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It's definitely difficult for me to take such logic of just because mythical creatures are living in a world that humans somehow stop producing realistic and practical swords for the most part. There are always unpractical ceremonial swords ect, even in our history, but that's why I fell in love with the look of the Lord of the Rings. Screwing the book to movie accuracy on plot ect, the level of detail from all the props, to the sets, to the music are all fantasy yes, but are saturated with things we know and are familiar with. Needle and Longclaw aren't my main targets though, poor Ice got the short end of the stick for sure from Valyrian and George. The thing looks like, I don't even know where to start honestly, its so bad lol.

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Keep in mind, George is an author, not a practical sword user or designer. The way the sword designs were put together is probably not the most ideal way to do it, but the end results are what Valyrian and George wanted. The early Longclaw designs ranged the gamut of historical cross guard and grip patterns. One of the pommel designs even had a snarling wolf head as in the book, but in the end they dictated a plain look for all of the parts and more or less dictated the look to suit George. I'm not sure why they wanted English letters written on a few of the pieces, like Ice, but otherwise they are basically what was described in the book, as far as George was concerned.
Last edited by Nasnandos on Sun Mar 17, 2013 11:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
KRDS

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For my fellow UCForums members who collect Game of Thrones items, Factory Entertainment just announced their official license. Included amongst the less than interesting merchandise (collector plush and pillows?!?) is the following:

"Prop Replicas – Iconic objects and costume elements replicated in exacting detail as quality limited editions."

http://www.factoryent.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=60

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

~~ Thorin Oakenshield

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[quote=""Lindir""]Museum Replicas has a Game of Thrones banner in their coming soon section. Latex LARP accessories are all that's mentioned.[/quote]


I don't see this "Coming Soon" entry on the Museum Replicas home page. Can you provide a link, Lindir? As for the recently announced Factory Entertainment license for GoT merchandise, here are the first of their offerings: http://www.factoryent.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=65

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[quote=""polyphemus""]Ah, now I understand. By "banner" you simply meant they have an image on their coming soon page indicating there are Game of Thrones items coming soon. I thought you meant they had a prop replica of one of the banners from the show listed as an upcoming item. D'Oh! :crazy: [/quote]

Woops, sorry for the confusion Poly :P
"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

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sorry for multible post ,but i need to ad .that my saying (stupid ideas )is not ment as a dis,on you my freind ,lindir. :embarasse

but is ment,as a general lack ,on real game of thrones items out yet..
not yet seen .only simple soveniers. :huh:

i just had to say this so there will be no mistake on my saying. :thumbs_up

just caeb up the liks there lindir.and maby we will find some cool .GOt items .when time comes. :coolsmile

hope you understand and accept my polygise.

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Hi am.dk,

If you want real 1:1 licensed Game of Thrones weapons and armor from the HBO Series, here are a few links for you:

Helm of the Hound: http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/sword ... od_18.html

Rob Stark's Sword: http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/sword ... od_21.html

Stark Infantry Shield: http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/sword ... od_19.html

Ice, Sword of Eddard Stark: http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/sword ... od_27.html

Catspaw Blade (Bran Assassination Dagger): http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/sword ... od_20.html

Please note, these are all in preorder status with a scheduled delivery starting in late May/early June for some items. Later in the summer/early fall for others.

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[quote=""am.dk""]sorry for multible post ,but i need to ad .that my saying (stupid ideas )is not ment as a dis,on you my freind ,lindir. :embarasse

but is ment,as a general lack ,on real game of thrones items out yet..
not yet seen .only simple soveniers. :huh:

i just had to say this so there will be no mistake on my saying.

just caeb up the liks there lindir.and maby we will find some cool .GOt items .when time comes. :coolsmile

hope you understand and accept my polygise.[/quote]

No harm done, am :)
"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

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A very cool sword incorporating the house sigil of the Flayed Man. Unfortunately, probably not enough screen time to warrant production (does it even have ANY screen time?). That said, there are several other better known weapons that are more requested and more likely to appear before this one.

On a side note, I will be sure to post pictures when I get my most recent purchase: Ice (HBO version).
"So many vows...they make you swear and swear. Defend the king. Obey the king. Keep his secrets. Do his bidding. Your life for his. But obey your father. Love your sister. Protect the innocent. Defend the weak. Respect the gods. Obey the laws.
It's too much. No matter what you do, you're forsaking one vow or the other.”

