[OK] Shetani the King Cheetah Hand and Feet Paws by The Forgotten Imp

The item being reviewed is 4 years old and may not reflect the makers current style, or work.




Maker Information

The Forgotten Imp


Year of Project2022

Completion Time (?)4 - 6 Months

ETA AccuracyNO - the ETA was passed
An ETA is the Estimated Time of Arrival for a project.
In other words, an estimated turnaround time.
An ETA is not a deadline.


Review Date10 April 2023

RelationshipThe maker is NOT a friend
This relationship was indicated by the reviewer at the time this review was written.


Review Information
ReviewerShetani
Carrd: Shetani

Prior ExperienceYes

Wear Time30+ hours

Informed Maker of IssuesYes


Shetani Hand and Feet Paws

Neutral

ProjectThis item was a commission

Paid: A Lump Sum of $501 - $999

Initial Contact: September 2021

Completion/Ship Date: February 2022

Shipping Origin: UK

Type: Paw Sets

Style: Realistic

Padding: None


SpeciesName: King Cheetah

Found in: Felidae(?)

Features: None


Review Video

Concept Art


Photos of Completed Product



Overall

Initial ContactI initially contacted the maker on Etsy. They stopped responding there, so we switched to email communication.
I was given a quote for my project. Once we agreed, the maker put a custom listing for me to purchase on their website.
Shipping was paid via invoice at the end of the process. I was quoted for delivery with signature confirmation, though the courier didn't ask for one (and in fact left the package with a neighbor). I believe that was an issue on the courier's end and no fault of the maker.
The product arrived in a cardboard box and came wrapped sufficiently with bubble wrap. The maker included a care guide, as well as some small trinkets for missing deadlines.


Maker CommunicationIt was sometimes hard to keep the lines of communication straight. The maker started multiple email chains as opposed to keeping everything in one thread. Contact started from their business email, but they also used a personal account, and would switch back and forth within our exchanges.
Discussion was always clear and professional. They were pleasant to talk to.
Some personal details were given, but only to explain a lapse in communication.

Project Completion TimeThe maker frequently set their own deadlines which they would then miss. They promised they would send WIPs by a certain date, which was not met, requiring me to check in twice before I got a reply. This happened subsequently with further updates as well as the shipping date. After the first occurrence, when I realized I couldn't take the maker at their word regarding project benchmarks, I stopped putting any stock in the time estimates they gave. This is actually a huge pet peeve of mine – it implies the seller is patronizing the client by just saying what (they think) the client wants to hear to keep them satisfied.
In the end, I received my product in a timely manner, which I'm very happy about. I just wish the maker wouldn't have kept promising unrealistic deadlines if they knew they couldn't meet them. I didn't ask for a specific completion timeline, so them continuing to do this only weakens trust between the client and seller.


Overall Project QualityThe paws do what they're supposed to and look nice. The style is consistent with the maker's previous body of work.
I'm not too happy with the construction flaws. Honestly, I feel I might not have minded so much if I didn't have firsthand experience with fursuits that were made more effectively and hold up better. I can easily see a new or inexperienced fursuiter being dissuaded by a brand new suit that keeps falling apart, and lacking the ability to repair it.
The maker was accommodating on some aspects, which was fantastic, but inflexible on others, which was frustrating. Again, I might have accepted my asks as being impossible if I didn't know from personal experience that they were perfectly reasonable and possible.


Components


Hands

Wear SatisfactionThe hands are comfy to wear with a nice level of dexterity.
I sent the maker a tracing of my hand for sizing. The paws fit great, are as snug as can be expected, and stay where they're supposed to. I requested a slim fit, which the maker followed to the best of their ability.
There's no lining, which I prefer. I wear spandex gloves underneath which helps in donning and doffing the paws.
The cuffs are wrist-length and cover all the expected area.

My character has black nails. During the process, the maker sent 1 set of WIP photos where the claws were white. When I brought this up, the maker said they would paint the claws black. I have experience owning fursuits as well as handling/wearing friends' suits by a variety of makers, and I'd never experienced single color claws (particularly a common color like black) being made in a different color and then painted after the fact. I mentioned this to the maker, and was essentially told this is how they do things.
The paint on the nails chipped off the first time I wore them. I emailed the maker about the issue, and they suggested paints and sealants to use. I don't own the UV light setup they recommended, so the paint chips off after each and every wear, which means the paws require constant maintenance.

