Should I break it to him?

[SethB6025]

Honesty is the best policy. I'd break the bad news to him, although he may already know. If he's honest, he'll know the real score. If he's a crook, then he'll know the jig is up. Either way, he is openly comping to recasting a helmet. At least you could let him know that that is bad form.

 

[SithLord]

I would stay away from him, sounds like recasting a recaster's work :confused . He's just echoing what SPFX/Underlord/Phil has claimed about his helmet in regard to it coming from the original molds which is patently false. The faceplate is a 20th C recast and the dome is a GH dome recast. I have compared a GH dome and SPFX dome in person, side-by-side, and there's no question the SPFX dome originated from a GH dome. In fact, although otherwise identical, the SPFX dome was a bit smaller than a GH dome. The faceplate matches the dimensions of a 20th C faceplate. The SPFX helmet in question was his first ANH-ESB conversion long before he ever posted for sale ads on Ebay...

:cheers,

Thomas

 

[Treadwell]

Originally posted by jeezycreezy+Jan 20 2006, 10:38 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jeezycreezy @ Jan 20 2006, 10:38 AM)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-Treadwell

@Jan 20 2006, 03:32 PM
If he thought the helmet was screenused as he claims, then he wouldn't be a recaster, at least not intentionally, as this community has been defining it (screenused being fair game).

I disagree.

The way I read it he says he bought a replica. The replica was supposedly second gen. from a screen used helmet.[/b]

Ah, I see your point.

 

[Trallis]

When I happened to come across the auction you were bidding on, I couldn't be silent and watch you pay too much.

sounds like a salesman alright.
Unless there is truly something special about you and this guy just wants to save just you some money, he is sending these out to everyone else who bids on vader helmets.
I want to see if anyone else will get any e-mails from him in the future

 

[kell]

After I posted my original post and slept on it.... just a crazy though, and once again no war starting here.. what if this guy is another Phil sock puppet ?

Also just thinking about it , whenever a deal is too good to be true it usually is, it reminds me of the guys that drive around in vans and pull up to you in the grocery store parking lot, and try to pitch you on some leftover stereo speakers, or other consumer electronics at really super sweet discount price... The reason that their "product" is so cheap is because of something like "we had too many, these are the extra that wont be missed"... you get home and found you bought a "box" of rocks..... :lol :lol :lol


Kell

 

[RKW]

Originally posted by SithLord@Jan 20 2006, 04:52 PM
I would stay away from him, sounds like recasting a recaster's work :confused . He's just echoing what SPFX/Underlord/Phil has claimed about his helmet in regard to it coming from the original molds which is patently false. The faceplate is a 20th C recast and the dome is a GH dome recast. I have compared a GH dome and SPFX dome in person, side-by-side, and there's no question the SPFX dome originated from a GH dome. In fact, although otherwise identical, the SPFX dome was a bit smaller than a GH dome. The faceplate matches the dimensions of a 20th C faceplate. The SPFX helmet in question was his first ANH-ESB conversion long before he ever posted for sale ads on Ebay...

:cheers,

Thomas

[snapback]1163771[/snapback]​

Well going by your logic in the SDS thread this guy is doing nothing wrong since neither Jeff, Fyberdyne, GH, JB, SPFX, PheonixVader, Cking etc own the rights to the Vader design :rolleyes

 

[Clutch]

Didn't see that coming. lol.

 

[NakedMoleRat]

He paid with shipping $1,035.00 Spent hundreds on a mould. So that's what, $300.00? $400.00? Let's say $350.00? So now he's up to, $1,385.00. Sells it for $795.00. Then he makes another one, let's just round off the materials in glass, paint, sandpaper, etc, for $100.00. So he's now spent about $690.00 on the copy he made (All things considered) So he's only recovered $345.00 from what he spent origionally.
He only recasted it to make one for himself. Sure.
I just wouldn't even respond to the message.

 

[atacpdx]

I'm in Portland and if it is the guy near Milwaukee that I think it is, it is a scam and you'll pay and get nothing in return. The guy I know that lives there and does that kind of @#$%. is a real welfare scumbag who cheats ebayers on props all the time and seems to just get away with it.

Steer way clear.

 

[yakcam]

WOW...
Thanks everyone for your input and pm's. I make a little post early in the evening see a couple of replies before I go to bed, I get up the next morning and it's 2 pages..WOW (mind you I am looking through rose coloured eyeballs and I have slight double vision, yep, big night, I'm probably looking at the wrong thread..lol).

