Tk/Uk armor is it a rippoff

[bobafret[TK]]

Here are pics submitted by an applicant who has this armor. Bucket appears to be clearly recast FX with weird construction of back over cap. Helmet is not acceptable IMO:

 

Edited December 16, 2020 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2020

[Tolo[TK]]

On 2/25/2017 at 4:38 AM, bobafret said:

Here are pics submitted by an applicant who has this armor. Bucket appears to be clearly recast FX with weird construction of back over cap. Helmet is not acceptable IMO:

Bucket is not an FX.

 

 

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Edited December 16, 2020 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2020

[sylverbard[TK]]

On 2/25/2017 at 4:38 AM, bobafret said:

Here are pics submitted by an applicant who has this armor. Bucket appears to be clearly recast FX with weird construction of back over cap. Helmet is not acceptable IMO:

Thats not an fx. Put the brow trim on it and ill bet it looks fine.

 

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[Daetrin[Admin]]

For the helmet, I guess we'll have to see how it pans out.  The pix on the vendor's site look awful, but maybe it is how it's built. Even the picture that Nabil posted looks maybe too FX-ish these days.  7 years ago?  No problem, but it will really stand out it seems.  

[starsaber25[Admin]]

The frown looks like a very soft pull. It's like it is a mashup of AM1, FX stuff with an updated chest. Besides FX is there any other set that has the ab buttons on the mold and not a separate part?

[bobafret[TK]]

I had a chance to see this kit in person this weekend. I stand corrected it is NOT a FX bucket but it is a SUPER soft pull, so much so that you can't even see the teeth definition on the left side and the detail of the frown is even lost.

 

Some other concerning pieces:

 

Chest is EXTREMELY lopsided:

Edited December 16, 2020 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2020

[sylverbard[TK]]

Yeah I'd ask for money back. It's Halloween costume grade, not Disney level.

[starsaber25[Admin]]

removed since post was hidden

 

Hi Mike.  Armor analysis is something that happens all of the time.  People critique armor based upon their personal opinions.  I have seen people negatively critique almost every armor available today.  I don't feel that any of this is a personal attack on David.  It is also not a personal attack on you.  You like the set of armor and you are building it for a friend.  Kudos to you good sir! 

 

However, we will need to keep posts in our threads under control and sometimes emotions can run high.  Please keep it all civil.  I will be sending you a PM.

[TK4205]

Yeah I'd ask for money back. It's Halloween costume grade, not Disney level.

Mark, I agree with your assessment.

 

But, "Disney Level"?? 

 

Disney Level; I keep saying it out loud. It makes me chuckle.

 

Disney doesn't have a level for the crap that they approve for sale. The 501st level is what troopers need to concern themselves with if they intend to be 501st. And from the pictures posted, this kit doesn't hit that mark, regardless of it's origin.

[Tolo[TK]]

OK ok people...just calm down now.

 

People are allowed to point flaws of what they received and their opinions, but, in no way pointing fingers and calling people name will help you prove your point and I will not tolerate it. So please, lets stick to the point without insulting anyone. 

[sylverbard[TK]]

Sylverbard ... YOU ARE WRONG! To say this is costume grade is a total lie.. Stop being an elite snob... This is not the empire. You either have not seen the kit or just like to spread lies as I have one right here and I know what I'm talking about so...... at ease trooper!

...

... we question armour origins and accuracy all the time. Nobody is attacking your friend or his decision to buy this set. Or yours for buying two sets to give to a sick friend. Thats awesome.

 

Second judging by the pics we've see while the vendors comms may rock his quality assurance needs to look up quality assurance.

 

If they are 300.00 a pop he did his research when anovos offered tier 1 pricing on 650 dollar kits with finished helmets. yes kits sell at that price. but only if they are expensive kits at 50% off.

 

Would you have paid 600 for one?

 

I expect some gmls to deny basic approval. I expect some gmls to allow it. I expect the quality will have to improve before any make eib or centurion.

