"to lancer specs" .. i lost some $!

[762s]

not really sure where to go from here.

commissioned people mentioned or listed in the forums

kinda feel like im out some $ -- well, yeah, i am out some money thats for sure!

box of goods comes in and well, im not to impressed

~ boots are wrong - i should be able to rework them -- okay

~ vest is wrong - sell it back to the maker?

~ gave up on the bund/pouches/cod piece -- they are not correct either

and now with a suit sent off to another, who seems to be shut down now .. im thinking how many people get taken of advantage of as a buyer in this costume world.

so, onto the problems

see for yourself --

 

 

couple things wrong with the boots besides looking preowned -- "lancer approved" huh?

 

 

 

and the vest -- i cant even move my arms up or place a hand on the opposite shoulder, not to mention ..... this

 

 

 

what? is it unfinished? white showing in the sleeves? -- "lancer approved" huh?

 

 

 

im not to sure what to think .. i really dont want to send the items back and take the risk of never seeing them again.

 

 

 

well, one lesson i learned with paypal and commissioning people is to get a invoice and not pay through friend and family even if asked ... that wont happen again!

 

 

 

i dont know .. i think on how 501st could make their own items/basic and lancer items (or whatever for other detachments).. sell the goods .. and not have use new comers be taken by others who claim they can make something to "spec" ... when the item gets into the buyers hands its not to spec

 

i have seen couple of boots posted not to lancer spec and where bought from members on the forums .. this shouldnt happen!

[Stroker]

I don't see anything wrong with the boots. The vest I can't tell via mobile. Yes it's gotten riskier as of late.

[AJay Irish]

Very unfortunate mate

 

I've been fortune with my garrison there's a couple of people helping me with the cummerbund and stuff, the boots I have support in doing myself.

 

I'm doing my best to avoid vendors from other countries based on soft goods, they need to fit you properly, and basic measurements really isn't enough, you need seamstresses for this stuff lol. I've got a good friend who is helping me with the suede on the undersuit and the vest as well. Look to people around you, not in the costume world, but people who can help. Once you source all the materials, a good seamstress will be able to do the rest if you give clear enough specs

[stasz]

A couple things:

 

The 501st doesn't "make" anything costume-wise, and any maker can claim whatever they want regarding the quality or "spec" of their products. This is NOT a guarantee of your costume being approved for ANY level of clearance. That is a result of -yes, the quality and accuracy of the components - as well as the overall fit and finish of the costume. NOTHING is 501st Approved, and NOTHING is guaranteed to get you higher tier approvals based on the parts alone. If these were highly recommended makers on this forum and there is an issue, I think you should reach out to them to discuss it.

 

To that point, from that picture I don't see anything on those boots that isn't Lancer spec. There are smudges and I wouldn't be happy about that, but could it be from packing material or the black print in the shipping box rubbed into the vinyl? I can't tell anything of the fit of the vest, but see no issue with the batting inside the sleeves. I sandwiched my batting between black material, but if it's not visible it doesn't really matter. If the other details are correct (Velcro size, sleeve length, etc) then yes, it's likely built to Lancer Spec, meaning it has the required details, not that it will get you Lancer.

 

Every detachment tries their best to vet makers, and have a stable of trusted sources available to the community, both existing and prospective troopers. Good people have bad days, and bad people slip through. That is where people need to research, research, research. I spent more time reading these boards than I did actually putting together my costume.

 

I say all this as general information, NOT as an attack on you. Please don't read it that way. I understand you're unhappy with some purchases, but that's really between you and the vendor to work out. It wouldn't hurt to PM someone from command and let them know who you dealt with and how the resolution was handled. It's not the detachment or the Legion's place to get involved in issues between makers and buyers, but communicating an issue can set a record to a pattern, and if there is a pattern of poor service a maker might not come highly recommended any longer...

 

And lastly, always PayPal Goods & Services. It protects both the seller and the buyer.

 

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

[762s]

thanks for the info all.

 

and i have reached out the maker/makers...no replies as of yet

 

and also i dont take to much in any forum post as a personal attack .. i got tough skin;)

 

as far as the boots ..granted the smudges should come off but, the care and handling is not what i would have expected.

the issue i guess i have with the term "lancer spec" is seeing the screen pics and the tuts and expecting that. when i see the flap hanging over and the stitches not proper... well, its wrong to me and not really to "spec". as i said i can and will fix the flap(already in the process).

 

i take pride in my work and expect the same when i pay for goods!

