Policies and Terms of Sale

Refund, return and exchange policy

If you're not pleased with an item due to a defect in craftsmanship and it has not been worn, we will fix it. Either ship us back the item for repair, or we will send the missing application to you at no extra charge. All other returns will be subject to a 15% restocking fee.

ALL RETURNS MUST BE RETURNED IN THE SAME CONDITION THEY ARE RECEIVED TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY TYPE OF REFUND.   If you are requesting a return for any reason, you must request and receive a RAN (Return Authorization Number). Items which are returned without a RAN will be retained by The Schmitthenner Armoury and no refund of any type will be given.

Standard sizing

Our typical sizing for products is based on the average sized adult male, weighing 170-190 lbs and approximately 5-10" to 6"-0" tall. If measurements are outside of this range or if you feel special measurements may be necessary to properly size your order, you must let us know prior to placing your order. Otherwise the order will be crafted using this standard of sizing. For example, items listed on the "Female Armour" page have been re-designed to work with the smaller framed individual and have already taken this into account. Items ordered which are over "standard sizing" measurements may incur additional "oversized" charges due to the extra materials involved. Contact us regarding any additional charges which may be involved in these cases.

Crafting times and Production dates

Production of orders may  vary at different times of year . Our "crafting queue" works on a revolving basis, so regardless if the order is a pair of bracers or a cuirass it will likely take the same amount of time to craft and ship.

The verb "queue" means to form a line, and to wait for services. Queue is also the name of this line. As we receive orders, they are placed in a revolving "crafting queue". It is referred to this way because it cycles from one area of the production area to the next. In other words, we may be crafting "arms" one week", "legs" the next week, "cuirasses" for 1-2 weeks, and so on. This is the only way we can maintain some type of control over the turnaround time for orders. Since we handcraft most of our items to custom measurements and to order, this can become a very delicate system and can be thrown completely into disarray by  interruption or unforeseen circumstances. Orders which are delayed due to omission or incorrect measurements, color choice, etc., which is necessary to produce the item(s) ordered are the customer's responsibility.

Crafting times can vary from 24 hours to 12 weeks depending on the time of year, the item(s) ordered, and current workload.  

The best way to ensure  a specific turnaround time is to include  a "need by" date when placing your order.   If you place an order with a "need by" date, this date cannot be altered after the order is placed. If you are not in a particular rush for your order we urge that you choose a date sometime within our above mentioned crafting queue. Orders are produced in the order that they are paid. If you require your items for a specific event we will make every effort to accommodate your needs, however we do not commit to deadlines. Generally orders that require a receipt date of less than 2 weeks will fall under a "rush order" category (see below).  

WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DELAYS IN PRODUCTION OR TURNAROUND TIMES DUE TO UNFORESEEN COMPANY ILLNESS, INJURY OR ACTS OF GOD.

Cancellation Policy

Most of our items are handcrafted to order (see above, "Crafting times and production dates). Contact us if you feel it is approaching a time period with which you are becoming uncomfortable.  We may be upgrading facets of the armour which you will be afforded at no additional cost.  If need be, we will make every attempt to accommodate your needs. Orders placed with "need by" dates cannot be cancelled for non-receipt if the "need by" date has not yet been reached.

We are not resellers of other companies products or get our items from India and put them on a shelf to send out right away. We take pride in the fact that we hand make QUALITY products. If you want something fast and cheap, there is a ton of resellers out there waiting to take your money for the junk they sell. Most people do not understand that "off the shelf" products many times are either of inferior quality or are "one size fits most" and will likely not fit properly.

Rush Orders

Items needed by a specific date which are crafted to order and do not fall within our normal crafting queue may be considered a rush order. These types of orders can be any time earlier than our current turnaround time. 

Our standard rush or expedited order charge is usually 50% of the cost of the entire order, not including shipping. See our "Ordering" page for updated time schedules and rates during holiday season. This is due to the fact that we must place most or all other orders on hold to complete a single order. 