Well, it seems that sending him an email and setting him straight has the vote. I'll construct a polite and informative email and see if he gets nasty or doesn't reply at all.

I wondered if it was Phil, so I made a Yahoo email account just for his emails. Phil should, however, recognise my name (Kraig with a K's not very common and one who lives in Melbourne, Australia, even less so) as we've had heated "words" in the past, of course he may have had a sharp blow to the head recently...lol.

An odd thing is though, the helmet doesn't look like anything I recognise, it resembles an early JB, kind of. The face does look 20th C........

Well, thanks again everyone. I'll let you know what his reply is if I get one.

Cheers,

Kraig

 

[SithLord]

Originally posted by RKW@Jan 20 2006, 04:17 PM
Well going by your logic in the SDS thread this guy is doing nothing wrong since neither Jeff, Fyberdyne, GH, JB, SPFX, PheonixVader, Cking etc own the rights to the Vader design  :rolleyes

[snapback]1163934[/snapback]​

Can you prove that AA doesn't have the original molds? I can prove that Phil didn't get his helmet from an original ANH helmet. So where did he get his helmet from? A GH dome and 20th C faceplate. He's admitted in an email that he used the 20th C faceplate for his helmet. Whether that is recasting or not in the eyes of the RPF, Phil has taken two different sources of Vader helmet, and copied them without the owner's permission. Phil has made over $50,000 easily selling Vader helmets with his bogus claims of authenticity and people here fall for it...
And if you want to get into rights of ownership, the GH dome is an original from Don Post Studios...from THEIR MOLDS...not Lucasfilm's molds, just as the TE TK helmet is an original. GH got it from the source. TE got his from another owner. Who has more rights to recast his own helmet as he pleases then?

:cheers,

Thomas

EDIT: It looks almost like a VM02...will look at it again later...

 

[RKW]

Originally posted by SithLord+Jan 20 2006, 10:11 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SithLord @ Jan 20 2006, 10:11 PM)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-RKW

@Jan 20 2006, 04:17 PM
Well going by your logic in the SDS thread this guy is doing nothing wrong since neither Jeff, Fyberdyne, GH, JB, SPFX, PheonixVader, Cking etc own the rights to the Vader design  :rolleyes

[snapback]1163934[/snapback]​

Can you prove that AA doesn't have the original molds? I can prove that Phil didn't get his helmet from an original ANH helmet. So where did he get his helmet from? A GH dome and 20th C faceplate. He's admitted in an email that he used the 20th C faceplate for his helmet. Whether that is recasting or not in the eyes of the RPF, Phil has taken two different sources of Vader helmet, and copied them without the owner's permission. Phil has made over $50,000 easily selling Vader helmets with his bogus claims of authenticity and people here fall for it...
And if you want to get into rights of ownership, the GH dome is an original from Don Post Studios...from THEIR MOLDS...not Lucasfilm's molds, just as the TE TK helmet is an original. GH got it from the source. TE got his from another owner. Who has more rights to recast his own helmet as he pleases then?

:cheers,

Thomas

EDIT: It looks almost like a VM02...will look at it again later...

[snapback]1164029[/snapback]​

[/b]

I can prove AA is not using the original molds. Try replacing the name Phil with SDS in your above post. GH has no more right to make copies of the Vader helmet than any other member here. If you think he does then you had better explain because after your whole SDS defense I think we're all confused.

 

[kell]

Originally posted by yakcam@Jan 20 2006, 04:03 PM
I wondered if it was Phil, so I made a Yahoo email account just for his emails. Phil should, however, recognise my name (Kraig with a K's not very common and one who lives in Melbourne, Australia, even less so) as we've had heated "words" in the past, of course he may have had a sharp blow to the head recently...lol.

An odd thing is though, the helmet doesn't look like anything I recognise, it resembles an early JB, kind of. The face does look 20th C........

Well, thanks again everyone. I'll let you know what his reply is if I get one.

Cheers,

Kraig

[snapback]1164026[/snapback]​

Whoa. Horsey.

It is becoming clear to me.

