Review: Frederick de Fulbert 15th cent spring elbows
Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:20 pm
Hello,
back in the end of September I purchased a pair of spring steel 15th cent floating elbows from Frederick de Fulbert of Cold Forge Armory. http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... t=#1205590 Frederick was very understanging about me needing to pay by personal check rather then pay-pal.
Check was cashed in late september and there were a few issues with shipping but eventually he got everything worked out with UPS and they arrived Monday.
Elbows are deceptivly light for their size. The body is a rolled cone with single rivet which is appropriate for the time period but the flange is 2 pieces and welded on which is appropriate for modern production. The exterior weld is profesionally clean and well sanded which is tricky for an interior curve. The interior edge of the weld is sharp and I will be fileing or grinding it a little to blunt the edge. Finish is brushed which is fine. Straping was provided and I love the buckles but I will be redoing the straping so the buckles match my suit. I will be saving the existing ones for another project. Also the interior of the elbow was painted black under the strapping to prevent rust which was a good touch.
In general quality is an 8, which puts them above much of what's on the market. Delivery was a 7. There was no promised delivery date so I can't complain but it was 4 weeks from check cashed to product arival for 'off the shelf'. Communication was a 6. He responded to all my questions promptly but when he knew that there was a shipping issue with UPS I would have liked a notice about the delay rather then waiting until after I sent him an e-mail asking about the delivery date.
Overall impression is above average and I would be more then willing to do business with him again.
Sean
back in the end of September I purchased a pair of spring steel 15th cent floating elbows from Frederick de Fulbert of Cold Forge Armory. http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... t=#1205590 Frederick was very understanging about me needing to pay by personal check rather then pay-pal.
Check was cashed in late september and there were a few issues with shipping but eventually he got everything worked out with UPS and they arrived Monday.
Elbows are deceptivly light for their size. The body is a rolled cone with single rivet which is appropriate for the time period but the flange is 2 pieces and welded on which is appropriate for modern production. The exterior weld is profesionally clean and well sanded which is tricky for an interior curve. The interior edge of the weld is sharp and I will be fileing or grinding it a little to blunt the edge. Finish is brushed which is fine. Straping was provided and I love the buckles but I will be redoing the straping so the buckles match my suit. I will be saving the existing ones for another project. Also the interior of the elbow was painted black under the strapping to prevent rust which was a good touch.
In general quality is an 8, which puts them above much of what's on the market. Delivery was a 7. There was no promised delivery date so I can't complain but it was 4 weeks from check cashed to product arival for 'off the shelf'. Communication was a 6. He responded to all my questions promptly but when he knew that there was a shipping issue with UPS I would have liked a notice about the delay rather then waiting until after I sent him an e-mail asking about the delivery date.
Overall impression is above average and I would be more then willing to do business with him again.
Sean