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FrankHelwig wrote:
alleenkatze wrote
I prefer the beautiful hand turned chessmen of yesteryear to the mass produced modern examples shown on the NOJ site.
BTW, NOJ is a small familiy-owned business, and none of their sets are mass-produced. All of their sets are hand-turned and produced in fairly small numbers (which is why they have waiting lists).
+1, and Gregor is a fine craftsman also.
I'm not sure what pictures from NOJ people is talking about, I pretty much love everything in there. Exept the Da Vinci desing...
And ones again, I don't think anywhere in the world there is someone mass producing wooden chess sets.
Wow, a lot of responses in the time I've been gone.
I spoke to Vik a while back about the lead weights in his sets, and he has assured me the 1849 reproductions will use lead weighting. They also have a rule about the cost of the sets vs the weighting. If I remember correctly all the sets over $200 used lead weighting.
@loubalch: Very interesting data you have there considering the type of weights for different vendors. Although the sets, that have Iron/Steel weights seem to be in the lower price range, it is nice to see that Chessbazaar is not the only one to blame.
@Jack_Burton: So choosing iron over lead IS a cost issue. Then I still don't understand why my D0167 from Chessbazaar set has iron weights instead of lead.
@loubalch: Very interesting data you have there considering the type of weights for different vendors. Although the sets, that have Iron/Steel weights seem to be in the lower price range, it is nice to see that Chessbazaar is not the only one to blame.
Scheichxodox, all three of my sets using iron/steel weights are in the $150-$200 range. Apparently, for a lot of vendors, $200 seems to be the dividing line between lead and steel weighting. Although The Chess Store set, which uses lead, was only $130. And of the three lead weighted sets from The Chess Piece, one set was originally $190 ($140 on sale) and the other was $140 list.
Perhaps we should be asking vendors what they're using to weight their pieces when shopping for a new chess set.
Hi Lou, would you not buy another set weighted with steel if you knew it before hand?
Hi Lou, would you not buy another set weighted with steel if you knew it before hand?
Yes I would. Given the price range for these sets, I don't see any disadvantage to using steel if it's done right. True, you could increase the weight using lead, but if the set is nicely weighted to begin with, making it heavier doesn't necessarily make it better. There comes a point where heavy becomes too heavy. At 50 oz. and 65 oz., the two 4" House of Chess sets are nicely weighted and balanced. If they were much heavier, I would be concerned about over-drilling the pieces to achieve the weight.
Apparently, for a lot of vendors, $200 seems to be the dividing line between lead and steel weighting... Perhaps we should be asking vendors what they're using to weight their pieces when shopping for a new chess set.
D0177 costs $131.99 and has lead weights. D0167 costs $299.99 and has iron weights. I don't think the price can be a good index for the type of weights used. But I do agree with your last sentence. This has been my last time, that I bought a chess set without asking for the type of weights.
@AlanDewey: Would you maybe do me the favour and answer in this thread if it is possible to pour melted lead into chess pieces to make them heavier? The people there discouraged me from pulling this off, because the pieces might crack or the wood get burnt. Then I saw your video on Youtube, where you poured lead into an old piece and now I think about doing the same.
Apparently, for a lot of vendors, $200 seems to be the dividing line between lead and steel weighting... Perhaps we should be asking vendors what they're using to weight their pieces when shopping for a new chess set.
D0177 costs $131.99 and has lead weights. D0167 costs $299.99 and has iron weights. I don't think the price can be a good index for the type of weights used. But I do agree with your last sentence. This has been my last time, that I bought a chess set without asking for the type of weights.
It could be the cheaper set is a newer stocked set or they ran out of old stock and now making new stock with lead. Maybe CB is using lead going foward exclusively. Who knows. Ask Vik. I asked him a couple questions and he has never answered me back in the last 2 weeks so maybe he is busy or ignoring some questions, again I have no idea.
It seems like I got lucky with my Chess Bazaar Dubrovnik set. It is A-1. I am getting creeped out with hearing of no reply from Vik. I am done with Chess Bazaar.!
9 and wiscmike,
With CB, the easiest way I have found to contact them is via their site's live support chat. They come online a little late but also do answer emails. I have been interacting with Ram and Sapna on their site. Also, recently - they might have been on vacation due to the Indian Holiday (Dussehera). So, expect a few delays in their responses. They are still alive and well; this is from interacting with them yesterday on one of my pieces.
That still doesn't excuse unanswered emails. They're still in your IN box after the holidays. This seems to be a pattern with CB, and not an innocent oversight. A policy of selective inattention - if we don't like it, we'll just ignore it! Sorry, but I expect more from the vendors I do business with.
I agree as well.! No more dealing with them. I was going to order their Jaques club set but, no more of dealing with them.!
Yes I have talked to Ram on the chat at their web site, no problem there. The email was directed towards someone else and I still am waiting for my answer. I know they have neem busy. Also ram doesn't know what Vik knows and can't do the things that Vik can.
What makes you think that Alan will be selling any of these sets?
To be honest, I briefly looked over the NOJ site images. Regardless the style is not interesting to me. Personal choice.