Since armor can be used for a long time, there are few opportunities to dispose of it. However, when you want to dispose of your armor, such as when you buy new armor or when the size no longer fits, what is the best way to dispose of it? In this article, we will answer all your questions about recommended ways to dispose of armor and buying armor.

Table of ContentsPurchase StorePurchase ItemsPurchase Process

• assessment
• application
• shipping
• Reassessment
• payment

To increase the appraisal value of your armor after purchase

Types of buying stores

There are stores that specialize in buying protective gear, but many general recycle shops also buy protective gear. Especially nowadays, there are many online stores that buy protective gear. When looking for a store, it is reassuring to see that the secondhand goods dealer license number is displayed. If it is a physical store, there will be a secondhand goods dealer license plate displayed inside the store, and if there is a website, the secondhand goods dealer license number is often listed at the bottom of the page. If there is a secondhand goods dealer license, it means that the store has permission from the police to sell, so it is trustworthy.

Items eligible for purchase

Basically, all stores will buy a complete set of protective gear, including the men, kote, do, and tare. However, the handling of bamboo swords, bokken, kendo uniforms, and hakama varies depending on the store. Some stores will buy smaller items such as leather handles and tsuba. There are stores that will buy items for various reasons, such as embroidery, names written on them, uneven kote, or scratches. If you are unsure whether they will buy your item, it is best to first consult the store directly.

Purchase process

There are three main ways to buy: in-store purchase, on-site purchase, and mail-in purchase.

Store purchase

For in-store purchases, you bring the item directly to the store and have it appraised on the spot. If any of the following apply to you, we recommend in-store purchases.

• Anyone with a store nearby that will buy protective gear?
• If you are in a hurry

On-site purchase

For on-site purchases, store staff will come to your home to assess your items. They will also remove the items from your room, making it convenient. On-site purchases are recommended for those who fit the following criteria:

• Those who have a lot of armor they want to sell
• When issuing a large amount of protective gear at a school or dojo at the same time

Mail-order purchase

There are several steps involved in mail-order purchases, so let's take a closer look at the process.

1. Appraisal Most stores will appraise your armor before shipping it. Appraisals are often done via online application forms or email, but recently some stores have started offering appraisals via LINE. Since you won't be able to see the armor in person, you'll need to provide information such as the armor's manufacturer, model number, frequency of use, when it was purchased, and the user's height and weight. If you take a photo of the item and send it to them, they will provide you with a more detailed appraisal. If you don't care about the appraisal price, there's no problem with shipping it right away, but if you want a higher appraisal or are concerned about appraisals at other stores, it's a good idea to first get it appraised using the method described above.

2. After the appraisal, if you are satisfied with the amount, you can submit your application. You can apply by phone or online. After applying, you will receive a shipping kit. The shipping kit is primarily an application form where you fill out the shipping label and bank account details. There is also a form where you can attach a copy of your identification. The buying store will often provide a shipping label for sending your armor, and most shipping is free. If you have an armor bag or bamboo sword bag, place the armor in the bag and attach the shipping label. If you are worried, you can place the armor bag in a larger bag such as a garbage bag, and wrap the bamboo sword bag in plastic wrap to protect against minor scratches that may occur during shipping. If you do not have an armor bag or bamboo sword bag, pack it in a cardboard box or similar with cushioning material.

3. Re-evaluation : When the armor arrives at the store, they will actually look at it and re-evaluate it. The initial appraisal is based on your offer, so if the actual condition differs from your offer, the appraisal value will change. If the dirt or fading is worse than you were told, or if the armor has a strong odor, this will result in a lower appraisal value. By making an accurate offer, you can prevent the appraisal value from being lowered.

4. You will be notified of the results of the reassessment, and if you are satisfied, the purchase will be completed and the money will be deposited into your designated account. *If you cancel, the armor will have to be returned. Some stores will require you to pay the return shipping fee, so please check in advance.

What happens to the armor after it's purchased?

Some people may wonder what happens to their armor after it has been purchased. Most are recycled and sold as second-hand goods. Some stores have their own shops on Yahoo! Auctions and Rakuten Ichiba, while others repair and clean the armor themselves before reselling it. Some stores donate armor that cannot be distributed normally. Since you are selling your armor, it is reassuring to know what will happen to it after it is purchased. Be sure to choose a reliable store.

I tried out the assessment!

*The actual photo sent for appraisal

I actually tried out an online appraisal.

I used three companies, A, B, and C, and sent each of them the following details, as well as photos of the complete set of armor (men, kote, do, and tare) that I wanted appraised.

Product information: Product name, Manufacturer name, Model name, Color, Adult or child size, Male or female size, User's height and weight, Purchase date, Product condition (new, unused, number of times used), Instruction manual, accessories, box, and tags included, Storage location, and whether there are any noticeable scratches or stains.

The armor that was appraised was made by a certain famous manufacturer and was purchased in 2012.

This is a custom-made item made with fully woven embroidery using 8mm machine stitching.

I bought it for about 180,000 yen during a sale (usually it's around 200,000 yen). It was used for a match, so it doesn't show much wear. It was used by a petite woman.

The results were: Company A: 5,000 yen ; Company B: No price ; Company C: 1,500 to 3,500 yen. Even with the same information, there were large differences in the appraisal results of each company. Since appraisals are done by humans, they do not produce uniform results like machines.

Generally, all buying stores will provide free appraisals via email or phone. If you are considering getting an appraisal, it is a good idea to ask several buying stores for an appraisal and consider the estimated price.

To increase the assessed value

Armor that is originally expensive, such as hand-made armor, armor from famous manufacturers, and bamboo armor, tends to fetch a higher purchase price.

However, even if your armor is expensive, dirt and odors can lower the appraisal value. No matter what kind of armor you have, it's important to remove some dirt and deodorize it.

Before recycling and selling the used goods, the store will clean the items depending on the condition. Cleaning naturally incurs costs, so the purchase price will be lower.

In other words, if you can reduce the hassle even a little, the purchase price will increase. For this reason, even items that are close to new or have been used infrequently can be appraised at a high price. Although there may be cases where the appraisal value is not high, disposing of them as bulky waste costs money, so from a financial perspective, it is very advantageous to have them picked up for free.

summary

It's not easy to decide to dispose of your armor. However, there are many benefits to selling your armor, as it will be recycled and in some cases you may even get some money. If you are unsure about disposing of your armor, why not use this article as a reference to consider selling it?