Are these his pic ? If they are this helmet has been sold 3 or 4 times on ebay already. a few months ago when this guy was supposedly selling it for a "friend" I corresponded with him, he sent me a message tying to move it for between 375 to 450 bucks, sweet deal... I learned the origins of the helmut and had to pass. Nothing was said about recasting the said helmet at that time.

Just one more thing, before I joined RPF I lurked here a long time, and don't remember the exact thread but someone had made a point that the spfx helmet is different now, (wider neck), perhaps why it doesnt look familiar... Hey I still like the dome...

O.k. thats my last 2cents Im throwing in.



Kell

 

[yakcam]

Hi Kell,

Yes they are his pics, I assume anyway, unless of course they've been stolen from a member here.

If it is a member here I'll be happy to out him/her/it or "other", by providing the name given at the end of the email, if it's real and their eBay ID.

Cheers,

Kraig

 

[yakcam]

Ok, this was the message I sent to the guy...

"Hi Scott,

Thanks for the pics, but I already have an SPFX.

Please take this as information, not an attack or a slur on you, it's the last thing I intend to do.........

Phil (a.k.a SPFX, Underlord, Apogee1, Sith Master, Dark Jedi Inc, Mr. Bones) is a well known recaster, which is frowned upon in the prop community.
His claims that he's got molds taken from a real ANH Vader are VERY shady. I am a member of a prop builders forum who have some extremely prominent members who are well known in the TV and Movie industry (winners of Grammy's and movie writers for example).

Well, it's been known for a while that Phil's spun a line that he worked for ILM on or around the making of Star Wars E IV, now I can't prove this bit, so don't take it as gospel but from information I've gained would've made Phil somewhere in his early teens, I just don't think George would've given someone of that age a job on SW. This information, however, is completely unsubstantiated, I have no proof.

His history goes back a while, I could dig up info provided to me (and you, if you wish to visit the RPF - http://www.rpf.invisionzone.com/ and RPB - http://p083.ezboard.com/btheukpropparty forums and search for SPFX) but, it's obvious that he recast a Ghost Host dome (helmet) and also a 20th C faceplate, making adjustments here and there, but leaving tell tale signs of their origin (see this wonderful site for all your SW helmet needs - http://web.ukonline.co.uk/bingo275/index.htm )
Also the SPFX helmet has gone through many changes through the last couple of years, why would he mess with THE helmet if it's an original? food for thought.

Now, when you contacted me and I asked for pics, I was hoping for something that was an opportunity of a lifetime, but alas, no.

I know how you feel, Phil spun me a line too, way before I knew what I know now. I was so deflated to know that I had been taken, I thought I had a one of a kind, I still have his emails too, just in case he tries to deny it.

Lastly, even though the SPFX helmet is a recast of others work, I'd like to let you know that making casts, even from an already stolen and altered design is not a good thing, the prop community will do their best to come down on you if it's seen. My suggestion to you is to, like the rest of us in the prop collecting community is to enjoy what you've got, don't try and sell a recast of a recast to recover what you've already spent.

OK, now all that being said, the SPFX is a nice helmet, so you've not lost there.

I hope you take this in the intention that I was trying to inform you and NOT bash, insult or degrade you in ANY way.

For more info on almost anything prop related, and to see threads on Phil/SPFX see the links above.

Kind regards,

Kraig"


Cheers,

Kraig

 

[TOSPHASER]

Originally posted by yakcam@Jan 21 2006, 02:23 AM
Ok, this was the message I sent to the guy...

"Hi Scott,

Thanks for the pics, but I already have an SPFX.

Please take this as information, not an attack or a slur on you, it's the last thing I intend to do.........

Phil (a.k.a SPFX, Underlord, Apogee1, Sith Master, Dark Jedi Inc, Mr. Bones) is a well known recaster, which is frowned upon in the prop community.
His claims that he's got molds taken from a real ANH Vader are VERY shady. I am a member of a prop builders forum who have some extremely prominent members who are well known in the TV and Movie industry (winners of Grammy's and  movie writers for example).

Well, it's been known for a while that Phil's spun a line that he worked for ILM on or around the making of Star Wars E IV, now I can't prove this bit, so don't take it as gospel but from information I've gained would've made Phil somewhere in his early teens, I just don't think George would've given someone of that age a job on SW. This information, however, is completely unsubstantiated, I have no proof.

