Frequently Asked Questions
YES! Please order something new and original – we love working on unique and different designs!! You can find pricing for many of our popular designs here on our website at http://www.thecrookedfeather.com/comision-pricing . Please contact us prior to purchasing so that we can let you know what best to purchase to meet your needs, or so that we can create a custom listing just for you.
Do you take custom orders/commissions?
Putting together our wings is fairly simple! You will need a 7/16 socket wrench and a second 7/16 wrench of your choice (socket, crescent, dosnt’t matter). Please watch THIS VIDEO instructions to see how it is done!
If you ordered a kit and need additional instruction you can watch THIS VIDEO for more comprehensive instructions for customers who are not patrons on Patreon. Detailed instructions on how to make our style of wing from start to finish can be found at www.patreon.com/thecrookedfeather, but you can of course make your own wings with different methods using our kits as a base.
Assembly Instructions
Warranty/Troubleshooting
All TCF products are hand made to order. While this does mean that you have great flexibility with the design of your product, it also means that things can go wrong. These products include moving parts, painted parts, electronics and fragile feathers. all manufactured and placed by hand. We always check that our products work well and go through a number of function and stress tests before we ship them to you. However, while we do our absolute best to create a durable product, stuff happens! During movement and use feathers can get damaged, electronics can get pulled out of place, short or burn out over time due to a flaw not visible to the eye, and joints may bend out of place and cause jams due to damages during shipment or strains during use.
All TCF products come with a limited warranty and a guarantee that we will repair your product should it be needed. If your product has an issue due to shipping damages, be sure to take pictures of your box and product so that we can file a claim with the shipper and get those repairs and shipping paid for by them! If your product has a manufacturing flaw out of the box, please contact us so we can walk you through possible easy fixes, or tell you how to ship it back on us so that we can repair them! After initial use shipping to and from our shop for repairs is the responsibility of the customer. However, most issues after initial use have a quick and easy fix. Visit this Troubleshooting Page for some helpful tips on diagnosing and fixing issues with the wings. If you do not find the answers you are looking for, please contact us and we will find a solution to your problem.
The warranty technically does not cover damage due to regular wear and tear. Please watch THIS VIDEO on how to care for your wings so they stay in the best shape possible for years to come! However, if you feel like your wings are starting to show their age and you would like your wings to look and feel new, please contact us to get a quote on repairs, touchups and maintenance. We are more than happy to take your old wings and make them good as new! Shipping to and from the shop is the responsibility of the customer.
While we do our best to make products that last, our products are fragile and need regular maintenance if they are to stand the test of time. This VIDEO will walk you through basic care and maintenance. With these tips your wings should hopefully last for years to come!
Care and Maintenance
Where are you located? Do you ship internationally?
Due to constantly changing international shipping restrictions we ship to very few countries outside of the USA. Certain items, like Kits, are easier to ship. Other items, like full wings, are sometimes near impossible to ship for our small company. Please feel free to contact us with what you want and we will look into what shipping options are available and let you know if it is possible to ship your item.
Exporting has become extremely difficult and we are not well equipped to deal with the ever higher requirements involved with international shipping, licenses, and various government filings involved. We recommend looking into hiring an import service to get your items if we are unable to provide export services at a reasonable rate. We will be happy to send you a generalized materials list, shipment dimensions and weight, and a sample invoice for the item that you would like so that you can look into getting your item imported legally.
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to lead time on a project, as it can depend on several factors including the intricacy of your project and how many orders we currently have in queue. However, a general guideline is that it takes us anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months to complete an order. Our busiest seasons are convention season (usually spring to fall) and Halloween.
We do not usually accept rush orders because that is not fair to our customers who have paid and are waiting patiently for their wings to arrive and we don’t want to delay them further. Please plan accordingly and try to place your order in advance of when you will need it. However, in some instances we may have room in the schedule to crank something out fast. Generally this means overtime for everyone, and typically means rush shipping on parts. Rush fees depend on the timeline (and how much sleep I am loosing), but are typically a 25-65% upcharge. ALL ORDERS take a minimum of 1 week to complete at absolute best, which you should never count on. Please contact us with questions.
Please note that we make orders roughly in the order we receive them (any down time while waiting for items may mean wings are done out of order), and we cannot guarantee ship dates or deadlines of any kind, even on rush orders.
How long does it take to get my wings? Do you accept rush orders?
Why are your prices so high? Do you offer a payment plan?
Everything we make is made to order, we use expensive materials (such as motors, batteries, aluminum and feathers), and each piece takes 60-120 man hours depending on the size. Our prices accurately reflect these facts. We know that cosplay and costuming can be expensive, but we also know that we need to be compensated for our time and expenses. At this time, we no longer provide payment plans because we have had problems with people only making the deposit but never completing their order and then getting upset when they don’t get their wings in time. We may bring it back in the future, but most likely our orders will continue to require a payment in full. In addition, if you would prefer to save money by making them yourself, we invite you to check out our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecrookedfeather .
Do you do rentals? How about wholesale?
Due to the risk of damage and the fact that almost everything we make is made to order, we carry very little inventory on hand and usually will not rent out wings. If you are interested in renting, please be aware that we may not have a set available or may deny your project should we feel that it does not meet our requirements. Feel free to reach out and we can let you know if it is something we will be able to accommodate.
Because our items are so customized and made to order, we do not offer a wholesale option. However I do occationally retire my personal sets. If you would like a retired set they will be for sale to Crooked Club Members only. Please sign up for our Crooked Club Newsletter for passwords and upcoming sales.
Do you use real feathers? Where do your feathers come from? Can you make Vegan feathers?
