I needed to replace my leather briefcase this weekend and went to Macy's, where I usually find good bargains.

They had only one brand, black only (which was okay), in a brand called Delsey. Never heard of it, but it seems good quality, if not quite what I had in my old one. The main difference is that the leather seems a little less soft and the locks are satin-finished, not shiny. Feels solid, and it was marked down to half price from the list price of $200. That was nice!

But a card in it warned that the state of California has determined that something (not mentioned) about it is considered to be potentially carcenogenic.

Any ideas what that might be? Have any of you bought luggage or briefcases recently that had such a warning? The salesman had no clue, of course. Few today know what they're selling. I was just happy that he brought out four and let me choose the best. Quality control these days seems highly individual, especially on things made in China, which this probably is.

Has anyone heard of Delsey? The warranty speaks of many repair stations in the US, so I guess they're well established. Macy's has a good guarantee, too.

I asked about American Tourister and Samsonite, but they had none. The salesman claimed that Samsonite bought Am. T. a few years ago and shut it down, then cheapened the Samsonite line, too. Is that true?

I think my last prior luggage purchase was a dark green Cordura bag that I use for a camera and lens case. It is Am. Tourister and is a fine item, which I think I got in 2007. Has the brand really been killed off since?
Anyone know anything?

Thanks,

T-Star

Almost everything is thought to cause cancer in California. If the case looks well made I'd buy it.

California warning labels should be taken with a grain of salt. No! Wait! Salt is known to the State of California to cause cancer. Oncologists are known to the State of California to cause cancer. If you are not planning to eat your briefcase and then repeating the performance regularly, I'd ignore the label...

I called the Delsey customer service rep and what I learned will astound you, as it did me.

The reason that they include the warning is that the state of California has determined that if I EAT the briefcase, the metals in it will prove harmful! I kid you not: she was serious!

Not planning to consume the item, I feel greatly relieved...

I thought you folks might enjoy reading this. It has to be one of the least useful intrusions of government, and it seems appropriate that it issue from the land of...uh, I guess I can't say that here.

Dorsey makes luggage, mostly nylon ballistic stuff, however I have heard they do make leather products also. I would rate them a C+ to a B- in rating. Actually, I've had a nylon wheeled carry-on for about 15+ years and is just now starting to show it's age with no problems. I would buy from Dorsey again. Hope this helps.

I posted my bit about the customer service rep before I read your post. If I hadn't talked to her, I would have thought that you were just being satirical about eating the briefcase. But that is literally what the warning pertains to!

What? You weren't going to say "land of enchantment"? Or, maybe,
"land of sky blue waters"?
TACC1

More like Land of grapes, figs, and pecans. Maybe add almonds.

I know that NM is the land of enchantment. Is Land of Sky Blue Waters MN? I used to know.

To clarify, I made a spelling error in the first post, since corrected.

The brand is actually Delsey, not Dorsey. Sorry.

The CS girl said they originated in France in the 1950's and have also been in the US for some years. Their office is in Maryland. But she did confirm Chinese manufacture.

I would go to a good Office Supply store and see what alternatives they have. Just in case the economy tanks a whole bunch and you do have to eat the briefcase!

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

That sums it up nicely, but the writer might have left out the word "almost."

Quite a few years ago now, I was in a small community a bit north of LA for some "training." Very pleasant place, except for all the warning signs!

I recall one lunch in particular. It was a buffet served at a public restaurant, and practically every item had a small sign with some type of cancer-warning posted, thanks to the good folks in charge of CA. Judging from these signs, there was nothing on the buffet safe to eat, but it all looked perfectly good to me.

As others have said, if you don't eat the briefcase, it probably won't kill you. But now that you know the rest of the story, if you do decide to eat it, just set aside the metal bits!

Eh. The folks in California probably know a few things in this case. Lots of Chinese leather items are dyed and manufactured with dubious chemicals and procedures. There could also be traces of mercury and/or lead in the hardware. Probably is. But if you don't gnaw on it, eh. But I probably wouldn't leave a sandwich wrapped in just paper in it either.

However, try Marshalls, Ross, TJ Maxx, etc. They generally have these sorts of things on sale. Most people probably just use laptop bags for the same purpose these days though. Targus is a midway decent brand.

Most holster and leather good makers offer briefcases and bags. You can also try Filson

I had to give up on leather. They are nice to look at, but extensive traveling wore them out too quickly. I got aluminum (Halliburton), and it will outlive me by a bunch.

I got an American Tourister briefcase (looks like luggage, but inside in "briefcase" style) at Goodwill for $3.00. Made in USA. Probably bulletproof. Clunky pivoting locks, but who cares?

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and what his trumpet saith

The best briefcase I ever owned was a Samsonite hardside that I bought at JCP. I beat it, abused it and overloaded it and it still looked like new after 20 years. I finally sprung it after packing in too much stuff. I should have bought the deeper model. I bought a foreign made leather one at Famous-Barr (now Macy). The nice thing was that it was expandable. The bad thing was a latch snapped after about six months.
I don't want to burst your bubble but I wouldn't get too excited about that $100.00 discount. Mine was also $200.00 list, on sale for $100.00 then marked down on clearance to $79.95. It's pretty common practice to make you feel like you got a good deal.

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Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

As a Californian, I will be the first to state that the warning labels "This product contains a substance know to the State of California to cause cancer..." is grossly overdoing it. It's as if the agency hired gobs of young inexperienced graduates to write their warning labels and dictate where to apply them.

The California State EPA has gone completely overboard with it's cancer causing warning labels. It's completely NUTS. As for a warning label that EATING the metal parts of the product may cause cancer....well....

As for the warning label on your prospective briefcase purchase, it is very likely related to warning of chromium +6 content in the metal hinges and latches. Chromium is also used in many leather tanning processes.

Sounds like you got a great deal on that briefcase.

I wouldn't worry about the briefcase giving you cancer. Just don't smoke or eat any of its parts and you'll be OK.

Well, the briefcase is tasteful, but I don't fancy that it'd be too tasty, so I think I'll pass on eating it. I just got it to carry things in.

Gator may well have a point about carrying food in it. But I never do that. And I never just wrap a sandwich in paper, anyway; they always go in Baggies before going in a sack.

I'm guessing that if it was too toxic, Federal laws might prohibit importation. Maybe...

I quit eating Mandarin oranges after all the canned ones began coming from China. I just don't trust their food sanitation.

T-Star

I've found a small cardboard box and binding twine work well for me. True, it wears out fairly quickly, but there's an abundance of both. If necessary, with a little cutting and some blue marker, I can fashion some skates like sip has.

Sorry; it is Delsey - brain cramp - name changed, nothing else.

I've gor two of the Delsey nylon suitcases; a medium sized one and a large one. Both have given good service for almost 20 years, so I'm real happy with that brand.

Sir, the suggestion that my comments were satirical is troubling. Satire and sarcasm are sophomoric, and I eschew their use assiduously, albeit with occasional lapses, this, perhaps, among them...