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Wow, I haven't seen a single image of that Bolton sword on the HBO Series and I've watched all 29 episodes to date. Even if it was featured prominently, I think it is rather garish and don't much care for the flayed man grip. Frankly, if Valyrian Steel and HBO want to make replicas with handles in the form of human bodies, I'd much prefer Daario's wanton women set to a longsword featuring a tortured torso...but maybe that's just me. :thumbs_up

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You've been reading my wish list haven't you? Those two are at the top of my list. The only sword I want more than those two is Jaime Lannister's.
"So many vows...they make you swear and swear. Defend the king. Obey the king. Keep his secrets. Do his bidding. Your life for his. But obey your father. Love your sister. Protect the innocent. Defend the weak. Respect the gods. Obey the laws.
It's too much. No matter what you do, you're forsaking one vow or the other.”

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After I found the photos I went back and looked at the scenes that featured Roose and it is there but hard to see. If Roose had any fighting scenes with it then we'd have probably had a better shot of it by now, but yeh Valyrian probably won't consider it.

I personally really like it :P it's creepy and kinda cool in some way
"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

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Thanks so much. I'm really a bargain shopper as many of you know. I still have not paid more than $100 for a uc item other than LE Anduril ($150) but when the wife and I only rake in under umm... Let's just say that our claimed tax income was like $17k combined, but we save up and get extra jobs to buy the items we know will never go on sale like Radagasts staff and the game of thrones stuff. I'm currently saving for the Damascus steel Ice from the showdue out in a few months for preorder and may hit the Stark shield after.

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[quote=""RevAnakin""] but we save up and get extra jobs to buy the items we know will never go on sale like Radagasts staff and the game of thrones stuff. [/quote]

Actually a few months ago, the hobbit shop put Radagast's staff on sale for 20% and free shipping, so I snatched one up. Someone posted it in the forums, or I wouldn't have known about it. It was MUCH cheaper than list price and 40 bucks shipping from WETA.

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Nice pics Rev. I've been on the fence about that sword, but at this point is more of a matter of WHEN, not IF I get it. I've already got Ice on pre-order (show version). I was considering waiting for the damascus/valyrian version, but decided I didn't want to wait that long.

That said, I haven't seen much else of late being released that I want to add to my collection, so I will probably be picking up Robb's sword pretty soon.
"So many vows...they make you swear and swear. Defend the king. Obey the king. Keep his secrets. Do his bidding. Your life for his. But obey your father. Love your sister. Protect the innocent. Defend the weak. Respect the gods. Obey the laws.
It's too much. No matter what you do, you're forsaking one vow or the other.”

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[quote=""RosereIII""]Nice pics Rev. I've been on the fence about that sword, but at this point is more of a matter of WHEN, not IF I get it. I've already got Ice on pre-order (show version). I was considering waiting for the damascus/valyrian version, but decided I didn't want to wait that long.

That said, I haven't seen much else of late being released that I want to add to my collection, so I will probably be picking up Robb's sword pretty soon.[/quote]


Yeah, the dream would be to have stark shield with Ice, Robb's sword, and Longclaw criss crossed behind

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[quote=""RevAnakin""]Yeah, the dream would be to have stark shield with Ice, Robb's sword, and Longclaw criss crossed behind[/quote]

Hi Rev,

I suggest you hold off a while on the Stark Shield. I just got one from the first production run (preordered for my preferred number), and it is not as I (or VS) e xp ected. The paint--and, yes, it is painted gray--is too heavy and not nearly as distressed as their prototype. I spoke with VS and they said they, too, were disappointed and that future production runs would be further distressed by the removal/weathering of about 10% more of the paint. I'm still weighing whether or not to return mine for a later issue thereby surrendering my number, or to try and make it look closer to the prototype myself. So, I just wanted to give you a heads up on that. I'm glad you like the Robb sword. :thumbs_up I know you were less than impressed with the VS GRR book versions.

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I don't stop in here often, but I felt the absolute NEED to do so after receiving my latest replica.

For Rev and anyone else considering purchasing the Stark Shield. DO NOT. Poly is 100% correct on this one. I received my shield and I'm strongly considering sending it back. For the $320 ($300 + shipping) this is not even close to the quality that UC or any other replica company has. I just sent my concerns to VS, but I'll be a little more blunt here than I was there.