 

Thats just my opinion. Im entitled to have one. So are you.

 

and yes. Im an armour snob. ATA FTW. No chocolate Jawas. But its all good if it looks good.

I

Edited February 28, 2017 by sylverbard

[sylverbard[TK]]

Mark, I agree with your assessment.

 

But, "Disney Level"??

 

Disney Level; I keep saying it out loud. It makes me chuckle.

 

Disney doesn't have a level for the crap that they approve for sale. The 501st level is what troopers need to concern themselves with if they intend to be 501st. And from the pictures posted, this kit doesn't hit that mark, regardless of it's origin.

I meant disney level as our sponsors. I used to say LFL Level meaning something our sponsors would hire for paid troops.

[TK4205]

I meant disney level as our sponsors. I used to say LFL Level meaning something our sponsors would hire for paid troops.

 

I know what you meant;) I just had to chide you about it. lol.

[MoJo1977]

I don't think everyone is attacking him. In fact i know everyone is not attacking him. The reason some of the people are in question or are questioning his armor is that they have asked him for certain things that would possibly answer their concerns that he hasn't responded to. Again not saying that hes hiding anything maybe he hasn't taken pictures yet. I have talked to David from tkarmour many of times and he is very polite and he does respond and answers question. However when someone is paying hundreds of dollars on something whether its storm trooper armor, accessories, or anything else they should get a quality product. 

 

So again don't think because a few people don't like his product that everyone is attacking him. 

[TK 41576[501st]]

... we question armour origins and accuracy all the time. Nobody is attacking your friend or his decision to buy this set. Or yours for buying two sets to give to a sick friend. Thats awesome.

 

Second judging by the pics we've see while the vendors comms may rock his quality assurance needs to look up quality assurance.

 

If they are 300.00 a pop he did his research when anovos offered tier 1 pricing on 650 dollar kits with finished helmets. yes kits sell at that price. but only if they are expensive kits at 50% off.

 

Would you have paid 600 for one?

 

I expect some gmls to deny basic approval. I expect some gmls to allow it. I expect the quality will have to improve before any make eib or centurion.

 

Thats just my opinion. Im entitled to have one. So are you.

 

and yes. Im an armour snob. ATA FTW. No chocolate Jawas. But its all good if it looks good.

I

I never meant to call you an elite snob... I said you're acting like one mate... I never meant it to be a middle finger and tell you off... but I'm a passionate person and I speak my mind...

I think its an ok kit for the price.

 

David is not a friend of mine, Ive never met him but I feel the need to defend that its much better then costume quality. I agree that there are question marks surrounding his armor but my opinion still stands as it's good budget armor.

 

I'm sorry if I offended you and publicly apologize for my comments but seeing as you said you are an armor snob and from Ottawa ( prob a Sens fan ) lol I dont feel so bad anymore... cheers mate...

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

I meant disney level as our sponsors. I used to say LFL Level meaning something our sponsors would hire for paid troops.

Please, continue to say LFL.  Many of us have seen the Disney TKs up close, and the ones that LFL hires for events are typically far better than the Disney TKs.  

[nfmatt04]

 

Name of this armor?

 

[TK4205]

The helmet looks like a MRCE. It's hard to tell without a high res picture. I can't see the lines very well when I zoom in, but there's no seam on the ears. It's either solid resin or the ears were vac formed with the faceplate. MR did do a solid fiberglass helmet...

 

Hard to tell. Different parts look like various kits. Need better pictures before I can be certain. One thing for sure, from the photos provided, I would not be happy with this kit.

[Ripper_L[Admin]]

Doesn't look worse than armor FX to me... (which is still approvable btw!) 

[bobafret[TK]]

Name of this armor?

Whatever that is it doesn't appear to be the tkarmour I think I see overlap construction on thighs which is not the tkarmour

 

Why was that pic posted? It seems to be confusing the discussion about tkarmour.

