While we try to give you as much information as we can on the specific page for each different item, some general questions come up on a regular basis. Although it has never happened, we've also included instructions at the bottom on how to get out of a collar if the locking mechanism won't operate.
Answer: The shop where Dreamer and his partner worked closed down in April 2006. As of July 22nd, 2006, they have resumed production in a dedicated shop!
We are very excited about the potential for our products and will hopefully even be expanding our line and our custom order capability.
Answer: They're a lot more work than you might think. Other than the milling of the hinge slots, everything on them is done by hand, right down to the rivets. Neither I nor Vad Farkas, my partner, are doing this to get rich, but given the amount of work they are, we do ask that we get a little money to compensate us for giving up our spare time to make them. After you see one in person, we think you'll agree that they're quite a bargain.
Answer: We will ship internationally F.O.B. Carrier. That means that once we place the shipment in the carrier's hands, our responsibility ends. If you want it and it is available, we will be glad to get insurance and/or a tracking number on your behalf. However, if your package is lost, stolen, or stopped by your customs people, we cannot refund your money. Of course, if they return it to us, we will give your money back less shipping. Also, customs duties if any are your responsibility.
Answer: If we happen to have what you ordered made up, we'll ship it the next business day. Now that we have a dedicated production facility, we should have pretty much everything available for immediate shipment. However, it's possible that we won't have it made. Now that we have our own shop, we will be filling orders MUCH faster than we used to - it should be on the order of a day or two most times. However, we can't promise any particular ship time. You can try emailing us when you're ready to order to see what the current timing of orders is like. Note that collar sleeves and message collars are made to order and may take a few days to prepare. Siriks are made to your measurement but don't take long, so hopefully they will also ship very quickly.
Fine Art Prints are sold directly by our print service, deviantART. We have found that they usually print and ship within a few business days and that their shipments are well-packaged and arrive quickly and safely.
Answer: Yes, but we can't ship until your order is complete. We do not offer a rush service: it will be ready when it's ready. If you want your order overnighted, email us when you place it and we'll tell you how to arrange for overnight shipping. Just so you know, this is running about $20-25 for next day shipping.
Answer: Sorry. We work as fast as we can. If you think you might need one for a special event, order it well in advance. Sooner or later it's bound to come in handy!
Answer: No. Neither of us has the tools or the training for engraving. A good engraver should be able to engrave on these. For a fee, we can mill out a flat spot which can be engraved. However, the flat spot has to be on the side, as the front and back (where the hinge and closure are) need to have a specific shape. Email us if you would like to purchase this service.
Answer: It varies a bit, of course, but in general the collars weigh 8 to 12 ounces, the leg shackles weigh about 6 ounces each, and the arm shackles weigh about 5 ounces each. They're not heavy enough to tire the neck or arms, but they are definitely something you are aware you are wearing most of the time.
Answer: Maybe. We can make a collar larger than the size listed as extra-large at a custom sizing charge, but we can't make a shackle smaller than our standard wrist shackle. Other sizes may be possible, but a custom tooling charge applies over and above the cost of the order. We cannot make flat metal collars - we don't have the right equipment. Custom materials may also be available at additional cost. Email us for more information.
Answer: The stainless collars look much better and are easier to make, so we only offer non-stainless collars in the magnetic model as a regular stock item. If you really want a cold-rolled collar, we can make you one upon request. Email us for more information.
Answer: The satin finish we used to offer is a plating. Eventually it will wear away. How fast this happens depends on the slave's skin chemistry, how much she wears it, and many other things. Similarly, the magnetic collars are made of a non-stainless alloy because stainless steel isn't magnetic and will likewise eventually discolor. If you want a collar that won't turn grey, order a stainless steel one.
Answer: These items are handmade, and the materials available to us vary in appearance somewhat. They are what they are: handmade slave collars and shackles. We feel that the handmade, variable, and somewhat primitive nature of the piece adds to its charm. If you really, really don't like it, or if something unusual happens (once in a great while a bad piece of steel gets by us and starts corroding orange, which is NOT normal) we'll be glad to replace it for you.
Answer: We stand behind everything we sell. If your item (except slave goads, which have a 1-year limited warranty) ever fails under normal use, we will repair or replace it free of charge. We will not give refunds after seven days - honestly, we can't afford to, as we won't resell a collar.
We are very proud of the fact that we have never had a collar returned because of customer dissatisfaction, or had a customer whose concern we did not resolve to their satisfaction, and we intend to keep it that way.
Answer: Not at this time. It takes too long to run up a large order for one person when there are always individuals waiting. Given our low margin, we can't afford to reduce prices since we sell every collar we make. If you have a Really Cool Idea on how you and us can make more money, email us.
Answer: If you have questions, please use email. We can't take phone calls.
Answer: Okay, first, calm down. Call the Church and tell them you are having a personal problem and might be a little late, because this may take more than ten minutes.
Next, here's what you don't do. Don't try to cut the collar off. That is a serious steel alloy and it gets really, really hot when you cut it, assuming you have the proper tools to cut it at all. You could seriously burn the slave, not to mention the risk of cutting them with the tool or injuring their necks trying to get the collar in position for cutting. Never, ever, under any circumstances, try to cut the collar itself. Also, don't try to knock the hingepin out with a punch. We used to recommend that - until the first time we tried it, on a collar that was not even on a slave and that we could freely manuever. It's really hard to do. With the collar on a slave it would be nearly impossible without forcing the slave's neck into the collar and/or running the risk of injuring them with a misstrike. That being said, read on.
Here are the best ways to open a Dreamstrike product:
1) If you've lost the key, look again. Look real hard. Retrace your steps. You know, the usual drill.
2) If it's an allen-closing type (a Mark VII collar or shackle,) and you've lost the key, you can buy a new key at any good hardware store or home center. It's a standard 3/32" allen key. Any of those little sets will come with one, or you can buy it by itself.
3) If it's a padlocking type (a Mark I or Mark III) the fastest and easiest way to get it off is to cut the hasp of the lock. The best way to do this is with a small boltcutter, again available at any good hardware store or home center. It's best to put the body of the lock in a vise, sitting the slave down in a low chair or something to keep them still, and rotating the collar so the lock is behind them. Make sure if they slip, or you do, that they won't be dangling from the collar, it could injure them. Cut the hasp as close to the lock as you can. It should rotate clear. You can buy a new lock or order one from us. If you don't have a boltcutter, you can use a hacksaw or a rotary (Dremel) tool with a metal cutting disc. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO CUT THE SLAVE! You can put a towel or something under the collar to form a shield from metal chips or slips of the blade. Do not attempt to use power tools other than a rotary cutter. Do not use a cutting torch.
4) If it's a combination locking type (Mark V,) just try all the combinations. No, seriously. You should be able to try them all in less than a day. Set it to 0000. Rotate the first ring while pulling. Then set it to 0010. Rotate the first ring while pulling. Keep going up. Eventually you'll hit the right combination and it will open. We also have the combinations on file for most of our orders (but not all) so you can try emailing us as well, we might be able to help you.
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This page was written, by me, in Adobe GoLive. It was first put on the Net on 4/30/01 and was last modified on 8/25/06. All original content including photos is (c)2001, 2002, 2003, 2006 Dreamer. All rights reserved. | |