[Liesje]

I'd been wanting a few leather supplies for training and placed two orders with Bridgeport equipment (got the recommendation from another thread). The orders arrived 24 hours later, I was very impressed. One of the items was a basic leather lead I have been using almost on a daily basis.

Now last week I noticed both my thumbs had all these little slice marks on my fingerprint. Then I was noticing that after rally or agility class I would find bloody cuts like paper cuts on my thumbs. I don't know how, but that Bridgeport lead is somehow cutting my thumbs. I've looked at the snap and it doesn't appear to be sharp, but I guess when I put the leash on/off it's at just the right angle and it somehow cuts me. I just e-mailed their orders dept about this but I was wondering if anyone has had this before with those types of snaps? It's just a "regular" one, brass colored, but is much more heavy-duty and rugged looking than the snaps on my flashy pet store leashes.

 

[Wildtim]

I expect they will probably replace the leash but in case they don't:


Brass snaps are cast in a mold and this leaves some scrap where the mold halves come together. This scrap must be cut off and the seam polished smooth by hand. I'd imagine that there is a place on the snap you have that didn't get polished smooth. a light sanding with the finest sandpaper you can find should solve the problem after that a little Brasso to restore the like new shine and you will have a perfect snap. I've seen this with other small cast metal parts but never from Bridgesport before. I guess they just got a bad snap from their supplier.

 

[Liesje]

Cool thanks. I'll see if I have some sand paper. It's weird though b/c I can't see any scratch or feel it when I run my hands over it. I checked again last night but then during agility (was using a lead between turns b/c someone brought a dog-aggressive dog) my thumb was bleeding again!

 

[Wildtim]

It might also be the edges of the slot the little button rides in on a couple of my leads they feel kind of sharp, but I've never slid my thumb up and down them to see if it would cut me.

Use very very fine sandpaper, brass is soft and shows scratches well, about 600 grit plus would be good, or emery cloth.

If you do need to get into that slot an emery board for your nails will work there.

 

[jesusica]

This one?

http://www.bridgeportequipment.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=138

How weird, I guess you just solved my problem! I got this leash about a month ago and had noticed small cuts on the tips of my fingers, none bleeding or even remotely painful though, just roughed up tips. I hadn't put two and two together until now!

 

[Liesje]

Yeah, the 5/8"x36" is the one I got. Sometimes mine just look like superficial scratches, but 2-3 times a week it makes a cut like a deep papercut and then it hurts when I get dog treat stuck in it, lol. It reminds me of some crime stories I've read/seen where people slice their fingers to disguise their fingerprints (which doesn't work b/c it only makes them MORE unique).

I e-mailed them yesterday, still waiting for a response....

 

[Liesje]

Well, I figured it out. It's not the snap, it's the ring on the handle of the lead. It's all dinged up on the outer edge and one groove that's particularly sharp, which means it's not their fault either. I think it's b/c sometimes in training I drop the lead and she drags it on the concrete. Also a few times I've walked Kenya over to my grandpa's and tethered her in his garage by connecting a longer lead, so that ring drags on the cement. I don't know how it scratched me so much, I must unconsciously rub it while we're training.