Damascus Steel Longclaw

[Stego]

I bought the low quality PezClaw. I like it, despite it being hokey.The laser etchings are in the wrong direction to make any rational sense, but I'm willing to let that go as well. My order was lost in the mail for weeks and weeks, but I eventually got my Christmas present in Feb or March or something. I'll live.

But now to be told our toy is not the real toy? We need to bust out 600 more dollars to buy the real toy. One would think that when one purchases a 'limited edition' numbered item that it would not be superseded a mere one year later with a new numbered edition. How would folks feel if Sub Press released a new special edition of ASoIaF that featured higher quality paper for three times the price and said this was the new and improved special edition that superseded what they previously released?

I'm really disappointed.

[Poobah]

You mean you only just noticed the blatant profitmongering?

[Ran]

IIRC, I recall them telling people they where considering doing the Damascus steel or a "live steel" version a long time ago and were asking people if they'd be interested enough for them to pursue it.

Yep, it's in their FAQ. So while I understand the point, Stego, I think they did let people know that a more exclusive version of the sword was a possibility down the road.

[Geddon]

But now to be told our toy is not the real toy? We need to bust out 600 more dollars to buy the real toy. One would think that when one purchases a 'limited edition' numbered item that it would not be superseded a mere one year later with a new numbered edition.

United Cutlery did a similar thing with a couple of the LOTR replica swords. The difference being that UC really put some effort into the enhanced "museum collection" versions.

I have the standard UC Sting and it is a really nice, well made piece which gets admiring comments whenever people see it. I also have the museum collection version and, when put side by side, it makes the standard version look like a cheap knock-off - the difference in quality is that marked. The museum version is made of better materials, is far more detailed and comes with a wooden and glass display case.

I guess what I'm saying is that I think it is okay as long as the products are different enough and are designed to cater to different segments of the market. As far as Longclaw is concerned I'm not sure that simply changing the blade material provides enough differentiation - it reads like the Damascus is a slightly upgraded version of the earlier sword which is, of course, going to have some people regretting not waiting and buying the better one.

[Indispensable Nobody]

Valyrian Steel said from the very beginning that a different version might be made later on; you chose to purchase the first release, and that is not their fault at all.

[Sword of the Morning]

To add my two cents in, a limited edition of 100 in the collectible market is an extremely low edition size.

This is true regardless of what you are talking about whether statues, busts, books, swords, etc.

As a point of reference compare to the regular edition size of Longclaw and Needle which is in the 2500 range.

The reason for this of course is production costs. The smaller the number, the more expensive it will be.

Thus, from a COLLECTOR'S point of view, the mere fact that this iteration is one of only 100 makes it drastically different from the normal edition. The extras such as the real garnets in the wolf eyes and the increased quality of the Damascus steel is a bonus.

Also look at the price. 600 dollars is well over double the price of the normal edition of Longclaw so I wouldn't feel too bad Stego. These are two different classes of swords entirely. If you want the high-end version, just sell your old one and spend the money on the new.

Have you not spent untold thousands on your book collection over the years? 600 won't even get you to the table for a Game of Thrones numbered Meisha . . .

I'll get it eventually but will wait a bit.

The problem with Valyrian Steel's business model is that asking a customer to put down 600 dollars IN FULL before there is even a firm deadline on shipping and before the holidays is crazy. So far, we have about 20 insane Song of Ice and Fire maniacs who did it but good luck finding another 80 before years end.

I'd like to get the same number in the series so will wait a few more weeks to get a suitably high enough number that further releases in the series like Ice I should have no problems matching up.

Dennis

[Valyrian-Steel]

I'm sorry you're disappointed.

As for the original Longclaw, the hilt was GRRM's decision. I personally lobbied for a hilt with the wolf facing upwards (when hung, downwards when held) with the mouth open. I think because in some of the art, such as the trade paperback of AGOT, it had the wolf shown large and facing sideways, GRRM chose that. In the end, who are we to argue with him? The texture he picked too, out of 16 different choices, and it is also very possible to get a texture like that naturally. Here are three museum pieces showing it: http://www.warehamforge.ca/TRAINING/pattern.jpg

Most of the early european examples were as such, the lines running lengthwise that you seem to think are more realistic, are of asian origin, but either can be made depending on the direction the steel is folded.

We said in 2007 that we'd probably do a damascus version, so it shouldn't have been a surprise.

Our goal is to make the best collectible swords possible, but also to serve the needs of different collectors.

Some collectors want a $200 sword, and to make one we need to use stainless steel and we need to use fake garnets. Others are willing to pay more for something more accurate, so we want to make damascus versions which are more like "true valyrian steel" in that they're what GRRM was picturing when he invented the stuff.

We're upgrading everything we can upgrade for the damascus version. There just isn't much we can upgrade. We can't put a different hilt on, because that is the design and there is no other material from which to make the hilt. It already has a leather grip. It is getting a true damascus blade, real garnet eyes, and a spiffier COA.

It'll be out in April by the way, barring any delays (always seems to be one).

If we could go back and change things we'd sell the damascus and regular editions side by side, which is what we're doing for Ice. So people can choose the one they want up front. But back when we first started designing Longclaw, mass production of damascus steel was rare and we asked and we couldn't find a factory who could do it. Since then it has become available and so we're now able to do it.

It isn't about profit mongering either. 100 swords, even if we had huge profit margins, isn't going to produce a lot of profit. We're doing it because the #1 complaint we got with the first Longclaw was that it wasn't real damascus. You may complain that we're making a damascus version, but it is precisely because of the complaints (or let me say feedback) of others that we are doing it. I guess, no matter what, you can't please everyone.