Opinions on Quality / Authenticity

[mattifatti]

Blockade Runner

I was wondering if anybody has purchased anything from the Blockade Runner and what they thought of those goods on authenticity standards? I did look in the approved vendors section and did not notice them there but I did not know if many people knew of them as when I ask questions at events most people say, "Who? Huh?"
thanks for your help,
Matt Kraybill

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Blockade Runner

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11341&highlight=blockade+runner

[FlaYankee]

Re: Opinions on Quality / Authenticity

I have one of the Blockade Runner p53 bayonets. It is very comparible to my original p53 bayonet I purchased years ago. The only thing that bugged me was the locking ring and screw on their bayonet. I recommend replacing it with an original locking ring and screw (blued of course), purchased seperatly from Lodgewood Mfg as I did.
Just my .02.
Kindest Regards

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Opinions on Quality / Authenticity

Hello-

Gotta be "pick-and-choose" with Blockade Runner... the site is mainstream with some progressive, but has a -select few- items that are nice. The blued Enfield bayonets are nice as well as are some of the small parts they have. But if someone cares about what they sell, then that means they will sell only historically-correct items (or, at least ones that their proper research/existing pattern study has found). If you buy anything, then get a money-back guarantee if not completely satisfied.
It looks to me Blockade Runner is trying their best to go more toward correctness and not totally the tchochkies [sic- help me spell that darn word] the "sutler row" tents consistantly try to sell at mainstream/national events. Applause for that.

Notice I wrote -select few- items... caveat emptor

That's my 2 cents... it's as good as anyone else's. :p
-Johnny

[gilham]

Re: Opinions on Quality / Authenticity

QUOTE=Frenchie;63829]On the plus side, Blockade Runner has correct U.S. Navy hard rubber buttons http://www.blockaderunner.com/Catalog/catpg29.htm[/QUOTE][/PHP]


Just so you know the 1851 Goddyear hard rubber buttons they carry are plastic

[Csayankee]

Re: Opinions on Quality / Authenticity

Well that have bought three items from them when I first started, I have two of them left. I purchased a 1853 Enfield because they have the best price on non-defarbed rifles around here. I also purchased a bayonet for that rifle and it did not have any of the mordern Indian markings. The scabbard did ok for a 7 rivet and I have it some were in the junk pile.

[toccoa42]

Re: Opinions on Quality / Authenticity

the tchochkies [sic- help me spell that darn word]

Chochkarai -- somewhat corrupted Yiddish -- means knicknacks of a very cheap and crappy sort -- what your grandmother wouldn't dare sell at her tag sale for fear of ridicule.

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Opinions on Quality / Authenticity

You corrected "Ridicule"... touche, mon ami! LOL

Lynn- sir, we do have to meet one of these days... Look up on here John Greenfield or any one of the Gawd Awful Mess-ers. Seem to be a good bunch of guys.

Ugh... you said "tag sale" for "yard sale"- you sure ARE from New England... lol ;)

Ya' know what farbonzo sutler trinkets I mean, though. :D

Needed a laugh..

Cheers- Johnny

[toccoa42]

Re: Opinions on Quality / Authenticity

Ugh... you said "tag sale" for "yard sale"- you sure ARE from New England... lol ;)

Actually, I'm FROM Indiana. There, it's "garage sale". But tag sale will do.

I moved here in 1976. The most difficult linguistic change to get used to was calling a "sub" a "grinder". And I now pahk ma kah.

Ya' know what farbonzo sutler trinkets I mean, though. :D

Yes I do. I don't buy them.

Lynn- sir, we do have to meet one of these days... Look up on here John Greenfield or any one of the Gawd Awful Mess-ers. Seem to be a good bunch of guys.

Will you be at Rememberance Day in Gburg?

[Todd Watts]

Re: Opinions on Quality / Authenticity

Been poking around here and looking at what is said about BRI. There are some items they have that indeed are on the cheap side. They have a lot that is really decent quality for the money, and some stuff that they really strive to "get right." I suspect this is the same for any sutlery. I am there almost weekly and have the benefit of actually knowing the staff almost as an employee and have discussed what I read here and hear in camps regarding some of their items. I can tell you that primarily, they are a business. They strive to make customers happy first, and a huge part of that is price. They have over the years spent a lot of money and effort to have some things detailed, only to have to price them then so high that they do not sell, effectively leaving them with a box of perfect stuff they cannot sell. So, booties, bayonets and scabbards, suspenders, tinware, etc. from India simply has to be the case for them to sell them at the prices the consumers demand. They don't like it but business demands it. They have "stitch Naziis" order jackets from time to time with certain numbers of stitches per inch to copy some jacket that is in a museum someplace, and when they then quote the very high price for doing this added hand-labor, the customer gets angry and argues with them. It used to bother them but now they just shrug and hope the guy is happy buying from someplace else willing to do that added labor and loosing money in the process by paying the seamstress more for less productivity.

I guess what I want to say is that Connie and Jerry at the BRI really do care about this hobby and want to make us all very happy. However, they also have to stay in business so they are forced to cut corners here and there. We just have to learn what is "right" from them and get those items. The novices can jump in with their prices and buy all the other items and be pleased. As they learn and want more authentic stuff they then can start zeroing in on the right item from the right sutler. You won't meet nicer people either.:)

[Bob Steele]

Re: Opinions on Quality / Authenticity

I would just like to mention that Craig L. Barry 's post on Blockade Runner is the kind of information I am looking for. I have wondered about the de-farbed Enfield offered by Blockade Runner and wether it was any good or not. Craig's excellent post answers the question. You can find some articles which are good at main stream sutlers, but you have to be very careful as most items are far from authentic. Best to stay with the approved vendors at AC unless, like Craig, you know otherwise.

[WoodenNutmeg]

Re: Opinions on Quality / Authenticity

I moved here in 1976. The most difficult linguistic change to get used to was calling a "sub" a "grinder". And I now pahk ma kah.

Grinder is about as Connecticut as it gets.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Opinions on Quality / Authenticity

Hallo!

"Grinder is about as Connecticut as it gets"

I moved once, and went from a "sub" to a "hoaggie," and some clerk that wanted to put "soda in a sack" rather than my "pop in a bag." (Sorry Dad...)

Curt
American English Mess