 

the vest ... you all say the white material is okay ... well, again it looks unfinished and more than likely should not have any white showing to get that "lancer spec" .. unless thats okay for lancer .. i dont see how it could be if your flight suit pockets on redkap suit have to be closed up to not show white liner inside .. this is very similar situation here .

beyond that .. the vest is just way to small ... and to put it over a suit would be worse.

 

 

i will wait for the maker to reply on these 2 items(mainly the vest) and go from there before contacting staff.

 

 

thanks for listening... explaing and the replies!!

 

 

[Chef]

This is a growing problem that's for sure...

 

As part of my election pledge I mooted the idea of implementing a safer vendors policy for advertising stuff for sale here on the BSN.

 

 

We're just putting the finishing touches to that policy at the moment and it will be implemented soon.

 

 

Obviously that doesn't help you Ken in the situation you're in now... But hopefully it will reverse the trend in future for everyone who comes after you.

 

Everything is a bit 'caveat emptor' and whilst this is still unacceptable, it has gotten better recently.

 

By having the 'vendor issues' section, this has highlighted instances of bad customer service or shoddy workmanship... Not to those who've got the items (that horse has bolted), but their misfortune has probably saved someone else some heartache.

 

 

 

 

If your 'transaction' started with the individual concerned via this forum then we will assist as much as we can (although our involvement will be limited).

If it was done outside of the forum and on a recommendation, then we will probably be even more limited in what we can do.

 

Hopefully it will all get sorted out for you.

 

Rob.

[BikerScout007]

I think your boots look good, you shouldn't have any problem with a Lancer application with those. You can thank the sender for giving you a head start on the weathering!

 

As for the vest, this is tougher! If something doesn't fit, it doesn't fit. I've had this happen to me as well with the vest. It's always tough when you have to give measurements for something, because you are never exactly sure how it will all fit once you have all the pieces. You can try to simulate the undersuit with a heavy shirt but sometimes things still go wrong.

 

This is a problem you run into when the soft goods are all tailor made and I wish instead some of the vendors would create their vests and bunds using the S-M-L-XL-XXL system we are all used to when it comes to buying 99% of our clothes. Maybe I'll start doing that!

[762s]

@ chef -- thanks for the reply your work and seeing the issues out there and trying make 501st a better/safer place for all to make purchases and sales.

 

@ bikerscout007 -- yeah, funny! to bad i wasnt trying to weather.

and this maker did ask for a s-m-l-xl size as well as other measurements ... so, im not sure what went wrong with the vest.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

dont get me wrong either .. the maker of these 2 items has been responsive, polite, reasonable and very fair priced and pretty spot on with his timeframe/schedule. with all that, i feel like the maker will be willing to work with me on this.

 

i guess its the terminology/wording that gets me, what i consider "good" will not be what you consider "good" .. right?

~ like the boots .. a few of you dont see and issue with them

where as the flap/stitching to me are off and not what i was expecting after my reasearch -- and thats where i feel i lost money because, i have to rework them, purchase materials ect. to get them to what i expected them to be.

 

and well, for future reference i will ask more questions .. reference pics/tuts to the maker and do what is needed to make sure the maker and myself are on the same page of what i will be receiving and what the items will look like.

Edited September 14, 2017 by 762s

[Griffin-X]

@ chef -- thanks for the reply your work and seeing the issues out there and trying make 501st a better/safer place for all to make purchases and sales.

 

@ bikerscout007 -- yeah, funny! to bad i wasnt trying to weather.

and this maker did ask for a s-m-l-xl size as well as other measurements ... so, im not sure what went wrong with the vest.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

dont get me wrong either .. the maker of these 2 items has been responsive, polite, reasonable and very fair priced and pretty spot on with his timeframe/schedule. with all that, i feel like the maker will be willing to work with me on this.

 

i guess its the terminology/wording that gets me, what i consider "good" will not be what you consider "good" .. right?

~ like the boots .. a few of you dont see and issue with them

where as the flap/stitching to me are off and not what i was expecting after my reasearch -- and thats where i feel i lost money because, i have to rework them, purchase materials ect. to get them to what i expected them to be.

 

and well, for future reference i will ask more questions .. reference pics/tuts to the maker and do what is needed to make sure the maker and myself are on the same page of what i will be receiving and what the items will look like.

 

I am sort of a perfectionist, too. I've had to learn that not every prop maker looks at "quality" the way I do. However, there are some really great prop makers who do an outstanding job and are better than I could have expected. Yep, questions and customer reviews are the best way to make sure you get what you want/need. Trust me, I've learned a few lessons over the years (I joined in early 2011).

