorrow if he has heard from Waldryk.

My present helmet is from him, and regularly turns heads and is grabbed often for photos! He does SPLENDID work.

He does take his time, but what he does is wonderful. Please be patient... I nad many I know wno have purchased from him just LOVE our beautiful, low-maintainence, reasonably priced, SAFELY BUILT works of the armourer's art.

David, I am currently in the same boat as you. I placed my order with Waldryk in April and was given a delivery date of August. Well, we are now in February and I still have no helm. I can usually get Snow (his wife) on the phone once a month for an update.
Updates are not really accurate. I was told one month it was going to the grinder. The next month I was told it was going to the grinder. My last update was that it will be in March.
Although VERY frustrating, and their poor communication does not help, he does do beautiful work. I have just come to the conclusion that I will get my helm when it is finished, and to quit calling. Although very poor at estimating delivery times, I have never heard anyone talk about him not coming through eventually. All you can do is be patient, or request a refund and go to another armourer. Good luck, I'm there with you.

Uric

Blackoak wrote:David, I am currently in the same boat as you. I placed my order with Waldryk in April and was given a delivery date of August. Well, we are now in February and I still have no helm. I can usually get Snow (his wife) on the phone once a month for an update.
Updates are not really accurate. I was told one month it was going to the grinder. The next month I was told it was going to the grinder. My last update was that it will be in March.
Although VERY frustrating, and their poor communication does not help, he does do beautiful work. I have just come to the conclusion that I will get my helm when it is finished, and to quit calling. Although very poor at estimating delivery times, I have never heard anyone talk about him not coming through eventually. All you can do is be patient, or request a refund and go to another armourer. Good luck, I'm there with you.

Uric

I had the same experience. Order placed in March of 05 and helm recieved in November of 05. Repeated calls and frustration but he did come through with a nice helm.

He can be slow - I know he has had a lot of turnover in help at his shop, his recent vigil, involvment with a recent reign. BUT I have had 2 helms from Waldryk, and they are not only beautiful, but close to bomb-proof. Well worth the wait.


Dilan

brookswift wrote:just remember what someone told me at practice, if armorers were reliable, they might have normal jobs

There ARE exceptions...

BTW Ive examined a few Waldryk Helms, and wouldn't hesitate to order one one. They were very well made.

brookswift wrote:...just remember what someone told me at practice, if armorers were reliable, they might have normal jobs

Define normal.

I ordered one of his helms Nov 04, was told I would have it March 05, got it May 05. (not a bad wait if you ask me) Well worth the wait, I would be happy to order my next helm from him, I would not care if it took a year as long as it looks as good as mine does. If he and his wife could get their communication skills down pat and just tell people helms take a year there would be no room for complaints about them.

George

I guess I should feel fortunate that i was a customer long before I made any armor. To me, you should say 4 weeks when you mean 2, 6 weeks if you're running 4, etc. When we had that hurricane hit here recently and we lost power, water, and everything else, for a week, I didnt even have to email people because nothing was shipped late.
.
If a guy gets his armor 2 weeks early, he either wont even notice or be pleasantly surprised, but if he gets it a day late, its just late...
and even if the piece arrives perfect, but took twice as long as quoted, the transaction is still tarnished in the mind of the customer.

Why this is so prevalent in armor making I have yet to understand, but after 11 years in the SCA I know it Just Is...

Seems like padding delivery times to allow for unforeseen personal problems or machine malfunctions would be a simple way to alleviate a lot of the problems. I had no way in advance to know we were going to have 60-70 mph winds 100 miles inland, but when it happened and I had a 2 week buffer, it sure relieved a lot of the stress of worrying about late orders, and when things got back online, I was still shipping a week early or on time. And when the thing hit, I immediately padded ANOTHER two weeks on orders i was currently taking in.

And it doesn't take a year to make a helm, same as it doesn't take us three weeks to make a set of spaulders. Its those 300 orders in front of those spaulders that takes the three weeks. You have to be able to look at your workload and do a honest estimate of how long it will take you to get through those orders, then simply pad it a little so, at the very latest, your customer gets the product on time.

Stonekeep wrote:I guess I should feel fortunate that i was a customer long before I made any armor. To me, you should say 4 weeks when you mean 2, 6 weeks if you're running 4, etc. When we had that hurricane hit here recently and we lost power, water, and everything else, for a week, I didnt even have to email people because nothing was shipped late.
.
If a guy gets his armor 2 weeks early, he either wont even notice or be pleasantly surprised, but if he gets it a day late, its just late...
and even if the piece arrives perfect, but took twice as long as quoted, the transaction is still tarnished in the mind of the customer.

Why this is so prevalent in armor making I have yet to understand, but after 11 years in the SCA I know it Just Is...

Seems like padding delivery times to allow for unforeseen personal problems or machine malfunctions would be a simple way to alleviate a lot of the problems. I had no way in advance to know we were going to have 60-70 mph winds 100 miles inland, but when it happened and I had a 2 week buffer, it sure relieved a lot of the stress of worrying about late orders, and when things got back online, I was still shipping a week early or on time. And when the thing hit, I immediately padded ANOTHER two weeks on orders i was currently taking in.

And it doesn't take a year to make a helm, same as it doesn't take us three weeks to make a set of spaulders. Its those 300 orders in front of those spaulders that takes the three weeks. You have to be able to look at your workload and do a honest estimate of how long it will take you to get through those orders, then simply pad it a little so, at the very latest, your customer gets the product on time.

This is why I placed my order, money and confidence in you, Micheal. On the mark exactly. You are the rare breed in this business, that knows just that, it is a business, and conduct yourself thusly.

Well, there was a lot of guys doing business the right way before I ever came along...

Just some of the ones I have done business with like Andre at Icefalcon, Eric at Ironmonger, Cet, Halberds, WMA. There's a long list...

When reading the archive you have to remember that people normally don't post when they are satisfied, they post when they aren't.

Like back to Waldryk.. I've had several friends who were VERY satisfied with their purchases. I wouldn't hesitate to buy from him. I would imagine for every order he's sent out late hes sent two dozen out on time.
Just being up for knighthood tells me what people in his area think about his character. But like Lebreton said, maybe he should just pad his delivery times to a year so when he does get bogged down, he's still on time.

The good thing about a guy like Waldryk is you know it's coming. Just steer clear of ordering from guys that have depression issues because they live where there's six months of darkness every year...