Has anyone else had this problem?

[sanadika]

I just bought a new sabre grip for Blue Gauntlet.It is the lower end priced leather grip. It smells very bad.It is almost a moldy smell. Is this normal or should i send it back for a new one?

[HDG]

Resisting the urge to make the obvious but culturally insensitive joke about what animal was the source of the leather. Arf, arf.

[Greg]

A formaldehyde type of smell? Not uncommon with some cheap materials or what ever container they were stored in. There's a store where I live and their plastic bags reek from that smell. I'd send it back and order a leather one.

[KD5MDK]

She already mentioned it was a leather one.

[Beowulfman6]

It sounds like the stench of saber to me.

Solution, switch to foil

[El Chucko]

Resisting the urge to make the obvious but culturally insensitive joke about what animal was the source of the leather. Arf, arf.

Unfortunately this is NOT a joke. Animal rights advocates have been working to try and stop members of the tanning/fur industry in China that have been skinning dogs and other domestic animals to sell as fur trim for clothing, etc. (I mentioned this briefly in another thread.) Even if you don't feel there is any ethical difference between killing dogs and killing cows, what is truly horrifying is the way they are treating and skinning the animals. I won't go into detail here, but the reports are easy to find online if you are curious.

I may be over-reacting, but I am at the point where I won't buy anything made with "leather" made in China at all.

[Poulet]

what is truly horrifying is the way they are treating and skinning the animals.

They should ask the animals and remember to say "Please."

[keith]

They should ask the animals and remember to say "Please."

.... the funny thing is they never refuse if you ask nicely.

[Inquartata]

Still, it's more likely the tanning process that's at fault here than the species.