05-11-2012, 07:39 PM
Here is my experience buying products that you don't know who manufactured them... I bought all my items from "name brand" suppliers/manufacturers, with the exception of my first helmet (a trooper helm) and my Roman balteus (belt).
I figured ok, the belt is questionable in authenticity, but it was cheap on ebay and I was new to the hobby looking for an inexpensive entrance. By the time I got the belt, the thin leather had a foam backing and paper thin brass riveted on. No big deal, it was real leather and it is real brass. Well it turns out that leather comes in different layers and grades. So apparently my balteus was made of a lesser grade of leather and is completely falling apart, one of the danglies has already torn off. Thankfully I should have one of Rusty's SOTW balteus hopefully next week to replace it.
The moral of the story is: Good reproductions are not cheap and cheap reproductions are not good. Contact the seller, find out who made the sandals (there are a lot of knock offs in Roman/Greek products). If they are made from DSC go for them, if they are made by some "Nautical Museum Replica" or something similar, avoid. No point in saving $40 to have something that will literally fall apart on you.
I figured ok, the belt is questionable in authenticity, but it was cheap on ebay and I was new to the hobby looking for an inexpensive entrance. By the time I got the belt, the thin leather had a foam backing and paper thin brass riveted on. No big deal, it was real leather and it is real brass. Well it turns out that leather comes in different layers and grades. So apparently my balteus was made of a lesser grade of leather and is completely falling apart, one of the danglies has already torn off. Thankfully I should have one of Rusty's SOTW balteus hopefully next week to replace it.
The moral of the story is: Good reproductions are not cheap and cheap reproductions are not good. Contact the seller, find out who made the sandals (there are a lot of knock offs in Roman/Greek products). If they are made from DSC go for them, if they are made by some "Nautical Museum Replica" or something similar, avoid. No point in saving $40 to have something that will literally fall apart on you.
Quintus Furius Collatinus
-Matt
-Matt
