What lines are prone to breakage (1 Viewer)

[Currahee Chris]

Hey gang:

Over the last few months of reading everyone's posts, I have heard a lot about broken pieces and such. I have so far, thankfully not suffered a casualty en route to deployment in the combat zone known as my basement. Just curious but what lines seem to be suspect to breakage issues?

For you long term KC collectors out there- has this always been a problem or has it increased/ decreased over the years?

Kind of funny that I am asking this question as I currently have an AE3 on layaway with a dealer (the Egyptian Chariot). I am REALLY nervous it is going to get here with a broken wheel and poor Pharoah will be thumbing it back to Cairo.

STANDS ALONE!!
CC

 

[Louis Badolato]

I have never had any real problems with breakage in K&C products, with the only things I've ever had arrive damaged being some of the more delicate polystone pieces.

 

[wellington]

That piece you have ordered is known to easily break during shipping.


WELLINGTON

 

[Currahee Chris]

That piece you have ordered is known to easily break during shipping.


WELLINGTON

Yeah thanks man, that is going to help ease my mind

 

[wellington]

I know, I'm sorry but it's true...from what I know its the most prone piece to break in the K&C line.


WELLINGTON

 

[wadepat]

Hi Currahee Chris,

When my AE3 arrived, it had a broken wheel. I contacted my dealer and he replaced the set. In both cases, the chariot was sent via UPS. The replacement set arrived in perfect condition. So, while it is possible the piece might suffer damage in transit, it is also possible for it to arrive in perfect condition. I would encourage you not to worry about a damaged piece until you discover one.

I hope your chariot arrives in perfect condition. It is a truly beautiful piece! You will enjoy it endlessly.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[Wraith]

The only damage I've had with K&C is a few bent rifle / MG barrels. Always able to straighten them out and touch up without any drama. I think over recent years, manufacturers have really taken note of some of the complaints by collectors over packaging.

For instance, the latest jeep - wing mirrors. Designed so that they are thicker so as to be more robust. It's an unfortunate compromise that has to be made I feel, the trouble being that once the perfect, undamaged model leaves the factory, the package is at the mercy of freight airlines, Customs, and postal services, before they reach your doorstep.

Simon

 

[aujj65]

I know, I'm sorry but it's true...from what I know its the most prone piece to break in the K&C line.


WELLINGTON

Chris.

If you look at the K&C UK website they have the following note added to the AE3 Egyptian Chariot description.

"Please Note: Due to this model being very delicate, the model will ONLY be available for collection at one of the Shows we are attending."

Sorry

Jeff

 

[jazzeum]

Never had a real problem, except for the Bren Gun Carrier. Now, Figarti tanks, that's another story.

 

[damian]

I have never had a problem with K and C stuff. One of my HB Barlkmans panthers came with the barrel snallped off. Anna is apparently making me a new one. Generally withmodern packaging things do not get too damaged,
Regards
Damian

 

[Currahee Chris]

The only damage I've had with K&C is a few bent rifle / MG barrels. Always able to straighten them out and touch up without any drama. I think over recent years, manufacturers have really taken note of some of the complaints by collectors over packaging.

yeah, same here- the British SF set had a barrell completely wrapped around but I put that more on the shoddy packing job by the Ebay seller.

I have always felt that KC stuff has actually been pretty rugged and in fact, with the way I handle them with my 2 left hands, I am very thankful for that fact. I guess the periodic discussion around the frailty of the figures has me interested.

Still though, with the price of the Egyptian chariot, I could buy 6-8 of those things and take my chances getting one in decent shape and still pay less than the St. Pete Ramses II chariots.

Thanks fellas, appreciate the input. It sounds to me, Egyptians withstanding, that most of the stuff- Crusaders and Naps are figs I don't collect so I should be in the clear anyway.

 

[Canadian Samurai]

From my experience the problem of bent rifles, shovels, bayonets, swords and axes afflicts all K&C lines (and every toy soldier company) about equally. It’s a constant and worrisome problem that makes one dread opening a new set for fear of having to go through the lengthy return process, or just biting the bullet and keeping the less than perfect figure in one’s collection. As someone relatively new to this hobby, this problem is a serious turn-off and I can imagine I’m not alone in my thinking.

For example, I just ordered WS-064 from Treefrog and I’m crossing my fingers because I know at least one of the rifle tips is going to arrive bent. If you click the 360 view for this set, you’ll notice the rifle tip of the guy throwing the grenade is barely hanging by a thread there. Photos on two other dealer’s websites also show bent rifles on at least one of the figures in this set. And you would think dealer’s choose the best set for their photos – imagine the rejects!

 

[Tony Neville]

Guys

To give you the dealers view (well mine at least)

K&C UK open every box from HK and you soon get used to the ones that have a 'pinch' point and this is then what we check for when we send out an order.

Dispatch Dave is very good at this mass checking and at speed also. K&CUK send out between 20 and 50 box's of K&C per day and we very rairly get returns.

The foam is some times to blame with the item as with the Saracen MK35 Attacking with Axe. When these came in from HK the axe was bent due to the miss cut of the foam. We then opened every one and recut the foam to ensure the item then would travel better on from us. We then inform HK about this and since then the foam gets cut better.

The Chariot was / is a nightmare due to the weight this item would leave the warehouse perfect but could still be dmaged when it arrives with a customer........also not you guys but this items shoudl be taken out iof the box in a certain way and you can tell when it has not then the customer blames the shipping.........hey customers always right! get outa here.

Small paint chips can be found often on items, again nothing major. We touch up some items here with the matching paints. I think most dealers have a paint shop or painter on hand.

WWII items are generally better than Napoleonic, Mike was telling me that this was the reason for Andys reluclence in the early days to do NAPS. As in the industry there was always talks of broken guns etc.

One of the major issues is the way the items should be taken out of the box's we often get customers telling us the plumes on mounted NAPs are broken off etc.......

Please remember we are looking at only a very small number of damges here we get in between 700 - 1000kg of K&C every 10days and there is only one or two items in these deliveries.

Point of interest K&C HK send out in large boxs their deliveries which are then protected from the outside by foam and HK newspaper. in a treble lined card board box. we then ship out in double lined boxs with Poly chips and paper.

Tony Neville
K&C UK