It's a glorified trash can lid. In both finish and embossing. The paint (yes, it looks like it's been spray painted gray) does not make it look like it's a fresh out of the smith look, nor does it look battle hardened. It just looks cheap. The embossing looks so subtle that if it's not in direct light, it's unrecognizable. It cost $20 to ship, but to be honest it looks like it cost $20 to make. And considering it cost double what a UC product goes for, that's very depressing.

I'm a new ASoIaF fan, and I was looking forward to snagging a few replicas from VS, but I have to admit that I may not bother if this is what they consider quality...

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Just an update for anyone curious:

I have no idea how that company operates. After sending a few e-mails off the them regarding my request to return it, I finally got a response this past weekend with an address. I was also told I had to pay for return shipping because I simply "did not like it". Which, generally, I'd understand. But the fact that they replied to my review on their site with e xp lanations as to the shield's faults and a suggestion to take it outside so it'll look better (which is great, because who wouldn't want to display their costly weaponry outside?) means that they admit that the piece isn't up to snuff.

In any case, we'll see what kind of refund I get...

Needless to say, I'm not purchasing anymore GoT replicas, certainly not from this company...

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Based on the handful of communications I've seen on their Facebook page and their discussions on their own site it seems like they're not quite skilled with the whole talking thing...It's a shame really. GoT has a lot of potential for collectibles and it feels like it's being wasted. I'd rather spend time trying to figure out how to pay for items than scour the Internet looking for quality replicas.

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Never had a problem with VS myself. Replies fast to emails and ships fast after payment. I haven't had a reason to return anything though, so I cannot speak on that service.

About the shield. I agree, it looks cheap even from the pictures on their site, prototype or not. I was going to pass on it regardless. I have seen some pics on FB from the Hounds Helmet though, and it looks intriguing. A bit pricy but if the reviews keep coming back that it is sturdy and doesnt chip/break easily, I might go for it. I miss a GoT helmet in my collection I feel...

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I want to jump back in here because I fear my original admonition for Rev to 'hold off' on buying the VS Stark shield has become a starting point for a lot of negativity in regard to VS that I never intended. Again, I suggested waiting for the next production run in order to assure that concerns with the finish on the first batch were addressed by the factory. As for using prototype pics for promotion of their items, I would be curious to know what else they could use for items that have yet to be produced. They get the prototypes made and approved, have them professionally photographed, and post them. Once available for preorder, they open up the page for sales.

Of course, some other vendors do wait for the actual item to be in hand before posting pics--I'm talking to you, KOA--and that is really cool, but I can't understand how you would e xp ect the manufacturer to post preorder photos of items that have yet to be produced other than in prototype. So, that seems like a moot point to me. As for the shield not meeting e xp ectations, I was disappointed as was VS. They are correct, however, that the seemingly glaring differences are less so in full natural lighting. Finally, GuardianWolf commented that the embossing and detail work was poorly executed on the shield. I have to quibble with that. The embossed sigil of the Stark direwolf and the details around the shield rim are very well done and exactly as pictured in the promotional materials. The only problem I have is with the finish, and, for that, I wish they had offered me a discount or something, but I'm not that upset nor am I planning to return mine. Frankly, the quality is AT LEAST as good as the first edition of the LIMITED edition of the UC 2nd Age Gondorian Shield. That thing is so poorly made that the paint and "wood" chips if you look at it too long.

Now, as to 'dissing' the company or their other products in general, I have to say I have had a long and very good relationship with VS. I currently own their entire line save for the Catspaw dagger. The shield was not exactly as e xp ected, but is very nice all the same. Also, I just got my latest replica from VS, the Helm of the Hound, and it is one of the finest prop replicas in my collection! :thumbs_up That is no mean feat considering I own (or have owned) the ENTIRE UC LOTR line. I recently sold Val my Wiki Helm, but I still have all the others and this beast from VS is as good as it gets! Being a tourney great helm design that includes the neck armor (gorget) it is absolutey HUGE! The piece is so well executed that it is fast becoming my favorite helmet bar none. So, that is just a few more thoughts on the VS debate. I'll be posting a pic of my helm soon and hope to get others up of the shield and my VS wall. :thumbs_up

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Poly, I completely apologize taking your comment and hopping on a bit of a negative train towards VS. Admittedly, my e xp erience with them is limited to this product and I've only been a fan of Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire for two months or so now. So I haven't done very much research on the replicas or props. And despite having a home littered with swords, knives, axes, and the like, I am no weapons e xp ert.

I was very bothered by this company's product and communications as compared to other companies I've dealt with over the last ten years. I've been burned by both the replica-building companies and separate stores that sell them in the past, but they've generally been very reasonable with how they made up for it.