[Gator_Scout]

Who did you order from? Feel free to PM me if you don't feel comfortable saying publicly

[762s]

alright well,

 

i tried cleaning the boots and it seems the ink from the box stained the vinyl .. leaving a purple hue line here and there

 

anyone have ideas to get this out? white shoe polish on vinyl ?

i dont want to ruin the vinyl with chemicals .. never worked with this material before .. so, any info would be helpful.

 

 

i am trying to come as a clean white troop and let it weather naturally .. if i cant get rid of the purple lines i might just leave it and move on or i might do a light weather.

 

and you know .. once you see it you cant unsee it

 

heres a few pics .. 1st boot pic has several areas on the side/rear i cant capture all them in the pic

 

i tried to keep the purple hue lines to center of pic and it might be hard to tell in the pics but, its easier to see in person

 

 

 

 

 

[Chef]

Vinyl is pretty resistant to be honest.

 

Some non aggressive cleaner (preferably as clear as possible... Ecover or similar) on a white cloth should usually get marks out.

Just make sure it's not too caustic or acidic.

 

Don't be a dork like I have in the past and cleaned them with a coloured cloth and simply transferred the cloth colour to the boots!

Doh!

[Retrofire]

I use a Magic Eraser to clean the scuffs off of my armor and boots after every troop. Darn Sandtroopers almost always bump into me during troops leaving marks.

[Chopper]

Are those boot marks purple? I wonder if it could be Sharpie bleed through?

[762s]

@ chef -- thanks...yes, i have been using a white cloth and water. ill try to find some other products.

 

@ retrofire -- thanks for the tip using magic eraser. i will give it a try too

 

@ chopper -- yes, they are purple now and i thought the same about it being sharpie bleed through. looked inside of boot and theres no marks there..so, maybe ink transfer from a pattern or even the ink from the inside of the box.

 

 

will try the suggestions above tonight and report back ..

Edited September 15, 2017 by 762s

[762s]

well, so far no luck with removing the stains.

 

and i think more like chopper said this is sharpie bleed through .. maybe, from a pattern or something else the maker had lying around or using .. a ruler with sharpie/pen marks on it?

 

the top boot in the box cleaned up from the box print .. but, you can clearly see the purple line on the toe of the boot there in the pic.

 

the other boot was more protected from the box print by the bund, vest and pouches that where on the bottom. but, they have more purple lines than the boot that was touching the box.

 

 

i might try some white kiwi wax shoe polish and see how that looks and if the stains will bleed through the wax shoe polish.

[Griffin-X]

Try out Goo Gone. It's great for cleanup like that and also removes paint safely. It's citrus and natural, too.

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002S4I79M/ref=asc_df_B002S4I79M5171249/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395033&creativeASIN=B002S4I79M&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198084439869&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11267688381825559796&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027284&hvtargid=pla-327373585905

[762s]

Try out Goo Gone. It's great for cleanup like that and also removes paint safely. It's citrus and natural, too.

 

https://www.amazon.c...la-327373585905

 

tried that .. no luck

 

it seems to be stained in the vinyl for good.

[Griffin-X]

tried that .. no luck

 

it seems to be stained in the vinyl for good.

 

Ah, gotcha. Once you get out there trooping, you'll never see those stains. Plus you'll pick up natural weathering as you mentioned. That's how mine was done, too.

[762s]

i would like to add this bit of information ...

 

the maker of the items listed above is a top notch vendor and i will not need any help from the 501st admins

 

i was more concerned with the vest and he offered to refund a portion of the boots cost as well. and he was willing to work on another vest that was a size larger.

 

i asked for a refund/return only on the vest as i feel it will need more tailoring than his pattern allows.

 

he was okay with my request and will be sending a refund on the vest.

 

it is nice to have someone(a vendor) out here with respect for their buyers.

honestly, being my second issue with a vendor(first was max's) i wasnt to sure how this was going to play out and wasnt to keen on messaging the maker about the issue but, fixing the issue with him ended up being easy and without a doubt very pleasant to deal with.

 

as i said above " the maker of these 2 items has been responsive, polite, reasonable and very fair priced and pretty spot on with his timeframe/schedule."

and now i see the way he handled this vest issue ... well, that speaks volumes to me.

 

501st should not have any issue keeping him or others like him on their list!

 

@ the maker -- THANK YOU!

 

and to the rest who chimed in above, thanks for the info/suggestions

[Digger]

I'm glad to see how this is turning out. Doesn't just underline how helpful the veterans here are, but shows that the good vendors out there, are indeed... good vendors!