GUARDIANS VAULT AUSTRALIA
FAQ / Terms Of Sale
Frequently Asked Questions
TERMS & CONDITIONS
How long will my Katana take to be forged & delivered ?
Your blade will be freshly forged, which depending on the blade complexity and current shipping times is generally around 8 -12 weeks. Once forged, the blade shall be sent to GVA for approval, inspection , oiling and then booked for delivery via TNT, Fastways for delivery to your doorstep.
You will be notified via email as soon as your blade is ready to be sent to you and can track the parcel via our website and tracking number provided. Please Note: This ETA can change and has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic. Blades / Polearms now take approx 3-4 months due to shipping issues worldwide out of out control.
Please note: Victorian residents will require a VHEWG license to purchase as this is a legal requirement which we adhere to strictly.
Guardians Vault Australia WILL NOT ship Katana or any restricted items illegally so please be aware and be sure to check your local state laws for legal requirements .
We respect and honour these beautiful pieces of modern art as GVA was founded on these principles. So we ask you do the same ;)
It has always been an incredible passion and we look forward to passing that passion & knowledge on to future generations in safety for many years to come.
Please be aware these are Pre-Ordered items on a per client basis and delivery, forge queue times may vary.
How long will my Samurai Armour take to be forged & delivered?
Samurai armour takes considerable time to forge & craft due to its complexities of material, skill required & workmanship necessary. Generally Iron Mountain Armory samurai armour will take around 2-3 months to be completed depending on customisations and armour type. Once we recieve your armour at GVA it is then booked for delivery via TNT, Fastways for delivery to your doorstep within a week.
If the armour is in stock however at the armoury and available, it can generally be packaged and delivered within 2-3 weeks.
Both crafting armour & katana forging are very detailed & delicate arts, so please understand these are guide times only , we thankyou for your patience in advance and look forward to having your blade or suit completed for you as fast as is possible.
Can i have my Katana or Armour customised ?
Absolutely !!!
What is shown via our website are examples and builds for previous clients & base models etc to give you an idea of what is available . We have many options for both the Katana and Samurai Armour, so should you have any engraving ideas that you were thinking of for your new blade or a painted family crest perhaps on your new Samurai Armour, by all means send us an enquiry via email or the contact form on the main page and we will see what we can do to make it happen for you !!
Customisation takes a little longer to achieve as i personally will help you with your design if necessary via photoshop before going to forge, just to make sure we get it as close as possible :) Once approved, its off to the forge to become reality !
Where are your Katana / Polearms forged ?
Guardians Vault Australia spent a great deal of time in the early 2000's looking for a true quality forge that could deliver great consistency and detail in their blade work and keep the honour and spirit of the Katana alive at a good price for our clients.
It took nearly 5 years to achieve this high standard through much effort/testing and communication and i am proud to say our partnership has lasted now for over 13 years. Our forge is Japanese owned/operated and is located in China due to Japan's high restriction regarding using carbon steel and government licensing laws.
All of our blades are freshly forged and are signatured with Guardians Vault Australia located on the tang in english or Japanese Kanji for identification.
Is this Katana or Armour "Battle Ready" ?
This is probably one of my most asked questions.
There is no defining answer to this as it truly is an open ended question, kind of like saying "Is my car accident ready?"
The good news is the short answer is Yes! We sell only quality personally tested bushido gear here, no wall hanging only katana.
All of our Katana/Naginata/Blades and Armour are of course "real" in every sense of the word and therefore should be treated with respect as such.
Our armour is designed and made as they were traditionally as close as absolutely possible. Just like the original suits before them, they are designed to be displayed as well as worn - however we do not experience "battle" the same in today’s world as we did in the 16th century. So yes , they are made to roll, jump , train and fight in as well as take damage but are also made from heavy steel...so please be aware that injury can occur from using them the wrong way or even falling incorrectly in the suits.
Every blade forged is full -tang / live and not a "wall hanging" display blade (ie Rat Tail tang). Full tang means that the steel of the katana travels right through the Tsuka (handle) and is secured tightly by two mekugi pins as a single piece of steel. Our blades depending on forge type can be designed for a wide array of tameshigiri (cutting) but all are quite capable of light practice cutting and are live , so please consult with your Sensei prior to purchase to confirm suitability for your training level.
For our Dojo clients and for training, we also sell Iaito (blunt edge blades). Any Katana on the GVA website is available as an Iaito - just leave a comment upon order checkout and we will have it forged this way for you.
All blades/ Katana and traditional armour should never be used without supervision and correct training. Please understand this is the responsibility of the purchaser/client and should be taken very seriously. Any bladed object is dangerous without handling experience and so too is layering yourself in 15-20kg of steel samurai armour.
Guardians Vault Australia takes no responsibility for the misuse or incorrect handling of these items. Please be careful, legal and make sure you are supervised at all times – even with a high level of skill one can make mistakes.
Refunds:
We operate on a pre-order system as a lot of our clients order custom blades that are unique for themselves and unable to be stocked consistently. All katana on our website are demonstrations of previous builds for our clients.
Should you pre order a blade from us and decide you do not want it more than 7 days after having paid for your blade, please be aware there will be a 40% cancellation fee .
The reason for this is that your blade order is sent to our forge within 2 days of receiving your order and our bladesmiths and artisans are paid for their crafting of your blade which cannot be refunded. You agree to these terms upon purchase or pre-order from Guardians Vault Australia.
Although we would love to not have to do this , Guardians Vault Australia does not get reimbursed for any cancelled pre order so we must recover some of our costs too as we are a small one man samurai clan that must eat also as i am sure you can understand.
Please be sure of you choice before purchasing and help us to forge you an excellent blade ; ) !
Modifications during forging will also attract a fee depending on how far along your blade is during crafting.