Paddywhack August order

I’ll be making an order on 31 August 2012, which is the Friday after Chimera. I don’t usually let people know so early, but my range of gear has expanded so I want to give people a chance to look it over.

[size=130]Epic Armoury[/size]
I’m now supplying the Epic Armoury range of larp gear. You can download the Epic Armoury Catalogue 2012. Note that it’s an 80MB PDF, which is a large file. I also have print catalogues available. I’ve shown the print catalogues off at sword & shield practice and given it out to some people already so you may see them around. I’ll also have the print catalogues at Chimera for people to look through. If you think you’re likely to want a few items, drop me an email and I’ll see about getting you a copy of the print catalogue.

The Epic Armoury range is very wide. It includes extra-long weapons, axes, shields, costumes, fantasy prosthetics, armour and cool adventuring kit like leather bottle holders. They also have a brand called Dark Moon with modern and futuristic weaponry, and a low-price range called Ready for Battle. Check out this size guide to help find your size in Epic Armoury gear based on your measurements.

[size=130]Forgotten Dreams[/size]
I can also now offer some gear from Forgotten Dreams in Germany. You can check them out at http://www.forgottendreams.de, so if you’re interested let me know and we can discuss which items I’ll have available.

[size=130]Palnatoke and IDV[/size]
I’m continuing to supply gear from Palnatoke, the latex weapon and leatherwork supplier I’ve been using for years now, and from IDV, who supply larp archery equipment. That will include crossbows and larp bolts, which I’ll be showing off brochures for at Chimera. All NZ prices for these suppliers’ items are on my website at www.paddywhack.co.nz

[size=130]Pricing[/size]
For this order, you can work out my NZ prices for the new gear using the following multipliers on the Euro prices listed by the suppliers, and rounding to the nearest dollar.

General price: multiply the Euro prices by 1.6 to get the retail prices in NZ dollars.

NZLARPS member price: multiply the Euro prices by 1.28 to get the NZLARPS member discount price (with the 20% discount).

The NZLARPS discount does not apply to steel armour. I can’t afford to do that, because steel is heavy and that increases shipping costs. However, the discount does apply to aluminium chain armour.

[size=130]Making an order[/size]
If you’d like some gear drop me an email at ryanpaddywhack@gmail.com before 31 August 2012, and I’ll let you know whether the items you want are currently available. That’s a month away, so there is no hurry.

I will also be taking orders in person at Chimera, where I’ll have a stand up during the Meet and Greet on the Friday and in the lunch and dinner breaks over the weekend. I’ll have some samples from Epic Armoury there, so you can see them in person, along with the print catalogue.

This order will arrive before Teonn on 30 Nov 2012.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Cheers,

Ryan

I’ve just had an order from someone called “Kelli” with an address in Blockhouse Bay. But their email address bounces. Anyone know who this might be so I can contact them? Otherwise my only option is snail mail. :wink:

I had a look at one of the catelogues that Tog42 had the other day, and that stuff looks sweeeeet! I’ll get back to you with an order Ryan (possibly at Chimera).

Jon

For sure, the catalogue is pretty impressive.

Making orders at Chimera will be ideal, I’ll have an order form and a list of what the supplier has in stock.

The only Kelli I know is Kelli Prince. She’s in the SCA crowd and Steampunk but not larp.
Try kelli.prince.9@facebook.com

Hey folks,

I’ll have a Paddywhack stall at Chimera in the main hall, where the meet and greet and meals happen. I’ll be there lunchtimes and evenings.

I have lots of swords, daggers, some leather bracers and greaves, a full leather scabbard, sword holders, two quivers, and two bow and arrows in stock. I’ll also have some samples and print catalogues for the new Epic Armoury range that I’m bringing in, and they’re well worth checking out. Their larp gear goes well beyond weapons and armour.

If you’re in the market for a latex sword or other gear I have in stock, you can bring cash or I’ll take IOUs, and you can take things away on the spot.

If you’d like some items that I don’t have in right now, I’ll be taking orders and payments for those too. Orders will need to be in by Friday 31st August - the Friday after Chimera. This gear will arrive well before the Teonn weekend game.

Cheers,

Ryan

Thanks to everyone who swung by the desk for a play with the new gear, there were lots of compliments on the samples and most of them sold.

Just letting you know that I’m going to push my ordering date out by a week to Friday 7th September.

Partly this is because I had feedback that this Friday is too close to Chimera, and people need time to regroup and have a look at the catalogues. I was also going to be out of the country on the original day, and it would be a bother for me to compile the order with limited internet access. Further, Epic Armoury will be refreshing their stocks on the 7th so that date gives the maximum chance of the gear people want being available.

The gear will still arrive well before Teonn, shipments are often taking as little as a week to arrive.

If you’re interested in anything, just email ryanpaddywhack@gmail.com

I get tons of people asking me if I can show them how to make larp weapons. While I don’t mind doing this from time to time, unless you’re actually planning to make dozens of them, I think I’m wasting everyone’s time teaching them how to do this.

Ryan’s prices are so incredibly affordable, and the quality of the gear he brings in so high, I believe building your own really larp safe weapons really is a false economy. I’ve made dozens and dozens of weapons and none of them come close to the durability of the gear Ryan is selling.

Given how much time it takes me to make my own weapons, how quickly they wear out, and how affordable and pretty Ryan’s stuff is, I’m looking at getting my more generic gear through him in future.

