Jeffrey is a solid craftsman, with years of experience crafting historical armour using historical techniques. He meticulously researches his pieces and has studied medieval myths literature and culture as well as armouring so he has a well-rounded aesthetic sense as well as the technical know-how to produce functional, beautiful and accurate pieces.
-Dr. M. Cichon, SK, Canada
I am now the proud owner of a Great Helm made by Royal Oak Armoury. It was a pleasure to work with Jeffrey on this custom piece and I was very impressed with how knowledgeable he is. He really does thrive on doing custom work and I felt totally confident letting him loose on this project. I knew that Jeffrey would produce something for me that would be as good as something I might make for myself- if only I could. I’m not going to look at off the rack armour again in the same light- I used to hope I could get something that might work and hope I might find it available from a disinterested vendor. Now I know that I have my own personal armourer an email or phone call away. I’ll just go to the source and deal with a company that will produce what I want, historically accurate and totally functional at a reasonable price. My Great Helm surpassed my expectations when I received it. It is one of my most prized Medieval European reproductions, equal to my nicest custom swords. There is subtlety and care put into the execution of this piece. Yes, subtlety in a Great Helm! Thanks Royal Oak Armoury!
-D. Lepping, KS, USA
I have to tell you, I am blown away. I was a little worried about the placement of the eye slots when I first ordered the Madeln helm; height of the eyes and forehead can vary a lot on people. But they are spot on, just low enough for me to add a moderately thick arming cap. The construction of the thing is incredibly solid, so much so I even suspected it was welded. And the finish is absolutely perfect, straps are in the right place, liner is great. When I first put it in my room mate’s hands, he looked like he was going to cry. 10 out of 10.
-D. Pollock, AB, Canada
Just received this helmet, which I purchased as a gift for my (adult) son. Beautiful quality metalwork. Very heavy gauge steel with perfect overall shape and excellent hand-peened riveting. Surface finish is also superb. Overall, an impressive and beautifully crafted piece of work at a bargain price for the quality.
-M. Sawyer, CO, USA
Jeffrey Hildebrandt went above and beyond on my gauntlets, doing the historical research to ensure the project stayed true to history while incorporating my own style so the project was also unique. Progress pictures, great open communication, perfect fit and finish and the project was completed on time and on budget. Exceeding customer expectations seems to be a habit at Royal Oak Armoury.
-S. Brown, AZ, USA