His history goes back a while, I could dig up info provided to me (and you, if you wish to visit the RPF - http://www.rpf.invisionzone.com/ and RPB - http://p083.ezboard.com/btheukpropparty forums and search for SPFX) but, it's obvious that he recast a Ghost Host dome (helmet) and also a 20th C faceplate, making adjustments here and there, but leaving tell tale signs of their origin (see this wonderful site for all your SW helmet needs - http://web.ukonline.co.uk/bingo275/index.htm  )
Also the SPFX helmet has gone through many changes through the last couple of years, why would he mess with THE helmet if it's an original? food for thought.

Now, when you contacted me and I asked for pics, I was hoping for something that was an opportunity of a lifetime, but alas, no.

I know how you feel, Phil spun me a line too, way before I knew what I know now. I was so deflated to know that I had been taken, I thought I had a one of a kind, I still have his emails too, just in case he tries to deny it.

Lastly, even though the SPFX helmet is a recast of others work, I'd like to let you know that making casts, even from an already stolen and altered design is not a good thing, the prop community will do their best to come down on you if it's seen. My suggestion to you is to, like the rest of us in the prop collecting community is to enjoy what you've got, don't try and sell a recast of a recast to recover what you've already spent.

OK, now all that being said, the SPFX is a nice helmet, so you've not lost there.

I hope you take this in the intention that I was trying to inform you and NOT bash, insult or degrade you in ANY way.

For more info on almost anything prop related, and to see threads on Phil/SPFX see the links above.

Kind regards,

Kraig"


Cheers,

Kraig

[snapback]1164396[/snapback]​

Who here has a Grammy??? Hands?? :lol

 

[yakcam]

Originally posted by TOSPHASER@Jan 21 2006, 10:13 PM

Who here has a Grammy??? Hands??  :lol

[snapback]1164421[/snapback]​

DOH. I meant Emmy. Man, I spent too much time in the music industry.......

My apologies to the person I'm refering to, deep, DEEP apologies. :confused

Cheers,

Kraig

 

[TOSPHASER]

Originally posted by yakcam+Jan 21 2006, 04:58 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(yakcam @ Jan 21 2006, 04:58 AM)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-TOSPHASER

@Jan 21 2006, 10:13 PM

Who here has a Grammy??? Hands??  :lol

[snapback]1164421[/snapback]​

DOH. I meant Emmy. Man, I spent too much time in the music industry.......

My apologies to the person I'm refering to, deep, DEEP apologies. :confused

Cheers,

Kraig

[snapback]1164428[/snapback]​

[/b]

I too am sorry. Just having some fun in all of this..........I live in Oregon and have heard of this guys work?.........I heard the same story of him buying the Helmet via ebay then molding it... this was a couple months ago..........I don't care who he got the helmet from. He is a recaster... :thumbsdown

 

[Ghost Host]

Yea, sounds like the guy's probably trying to rationalize recasting by making himself sound naive. Then again, if he isn't in the prop community he may not have given much thought to the issue of recasting before.

But take note of Phil's continued lying about being "an ILM insider from way back"... Anyone care to remember the m.o. of Apogee1? Same person, same deal, different arena. Only back in those days he was modifying my GH helmet and trying to pass it off as a screen used helmet, itself. Not only was that admittted to by phil to me, but I later got that very helmet back from him to see exactly what he did to it. More than just being a recaster (which Phil is without a doubt) he is an incredible liar and always has been, at least regarding Vader stuff; particularly in the history category. Like Michael Jackson, Phil continues to morph his castings, and creates lies to back up his items. He's truly dispicable.

Originally posted by clutch@Jan 20 2006, 06:55 AM
Yes, he's a recaster.

"I hadn't planned on making copies for other people"  I call bullsh#t.

Yes, you might say it's ok because he's recasting SPFX's helmet, but that means that that many more people are gonna get burnt.

And to be quite honest, I haven't seen any evidence that proves SPFX is a recaster.  So I can't say anything for or against SPFX.

[snapback]1163663[/snapback]​

 

[RKW]

Oh please.... Phil is no more a liar than the rest of the Vader community. I've haven't seen him say that his helmet is directly off the screen used helmet for ages. He should't have done it but its no bigger than any of the porkies told by either Jeff or you. Which of you is lying I can't be sure yet and what about JB with his prototype whopper.

The simple fact is that his helmet IS currently the closest to an original ANH helmet and this continued jealousy of yours is getting old.