Our Lifetime Care & Maintenance Guarantee

We will, for the life of the purchased item, repair any broken straps, popped rivets, broken buckles, or any other failed hardware with the purchase. This may include replacing the a failed armour section. We will also re-apply any needed finishing oils to maintain the item. All you need to do is cover the shipping charges.

On the Nature of Leather

Leather, in and of its very essence, is a natural material. We at The Schmitthenner Armory, in crafting our armor make every attempt to select the best sections of steer hide from which to craft our armor. Since we are dealing with a natural material, however, there may be slight variances in hide thickness, include occasional interior creases, and minor blemishes. Color variations due to fluctuations in the tanning of hides, weather conditions and chemical inconsistencies from suppliers are beyond our control and may affect the exact final result of the finished product. These are inherent qualities of leather armour and also contribute the unique facet of every finished piece.

 Prior to shipping orders the armor is inspected for any deviations that will affect the protectiveness of the product. We do strongly suggest that if you have specific guidelines that are required by your local SCA Marshall or LARP organization that you bring this to our attention at the time of ordering. This way we can be sure to make certain that the finished product is as battle worthy as you desire. Having said that, ANY type of physical combat is subject to a degree of injury and The Schmitthenner Armory accepts no responsibility for any injuries sustained in the use of our gear due to negligence, improper use of padding or for any other reason.

Special/Custom Orders

We often are commissioned to craft special and custom orders from selected materials and to the specifications of our customers. We normally require a 50% deposit from the quoted cost for such orders which is non-refundable. This is for a variety of efforts, including initial research and design hours, materials otherwise not kept "in-stock", and so on. Orders placed which include any of this time, materials, etc., are not guaranteed any type of refund or if so is directly related to the time and materials obtained and/or work involved to complete such work. Custom orders that are ready to ship that are not defective due to craftsmanship have taken a great deal of hours, materials and specifications directly related to measurements and desires of the individual who has placed the order and are not subject to any type of refund. In placing a custom order, customers must be aware that extended time may be required to fashion the desired item for it to function in a practical sense, so time constraints on these types of orders is impossible. Re-design and alterations during the course of the original crafting of the piece(s) due to unforeseen problems which arise during the construction of the custom commission will be at the Schmitthenner Armoury's expense and is included in the original quote for the commission. Customers placing any custom order must sign and date a "Custom order agreement form" and return to us by fax, email attachment or USPS mail. Customers who commission the Schmitthenner Armoury to create any given piece acknowledge that the finished product may be re-created and added to our inventory of products for future sales. Inquiries regarding custom orders should be directed for our design and development office: schmitthenner@mail.com 

Pricing Policy

It is a rare instance to find a sale at The Schmitthenner Armory. We pride ourselves on crafting some of the finest quality products at the most reasonable prices anywhere. We do reserve the right to change prices without notice, however, and do occasionally run "specials" for certain purchase amounts.

We ask for measurements for nearly all of our armour, since most of it is custom crafted to your specifications. Due to wide variances in measurements, there may be additional costs for oversized or undersized physiques, especially for cuirasses. Measurements for very petite women or child sized armour would require re-design of patterns, and very large or over-sized armour (48" or larger chest or waist size) will require the same type of alterations as well as additional material. In the former case the costs are minimal, usually less than $25.00. In the latter case possibly a bit more, usually $50.00-$75.00 for a typical cuirass. Contact us for more details.

Damaged/Lost Merchandise

Items damaged through shipping are generally covered by the courier system employed. Any damage noted upon arrival should be both brought to the courier's attention and to ours as soon as possible. Claims may be filed with the USPS at the local USPS office. We ship most orders by USPS Parcel Post or Priority USPS and use Delivery confirmation. We cannot assume responsibility for any orders once they have been confirmed as delivered. Any items that are defects in craftsmanship or sent by mistake should be brought to OUR attention within 5 business days so we can exchange it for the correct item. You can contact our office Tuesday through Saturday from 9 AM - 5:00 PM EST at (912) 385-7175.

Privacy Policy

We do not share any information regarding our customers with anyone, for any reason whatever, without their direct permission.