[nfmatt04]

Whatever that is it doesn't appear to be the tkarmour I think I see overlap construction on thighs which is not the tkarmour

 

Why was that pic posted? It seems to be confusing the discussion about tkarmour.

Its actually Tk Uk armor

 

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[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Be great to see some build threads with the armor, get a better look of the pieces and it's construction.

[bobafret[TK]]

Its actually Tk Uk armor

 

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Interesting. I did notice that squished in middle button on the ab plate which is similar to the kit I saw and posted pictures of, but the kit I saw was intended to be butt/cover strip. I guess the photo there isn't enough detail to see. Also can't see the side where the shoulder bells I saw have a CRAZY pronounced offset to the center detail ridge. That might have been a tell. I do see the super small teeth and small/soft frown that I saw on my applicant's kit. There may be multiple molds flying around. I know the armorer said they made changes and we have seen in this thread pictures of ab plates with no buttons, and ab plate that I have seen in person with buttons. Since the armorer kind of evaporated from the discussion here we're kind of left to flounder figuring things out for ourselves.

 

I guess all I can say is that the kit I saw in person just wasn't sufficient quality to be able to pass at Basic Approval for me for the reasons I outlined in detail in my post with pics.

[nfmatt04]

This was a friends build. If you know what your doing you can make anything looks good. Wasn't trying to dog you or anything sir. Just posted cause David is taking alot if not all of input from you guys.

 

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[bobafret[TK]]

This was a friends build. If you know what your doing you can make anything looks good. Wasn't trying to dog you or anything sir. Just posted cause David is taking alot if not all of input from you guys.

 

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Not at all I don't take discussion about this personally because it's not a personal issue for me. As a GML my goal is to always try to enforce the overall standards of the 501st. Now when it comes to "perfectly screen accurate" a LOT of us have REALLY great eyes for detail. It's really easy to judge a costume that hit the nail on the head.

 

The difficulty is in navigating what is "barely passable". This is where the job of a GML is PAINFUL. I personally HATE to deny applicants, but I LOVE that the 501st has the prestige and reputation it does. That only comes from insisting on standards. And sometimes when you are in a gray area it is SO HARD because some people will fall on one side and some on the other. And due to the nature of the art of the thing, you can't define every little piece and part of what is acceptable so there are ALWAYS gray areas.

 

With this armorer in particular I would say it's firmly in that discussion of "barely passable" and I happen to fall on the side of "not really". Added to this is the fact that I believe many of these pieces are recast which, while not taken out on the applicant, is just not cool. The vetted armorers who have lineage or permission or created their own fantastic sculpts have something that should be respected. So when someone comes out of the woodwork and refuses to share lineage and only seems to communicate enough to sell suits it makes my life difficult and biases me against that armor in general, I will admit it.

 

That being said, I still objectively stand by the issues I saw as being unpassable. The shoulder detail bell ridges are angled significantly. The thigh ammo box has noticeable grooves in between the boxes. The breast detail on the chest plate angles down noticeably to the viewers right, wearer's left. The bicep "thumb" detail looked like it had been chopped in with a saw or dremel wheel edge, not sculpted. The h and plates were significantly larger than standard. Additionally the quality of the pull was sub-par with significant pitting and pocking in parts.

 

I really am not trying to set a personal standard and that's why I've been in detailed conversations that have included not only Daetrin but I copied LMO and my own Garrison CO. I know some GMLs are overly harsh and I don't want to be that guy so I'm just trying to calibrate. I also know some GMLs pass stuff that I wouldn't, and that the DL wouldn't buy off on. That's the nature of how it goes.

 

Anyway, sorry for the long post I just wanted to clarify myself as I'm kind of knee deep in this now. I'm not out to get this guy and if the general consensus is that the armor is good, I will go with that flow. However, the general consensus so far seems to swing the other way, at least for my potential applicant.