The claws on the hands came loose after just a couple uses, requiring me to re-glue them. This surprised me, since the other sets of fursuit paws I own – the current oldest enduring 9 years of continuing wear – have never had a claw fall out.


Visual SatisfactionThese paws were commissioned as a companion set for a fursuit by a different creator who no longer offers them. In that regard, the maker did a wonderful job. Visually, the hands look great. I gave the maker the fur fabric used on my fursuit, so the colors are a perfect match. The markings are airbrushed well.
The maker initially used long, hooked feline claws. At the WIP photo stage, I requested that they be swapped out for shorter blunt claws similar to those on real cheetahs, which the maker happily obliged.


Feet

Wear SatisfactionI requested a slim fit, which the maker followed to the best of their ability. There is minimal bulk added on, and the profile is about as small as can be expected from this type of paw. I don't feel like I'm tripping over my own feet.
The feet fit comfortably. Since the maker and I live overseas from each other, I gave them my US shoe size and they sourced a shoe of the appropriate size.
The feet are built on a slip-on canvas shoe with a pull tab in the back to assist in sliding them on. The fur cuff closes in the back with velcro.
At first, I would get blisters/scrapes on the backs of my ankles, but after wearing them to 4-5 events, they finally became broken in.
Structurally, the outdoor soles have held up well. I've worn them on carpet, asphalt, grass, dirt, and snow with no ill effects. It's such a relief to just put on my fursuit and go anywhere, without having to concern myself with potential environmental hazards.

The claws on the feet suffer from the same looseness and paint chipping issues as the hands. Between the gluing and the repainting, they also require constant maintenance. Additionally, the tips of the nails sheared off after my first time wearing them, which is visible in pictures.


Visual SatisfactionThese paws were commissioned as a companion set for a fursuit by a different creator who no longer offers them. In that regard, the maker did a wonderful job. Visually, the feet look great. I gave the maker the fur fabric used on my fursuit, so the colors are a perfect match. The markings are airbrushed well.

The maker informed me they could not do different colored pads and soles, and gave me an option of solid black or solid brown bottoms. I chose black, and reiterated that to the maker at the photo WIP stage. The maker replied they were painting the brown silicone black and "this is the way [they] have always done it for making TV props/was taught by [their] propmaking colleagues". The paws did look very nice at first, but after 3 wears, the color began rubbing off of the feet soles. (See picture) I own other fursuits and I know it's possible to make silicone in black.
I feel that recoloring silicone is a specialty skill above and beyond the basic maintenance expected of a fursuit owner. I'm not thrilled about the prospect of learning how to do this and buying whatever equipment it requires.


RatingFursuitReview rates by asking the question:
Would you recommend this maker?

OK This review has been marked with a neutral rating.
This means the reviewer MIGHT recommend The Forgotten Imp depending on circumstances that have been clarified in this review.

Final CommentsThe Forgotten Imp creates beautiful costumes. However, I wouldn't recommend them to most fursuit owners due to the sheer level of upkeep required. The issues are not what expected from craftspeople with their credentials. The maker's communication, particularly with regard to deadlines, leaves room for improvement as well. I would recommend this maker to clients who prioritize appearance and are not particularly concerned with the longevity of their fursuit.

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Comments

  1. This is the second post where this artist has used inappropriate materials and methods in their suits. Justifying valid concerns over their inadequate/flimsy materials with ‘well this is how I was taught/prop makers do it so it’s supposed to be that way ’ is unprofessional and is patently false . Giving the benefit of the doubt some props/movie costumes have entire teams of people to replicate them, touch them up, and keep them in climate controlled storage most likely to never be used again once production is over. So those costumes can afford to be a bit flimsy/ cumbersome to wear. There are also plenty of props and costumes made by professionally trained artisans that last just as long if not longer than a well made suit. By every metric of fursuit building (which has quite a bit of wriggle room on materials and methods already) if a suit/suit parts are falling apart no level of prop making skills in other areas justifies that.

    Reply

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