And I'm with you 100%. What else can the company show but their prototype. At the time of presale, that's all they've got to work with, and it's as honest as they can get. And changing it when they finally do get the finished product is a little foolish as well. Why pay for photographs twice for products that likely don't differ that much.

But therein lies my qualms. My shield looked nothing like the item on their site or any other image of the Stark Shield I can find on the show or online. It's entirely possibly my shield was in fact defective. I didn't bother to take pictures of it, honestly, and perhaps I should. It spent all of an hour out of its box while I tried to decide just how disappointed I was. I don't own the Gondorian shield either, so I can't make that comparison. But this is the one replica I've ever purchased that I would have been embarrassed to have hanging. It just looked cheap. The material was fine, the construction of it was fine, but the finish and the embossing were so far off from the screen version that it was not acceptable to me. Even if it had been different, but still of a decent quality, I would've kept it and proudly hung it. Hell, United Cutlery items differ from screen versions, but I still love every piece I've purchase from them. I've made/ordered frames more e xp ensive than the replicas I purchased from Efx. I'm very proud of my items from the Noble Collection. But this was just not up to par with any of theirs.

I did not get the offer you did. That's most likely because you're a proven loyal customer, which makes perfect sense to me. And if VS had offered me a fraction of what they offered you, it would have turned my entire perception of their quality around. Their quality as a company. Any item they sell is their responsibility. It stands for them. I had qualms about the piece, and instead of taking responsibility for it with me, they made excuses.

I do apologize for the negative connotation my replies took. I've been spoiled by more than a few companies who bend over backwards for the customer and stand behind every product they sell. It sets the bar high and when someone crawls well beneath it, I get bothered and I feel it's my responsibility to let you folks know of that e xp erience.

My shield was shipped back to them and I'm awaiting a refund, though I don't e xp ect that to happen very soon as it just got back to them yesterday. I consider the matter closed, pending that.
Last edited by GuardianWolf on Fri Jul 12, 2013 4:48 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Correct me if I'm wrong (and if anyone knows for certain), but I believe that Valyrian Steel is a 'storefront' for Jalic Blades; a smaller company, especially compared to UC. They don't actually manufacture the weapons/replicas that they sell, but instead are more oriented around the license, design, and distribution of said items, using a third party for materials and manufacture. I seem to recall reading an exchange with a customer that suggested this was the case. If so, although not excusable, issues like the one with the shield can be understandable.

As for comparing them to UC, Noble, etc. the Game of Thrones series has only recently hit the mainstream which is clearly responsible for the items and sales of this company. They have been selling book versions (approved by the author himself) for quite some time, but had low sales due to the small consumer base for their products. With the success of items like Robb's sword, the Hound's helm, and other upcoming show replicas, I would e xp ect their business model with change slightly over time as they e xp erience more success and returns on their investments.

I am also willing to bet that they do not have any sort of a marketing or public relations department. Which would e xp lain any lack of consistency and 'professionalism' in their dealings with customers outside us clicking the "buy" button. All of my personal interactions with them has been in the way of facebook and twitter posts/replies, a cheap and effect; although slightly unprofessional means of interfacing with clients.

Just my two cents...
"So many vows...they make you swear and swear. Defend the king. Obey the king. Keep his secrets. Do his bidding. Your life for his. But obey your father. Love your sister. Protect the innocent. Defend the weak. Respect the gods. Obey the laws.
It's too much. No matter what you do, you're forsaking one vow or the other.”

Re: Game of Thrones Swords and Props

94
I believe you're correct. VS's actual name is Jalic Blades. But (and feel free to correct me) their company/manufacture relationship is the same as UC, Noble, etc. as well. UC designs their items but they're manufactured elsewhere, contracted out to the lowest bidder I'm sure. But it's still their product. If you get your product from the manufacturer and it's sub-par, it's your responsibility to make sure the customer doesn't pay for the failing. Certainly not without warning. Of course, they can't open and visually inspect every single item to come through their shop, so I can certainly understand individuals falling through the cracks.

To be honest, I find their willingness to communicate in various social media networks very, very refreshing. After all, who here has ever actively conversed with someone from UC? Apart from cookie cutter response e-mails, I don't think we really hear much of anything from them. That's one of the reasons why it's such a great thing when Kit stops in to tell us about the various goings-on. Kit is very well spoken and professional in all of his communications. VS slightly less-so, but not in an offensive way. Just a little...unpolished.