I doubt very much I’ll be doing any more workshops where people build standard weapons like swords, axes and staves.

[quote=“Derek”]I get tons of people asking me if I can show them how to make larp weapons. While I don’t mind doing this from time to time, unless you’re actually planning to make dozens of them, I think I’m wasting everyone’s time teaching them how to do this.

Ryan’s prices are so incredibly affordable, and the quality of the gear he brings in so high, I believe building your own really larp safe weapons really is a false economy. I’ve made dozens and dozens of weapons and none of them come close to the durability of the gear Ryan is selling.

Given how much time it takes me to make my own weapons, how quickly they wear out, and how affordable and pretty Ryan’s stuff is, I’m looking at getting my more generic gear through him in future.

I doubt very much I’ll be doing any more workshops where people build standard weapons like swords, axes and staves.[/quote]
I only make weapons because we don’t have enough putea to buy Ryans excellent collection. Saying that, I will buy my own personal weapons from hm in the very near future. While there is a need for cheaper at home on the coast and I will continue with my el-cheapo range, eventually I hope to get enough putea to equip us with Paddywhack short swords and daggers. 8)

Just a reminder to have orders in by this Friday, and payments too where possible as I have to make immediate payment to the supplier.

It’s not too late to order now.

I’ve had some questions about sizing and fit, hopefully I’ve gotten back to everyone about those now but if I haven’t replied to your question then drop me an email.

There’s been a great response, I’m really looking forward to seeing all this cool kit in person. :wink:

Today is the last day for orders.

If you’d like a closer look at an item before ordering it let me know via email, and I’ll send you a larger picture.

Note that in terms of maintenance silicone I will only be bringing in the 250ml pump bottle, not the aerosol cans, because the latter can cause airplane/customs headaches. I highly recommend, based on the instructions of every latex weapon manufacturer I’ve read, that everyone with latex weapons, shields, etc. has access to silicone and regularly rubs the silicone into the latex with a cloth, in order to keep the latex supple and prevent deterioration. Do not wash latex weapons with water, try to keep them cool, dry, and covered to prevent things sticking to them. Latex weapons are essentially a consumable item - they will eventually wear out after a number of years, especially if you use them a lot and don’t take careful care of them. Silicone helps to extend the lifespan. The 250ml pump spray bottle is $14.07 with the NZLARPS discount.

A few popular Epic Armoury items appear to be out of stock at this time. It’s possible that some of these may become available in the next day as EE is doing a stock refresh, but they may not. Here’s an incomplete list:

Ancient Spear
Full scabbard for daggers
Noble sword
Soul stealer
Baal

Unfortunately some of these are items that people have already ordered and paid for, that were available at the time. There is no system for me to hold items, rather it’s a matter of what’s available when I place the whole order. I’ll check with EE about the refresh, and then contact people who are affected to discuss options when I know more.

Feel free to order these items anyway, and I’ll get them in when they become available.

One massive box of larp kit is packed and on its way to New Zealand! :wink:

I’m now using a Forex company for sending money overseas, and it saved me about $100 in fees and currency conversion on this transaction, while allowing me to ensure the correct amount arrives at the other end. It turns out banks are crap at this.

The Epic Armoury shipment is here, all 60 KG of it across 5 big boxes. Crazy. I’m going through it all like a kid with way too many Xmas pressies. :stuck_out_tongue:

Drop me an email on ryanpaddywhack@gmail.com if you want to pick up your orders from my place in Westmere sometime, like this weekend, or if you want your orders mailed out let me know that too.

Oooo :smiley:

pics or it didn’t happen

:smiley: Can’t wait… so when’s the next order? :stuck_out_tongue:

[attachment=0]shipment2.jpg[/attachment]

To give a sense of scale, the front box is 2 meters long.

Of course boxes aren’t especially photogenic, but even if I opened them up for the photo most of the stuff inside is wrapped in more cardboard. But folks who pop over to pick stuff up are welcome to have a little browse through if there are particular items they’re interested to see in person.

I went through every item to check everything had arrived. I found a lot of things look much nicer in person than in the photos, which is great. I love the little potion holders, the bottles are tiny and cute. The Dane Axe is a standout in terms of arse-kicking-ness. The Ready for Battle shields are better-looking than I expected at that price. The elf ear prosthetics look really good, the best I’ve seen I think but of course we need to see them on.

A lot of people have been asking me if I’d seen the Epic Armoury metal armour in person, and now I have. My impression is that it is lightweight, but strong and good looking. In other words well suited to larp with foam weapons, not so much if you’re hitting each other with wooden or metal weapons. It’s definitely stuff you’ll want to wear over good padding like a gambeson, not just over thin clothes, but that’s probably true of all solid metal armour (and chain, for that matter). I’ve only seen the dark metal finish, but it’s very nice.

There’s so much cool stuff I haven’t even gotten around to stringing the crossbow to see how it fires. :wink:

I’ll be doing another order later next month (October), give people a chance to get some more items before Teonn.

I can see one or two items that are currently out of stock (like the Ancient Spear) that should be available then.

Unfortunately some others items like the swords people are waiting on still won’t be in stock then, so I don’t think those will be here before Teonn.

I could take gear along to practice tomorrow, too. Let me know if that’s a preferred option for anyone.

Yes please :smiley: