Chessbazaar's Dubrovnik 4" crimson problem?

Hi,

I just purchased and received CB's beautful 4" crimson Dubrovnik and I was shocked to see my hands getting all "bloody" whilst playing the first game with the new set.

Crimson stains were coming off and staining our hands!

I don't think this is normal and not playable.

Did anyone else have this problem?

No mention of this on the many posts of the Crimon set on this site. I would agree that this is not normal. I would assume that the pieces were not clear coated.

Hi 9kick9,

Thanks for your post.

I got a shock my five year old boy (who was playing red) had bloody hands last night!

I will contact CB and hopefully they will sort it out.

CB individually wraps each piece in white styrofoam. When you unwapped each crimson piece did you notice any Crimson color on the white styrofaom or on you hands? I find it a bit strange that when you played your first game the stain was on your hands and not while you were unwrapping  the crimson pieces.  Possibly your son had something on his hands and transferred it to the pieces causing the stains to your hands.

Mike,

Individually wrapped, white styrofoams were all clean.

I think its the moisture/sweat from our hand.

Initially, it was ok but when holding onto the piece for a while, then its gets really messy.

But surely, these pieces should be able to withstand some light moisture?

I wonder if they forgot to put some coating?

Have you being handling thinner before playing chess?

Nope. No chemical.

Just get in touch with them. I would email them and also contact them at their web site which they should be on right now.  

Actually, I noticed that if I touch these pieces with slightly wet hand, red stains come off really bad.

Is this an inherent problem with stained pieces?

Have you contacted them yet, they are on line at their web site.  I am told the crimson is stained in a water based dye. What I have no idea. Maybe to conform to the toy laws in the USA?  Yes ifyou have wet hands and the dye is water base the dye will come off.

I contacted CB and I am told that the pieces have been stained in water based dye so avoid using the pieces with damp hands!

OMG..! So everyone that has the Crimson set has this potential problem.? You would think they would have put some kind of clear coat on them to avoid this.? Everyones hands sweat & contain oil on them. I am very happy I got the Sheesham version.!

I asked and was told they do not put a sealer on the dyed pieces be it ebony or this new crimson.  Wet hands and touch a CB ebonized piece and see it ir comes off.  I understand about the water based stain but I do not understand why they do not put a clear coat over those type stains. 

Now I wonder what wax would do?

Looks like I may need to play with my gloves on.

Annoying.

I might look for a clear coat seal for wood at Home Depot next trip there. 

I played a game with mine and have handled them a bit with no transfer. I don't have sweaty hands though. Maybe they are waxed and yours wasn't? I have a piece that is being replaced that I could do a wet hand test on.

[Edit: I tested it, and it does transfer quite dramatically when I touched a wetted finger to it.]

I would think it would help to put a wax protection on it.   Maybe someone whould experiment with an ebonized piece that was not lacquered.  

Is there a law that stain has to be water based and I am guessing non-toxic? A chess set I believe, not 100% sure, comes under the Toy Laws in the USA when exported to this country.  Which then leads me to ask how can there be lead weights in the pieces? 

I have played with mine a lot and no color transfer...yet.  But then again, I dont remember playing with wet hands. 

I was waiting for the 3.6" Crimson to become available again and buy one.  I see that they are now available again.

The problem is the red dye will come off because it is a water base stain.  I certainly do not want to spend about $125 for a set for the red color to come off.

This sure puts me off of getting one of these sets.

In another thread a competitor of Chess Bazaar said they were ruining the market by putting cheap stuff for sale.  It looks as if that might be the case here.

Darn it, I really wanted one of these sets too.

I deliberately wet a pawn and the color does transfer. I know this set is relatively cheap, but even my $15 chess cafe international set does not do this. Extremely disappointed with CB.