Review for Whitebat Armoury

[LWCM]

A while back in January I contacted Mathias of Whitebat Armoury about making a bascinet for me. He was very helpful and knowledgeable while we figured out what I wanted. I settled on an all 12g mild steel fixed grill bascinet for $130.00 + shipping and did not require a deposit. When I asked he also said that he could put lining holes in the helm for a bit more ($5.00). I sent off my measurements and waited, and waited, and waited some more. I sent several e-mails and PM’s on the archive but there was no response after early March so I went with another armourer in May and called the experience a wash.

Late in August I received an e-mail from Mathias telling me that my helm was done and apologizing profusely for the utter lack of communication for five months. He said that he felt terrible and that he owed me this helm so he was willing to discount the helm to $100.00 including shipping. I took him up on that and I was VERY happy with my decision.

I received the helm and was impressed by its quality. It arrived very well packaged for shipping which is always a nice touch. The lines are very clean and straight. The finish is very good. And at being a 12g throughout helm it’s a bloody tank . I elected to not have the lining holes installed after all because I wasn’t 100% sure I was going to be keeping it as my other helm had arrived a few days earlier.

The only downside of the helm itself was that it was made following my measurements which is 100% my fault. It sits to tight on the sides which is due to my wife and I taking measurements that we have never taken before and not at all the fault of the armourer. Ultimately I am going to be selling it to someone in the local barony for use as a loaner helm so I know it’s going to see all the use it can take.

I would not hesitate to order from this armourer again and I probably will in the nearish future when the armor fund is a little bit fatter.

The grades:
Construction: A
Shipping: A
Finish: A
Price: A
Communication D
Overall: B Well worth the wait, I just wish I had known I would have been waiting.

Pictures:

http://static.flickr.com/90/243933658_ed6027c072.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/93/243933661_6fb5185990.jpg

[Sixtus_Goetz]

Mattius is part of my household. If anyone does need some communication with him, I am willing to get ahold of him and do a little prodding I'm sure he will be reading this also

He does do very nice work though. I have seen many of his pieces up close and they are all very well done.

Cheers

Sixtus

[LWCM]

I'll remember that next time I order from him Sixtus . At first I was greatly annoyed, then resigned. Then out of the blue I get a message! And then a helm! A really good helm! Then I'm wondering what other $$$ I can throw his way so he can make me more neat stuff.

[Ceddie]

does he have a website?

[mattmaus]

You gave me a D for comunication????

Hell I'd have gived me an F-... F--

Sixtus is, as he said, a member of the same house.... and he can vouch for the fact that I crawl under my rock and hide there... a lot.

You really shouldn't have to rely on other people to lean on myself or anyone else you're dealing with. That's BS.

It's also 100% BS what I put you through, by not talking to you, and letting you know what was going on. Like I told you, a lot of my silence was based on the fact that I had nothing new to give you. I didn't want to have to admit that I was dealing with other stuff, and the parts I'd cut out for your helm were sitting on the workbench collecting dust. As you pointed out, something, anything, is better than nothing.

I never want to take a deposit. At least that way I'm only a jackalope, and not a theiving jackalope.

I'm glad you like the helm. I appreciate the review.