Lead metal in chess sets

I was playing chess with my daughter the other day using her plastic chess set bought from a large retailer and the weight fell out. It didn't look much like steel so sparked my interest and a quick internet search showed that lead is still a popular metal to use in weighting chess sets especially higher-end ones. 

Is this really the case? Are chess sets not subject to the same health and safety regulations as other kids' games as they are not classed as toys? Does anyone know how prevalent this is and will my higher-end wooden chess set contain lead?

Thanks!

EDIT: I think in my daughter's set it was probably just iron but still interested to know more about this

Apparently the chess set maker only know about lead and iron. And beween those 2 options people will preffer lead, as iron oxidates in a nasty way. I have being talking about different metals...

Anyway, aparently most of chess players are old people who used to play with mercury from broken thermometers when they where kids, and as they think it didn't affected them at all and they are totally fine, then it should not be problem to let kids play with lead. Also some fishing equiptmen is prevalent on lead, if you take your girl to fishing look on that too.

I am just considering putting out there on the market a chess set that is not toxic and will not rust inside the pieces, I think I know a thing or 2 about this and I am sure I can do better than the actual options of lead or iron.

About your question if there is not regulations to chess sets, yes they are subject to all regulations, the problem is that the people in charge of enforcing the laws are not interested on marginal markets, they are more than happy busting a big toy maker that is sold in the main retailer stores than some small chess company that doesn't sell millions in products each year.

The same as anti piracy police will prosecute first the guy who is sharing online the newest spiderman movie and will not care about the guy who is sharing online some unknown movie from the 70's that have had like 3 downloads in 5 years.

In other words chess sets as a toy is so marginal and irrelevant on the actual market that it just goes totally under the radar.

While lead is still the most common and popular choice for fishing weights, a number of manufacturers are offering Tungsten as an alternative.... if you're looking for a substitute for lead weighting in chess pieces perhaps that would be a good place to start....

Lead is still used for various items, including shot and collectible toy soldiers (there’s a guy here in New Zealand who makes lead soldiers and sells them around the world), so while I don't see any issue using lead to weight chess sets aimed at adults, I wouldn't expect to see it in a set aimed at children.

Thanks for the replies everyone. This is all really interesting information. Mercury from broken thermometers - wow!

I have not seeing a chess set aiming to kids since the simpsons set back in the 90's.

I will argue that the LEGO set and the Harry Potter set (wich is actually beautiful) are aiming to adults.

It seams to me that the chess set market, for the most of it, doesn't even care to design products with this on mind. Anyway it is very safe to asume that if an adult buy a set and this adult have kids they will end up playing with it, eventually.

Not when we're talking about chess sets costing hundreds of dollars, which is likely to be the case for any modern chess set containing lead. Just as the lead soldiers I mentioned are not going to be the playthings of children; they're going into collectors' displays.

So they don't use lead on plastic sets?

Thanks everyone, 

Here are a couple of pics of the weight in question. It seems to be showing some signs of initial rust but not too much. Strangely the weight in another piece in the same set (whose felt fell off a while ago) has completely rusted over. 

It probably isn't a huge risk but still not great if young kids are playing with them regularly, maybe putting them in their mouths etc. 

Thanks for the feedback and information! :)

The pictures are not really conclusive.

Lead sometimes rust like that, when it is in contact with some chemicals, for example some glues, see link below:

http://www.cdkands.com/corroded.html

I agree with Mark on pressing the metal with something, lead is soft metal and it can be mark this way. Probably what I would do is go to one of those places that buy scrap metal and explain to them that you want to identify this metal if they can test it for lead, it should not be expensive to have this done.

I don't agree with what he says about the risk being minimal. Risk assesment is not this simple.

There are some questions to ask, for example how many hours of exposure, on a month, your girl get to the metal? does she eat while playing? does she wash her hands after playing? and so forth.

The reality of the fact is that you should not be worring about this and trying to assest if she gets significant or minimal exposure. I do hope it is not lead. In any case, if it turns out to be lead, I would sugest you to don't take the risk and just get a different set for playing. It is always better to be safe, consider that it is possible that she can be in contact with lead somewhere else and it will all add up, so you always have to count with that unknown factor and take measurements on what you know.

Thanks, it does leave small marks if I press into it hard with the end of a screwdriver but no more than on any other metal objects I found lying around. I'll test its density later and report back! I definitely won't let kids continue to play with a lead-weighted set, there are plenty of others in the house so we won't be getting bored ;) Many thanks again for the help!

Sorry to respond to an old thread but it's one of the very few discussing lead in chess sets and I'm surprised that in 2016 this isn't considered a real issue in the chess playing community. My guess is that most people are unaware their sets contain lead although I'm sure some people probably don't care. In my case I have small children and was completely horrified and appalled when I learned all my sets are hazards, in fact I would be even if I didn't have any children. What will it take to get chess set makers to substitute lead? Government involvement?

SG$2 wooden pieces, paper board,  popular when I was a kid in school.  looks like image below, international chess symbols on the other side

I found a coin as close to the diameter as possible; epoxied a small stack into the base.  Problem solved, and the set has increased in value (if only by the cost of gum.).

Also great for Pinewood Derby cars as it allows you to concentrate the weight in a more compact area, giving you more control over the balance point of the car and therefore better speed and stability.

Not that my sons and I were into the Pinewood Derby or anything .... 

MeTheBoxLuhst wrote:

I can play lead and rythm, but if your gonna be playing metal its easier to be using and electric, acoustic would make it difficult if your going to try to play lead, Preferebly a strat if you have one.

How old are you?

I purchased a silicone set and might go with a solid plastic set soon, pity I can't enjoy the feel of a weighted set unless I weight them myself. Aside from the "Quality Chess Set" sold by chesshouse and wsc, does anybody know another solid plastic set?

They should use gold.

Lead in chess sets is an excellent long-term strategy to winning more. If you paint your fingers with clear nail polish, it provides and invisible barrier against the pieces, while your opponent will be touching them directly and gradually exhibit symptoms of lead poisoning.