I will be curious to see what happens as time goes on. Game of Thrones has a finite end I believe, so at some point the general public will lose interest in it much like they did with LOTR, and it'll be left to the die-hard fans to keep any sort of industry built around it going. I tend to believe that a company will be much like a person, though. Giving them more money, prestige, and resources won't make them better on its own. Hopefully it helps them get better, though. I know folks have been impressed with most of their work, and as a fellow collector, I do hope this Stark Shield is an isolated situation. Once a show version of Longclaw comes out, I will be very tempted to pick it up, I'll admit. But I'll certainly be more cautious now.

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[quote=""GuardianWolf""]I did not get the offer you did.[/quote]

Hi GW,

I think you misunderstood my post. I said, "I wish they had offered me a discount or something" and I do *wish* they had, but they did not. They told me the same thing they told you, to take it outside in natural light and check it out. They also advised me that I could remove more of the painted finish myself to achieve a closer-to-the-prototype weathering.

Obviously, I was not pleased at the prospect of having to finish a prop replica and felt it would potentially devalue it should I goof up or something. So, to be clear, I'm still a bit on the fence about the first run of the shields. Again, the only reason I got one of the first ones is that I preordered and requested a specific number. Now, in order to keep my numbered set, I will have to weather the shield myself. If I decide to return it, I can request they send me one from a later production run, but I will sacrifice my desired number.

So that's where I am on this at the moment. My shield was only removed from the packaging long enough to thoroughly inspect it. It is now back in the packaging awaiting my final decision of whether to 'weather' it myself or return for a refund (minus shipping) or a request to exchange for a later version. Either way, it is less than ideal. However, I have always had very positive e xp eriences dealing with VS/Jalic and I will continue to do business with them. Like I mentioned, their new Helm of the Hound (Sandor Clegane) is a thing of beauty and enormity. Maybe you could call VS and request they exchage your shield for the Helm. :huh:

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[quote=""RosereIII""]Correct me if I'm wrong (and if anyone knows for certain), but I believe that Valyrian Steel is a 'storefront' for Jalic Blades;[/quote]

You are, indeed, correct! I stumbled upon the Valyrian Steel web storefront some time ago while searching for LOTR props. My first impression was that the web site design was rather simplistic and a bit off-putting. Jalic also has other 'storefront' webpages including "Hobbit Swords." Jalic should definitely invest in a total website redesign, but the folks there are very pleasant and professional in my e xp erience. One might benefit by calling them rather than emailing. I have no doubt their inbox is jam-packed, but a 1-to-1 conversation can go a long way to building understanding.

Here is the main Jalic index page with links to all their subsites: http://www.jalic-blades.com/

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Poly,

I'm sorry, I didn't see the wish part! Yes, that would have been more reasonable to give you some kind of discount. And the fact that they suggested you take the finish off yourself is insane and implies that the item is defective as is...

Thank you for posting the hub. That absolutely seals it for me that I won't be dealing with this company again at all. One of the sites listed there is the ONLY other time I've had a problem with a replica retailer on the web. Not sure if the posts are still kicking around here, but some years back I ordered Gimli's Walking Ax from one of those storefronts. They sent me one that was completely damaged and it took about a month for them to resolve it. In the end, they sent me -another- damaged ax that I just resolved to fix myself. Their way to appease me was to offer me a preferred customer discount after spending a few thousand on their site. A discount, they admitted, I had already earned and they had failed to tell me about. I never purchased from them again, and have since never had a problem with any other retailer.

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Well they just announced the scabbard for Robb's sword. I may have to pick up that sword soon.

http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/sword ... od_33.html
"So many vows...they make you swear and swear. Defend the king. Obey the king. Keep his secrets. Do his bidding. Your life for his. But obey your father. Love your sister. Protect the innocent. Defend the weak. Respect the gods. Obey the laws.
It's too much. No matter what you do, you're forsaking one vow or the other.”

Re: Game of Thrones Swords and Props

100
True, but it does come with a full belt, which is more than any of the UC scabbards ever had (the earlier Sting scabbard didn't even have belt straps if I remember correctly).
"So many vows...they make you swear and swear. Defend the king. Obey the king. Keep his secrets. Do his bidding. Your life for his. But obey your father. Love your sister. Protect the innocent. Defend the weak. Respect the gods. Obey the laws.
It's too much. No matter what you do, you're forsaking one vow or the other.”

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