Yes, most of my designs use real feathers. The feathers primarily come from molts (in the case of some of the exotics) or are culled prior to feather harvest, typically as part of the US poultry industry (subject to animal cruelty laws). Some pheasants are farmed mainly for feathers, though all my distributors also use their meat and bone. As a hunter, farmer, and omnivore, I firmly believe in the use of the entire animal and see no problem using leftover feathers/hide from meat production.
The largest feathers on most of my wings sets are synthetic. Birds don’t come that big any more. No, I did not murder a California Condor to get them. Why is this in the FAQ you ask? Because some people think I torture endangered birds in my basements apparently (and as a side note, I do not even have a basement)!
If you would like a vegan/fully synthetic pair of wings, I am happy to accommodate though the cost is more due to the additional time it takes to make each individual feather. Please expect a 25% minimum up charge on most wings to account for the additional cost in man hours. This option is only available on sets that already have synthetic feathers as the primaries and secondaries, such as the animatronic wings and the foam and feather mixes. Custom designs are still available though some restrictions may apply.
How do I make my own? Can you give me advice? Do you teach classes?
If you want to make your own and would like help and advice, please join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecrookedfeather . You can get access to all kinds of great advice, tutorials, schematics, parts lists, and more starting at only $2.
You may also catch some of our panels and lectures at various conventions. Please check out our Events Calendar for a listing of our upcoming appearances.
We have so many people that need help and advice that we have all our resources there rather than trying to answer each person individually who asks for free help. Thank you for understanding!
Are you available for our show/convention/photo shoot? Can I contact you for an interview? Can I share your photo/video?
We have to spend quite a bit of time in the shop so that we can get orders out but are willing to be a paid guest at shows/conventions that fit into our schedule. We are also happy to do interviews if you can work around our crazy busy schedule. Please reach out to us via email with your details and we will be in touch.
You are free to use any media on our YouTube and Facebook so long as proper credit is given to the shop (The Crooked Feather) in the captions of the video as well as a link to our Facebook, Instagram, website and/or Patreon in the description of the video. We’d also prefer that you include our Owner/Lead Designer’s name Alexis Noriega in the description. A top comment is NOT sufficient for credit as it is not brought along with the video when shared.
The following video is licensed by Junkin Media and you must contact them if you wish to use this clip: https://youtu.be/UVrM5gglCRw
Do you make child size/ horse size/ doll size/ dog size/ etc?
We currently only make human adult size wings and the occasional larger child sizes (usually over age 5). If you’d like to give it a try you can visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecrookedfeather and have access to our parts lists, schematics, etc and then scale them to the size that you are looking for.
Can I call you? Can I text you? Can I stop by your workshop?
We do not take any orders or requests over the phone. It would also be a safety hazard to have our fans randomly showing up at our workshop! If you have questions or want to order, please reach out to us via our email after you have read through our FAQ’s and we will be happy to start an online conversation with you. If you would like to text chat, you can do so through gmail chat to info@thecrookedfeather.com, or one of our social media chats.
I love love LOVE your work, how can I support you other than buying your wings?
In case you haven’t noticed, we would love more supporters for our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thecrookedfeather !! You can also sign up for The Crooked Club , which has irregular newsletter updates, as well as retired and used sets for sale. In addition, please feel free to share our Facebook posts and videos with your friends. Word of mouth is where most of our business comes from!
Can you make wings that actually make me fly?
No. Our wings are purely decorative and can not be used for flying. Seriously, don't try to fly with them, you will hurt yourself.
Terms & Conditions
Cancellations
All items are custom, so unless you are given special permission to do so we are not able to cancel any orders! This includes wings, upgrades, add-ons etc.
Refunds
Because all items are custom, all items are nonrefundable.
Shipping
Shipping is included inside the lower 48 USA only. All buyers are responsible for pickup of their order if they are not home at the time of delivery. TCF is not responsible for Post Office issues or failure to pick up an item. If an item is returned to us due to lack of pickup then the customer must pay for the second shipping.
If you're an international customer, please review your countries customs and import fees policy BEFORE purchasing. Additional shipping charges are the responsibility of the customer and will be charged before shipping. Customs regulations, fees and Import charges are the sole responsibility of the customer, and in the event that customs charges are not taken care of, the customer is solely responsible for any additional return/re-shipping charges that accumulate as a result of a returned package and are non-refundable.
Changes to Orders
We understand that sometimes you will change your costume and need to make minor changes to your wings. As long as we haven’t gotten to the final stages, we are able to make adjustments - however, please understand that by changing your design, you will be adding additional build time to your wings and your wish date will be less likely to be fulfilled. The more times you make changes to your order, the longer it will take us to complete it. Some changes may incur additional costs, which will be invoiced to you.
Intellectual Property
We love to support the cosplay community, and that is why we make instructions and plans available on Patreon, here on the website, and on YouTube. That being said, we intend our instructions to go toward personal sets ONLY, and do NOT support individuals taking our plans and instructions and setting up their own competing businesses - NO EXCEPTIONS! We don’t care if you are halfway across the world or across the street, if you are using our intellectual property for monetary gain it is NOT OK. Please respect our intellectual property and the years of hard work we have put into making this company by not stealing our designs, instructions, wording from our website, etc. If you find someone who appears to be setting up a business based directly off of our instructions and plans, feel free to contact us so that we can look into it. Thank you for your understanding and respect!
Copyright
All videos, photos, designs and media posted by The Crooked Feather, Alexis Noriega, or Alexis Lincicome are subject to international copyright law. No media posted in any medium may be used for any purpose without express permission.