pewter

[mark starr]

Would any of you guys know where I might be able to buy some lead free raw pewter? I've searched yahoo all I can find is ready made stuff. I've been pouring some for caps on knives. I want to pour a nose cap on a rifle but I don't have enough.Thanks in advanceMarkWyoming territory.

 

TOTW has it for 5.95 per pound WWW.[url] trackofthewolf.com[/url] hope that helps

 

[Doc Arroyo]

Many years ago I asked the same question. A metalergist friend of mine said that "pewter" wasn't a very consistant alloy, and that historically it was mostly lead. So we worked under these rules. If it melted right, worked right and looked right, then we could call it pewter. So we used lead free solder for knife hardware ever since. Cheap and easy to find. :m2c:

 

[jrdavis]

Would any of you guys know where I might be able to buy some lead free raw pewter? I've searched yahoo all I can find is ready made stuff. I've been pouring some for caps on knives. I want to pour a nose cap on a rifle but I don't have enough.Thanks in advanceMarkWyoming territory.

go to yard sales or flea markets. Its for sale all the time; bowls, mugs, ash trays what ever; you just have to re-melt it. most of the time you can get it for a buck or so...a lot better deal than the $8.00 a pound it goes for :thumbsup:

 

[jrdavis]

I might add that you can use lead free solder ...its just about the same as pewter cost about the same also and most hardware stores carry it

 

[Brazos]

Forgive my ignorance, but why lead free?
Thanks

 

[shmrck1]

many holes,
go to[url] google.com[/url] search pewter more than you
will ever want to know about subject.
snake-eyes eace: :thumbsup:

 

Here are several Pewter Suppliers (I normally use Rio Grande, but have friends who have recommended the others):
http://www.purityalloys.com/Pewter%20Casting%20Alloys.htm

http://www.tekcast.com/casting2.htm

http://www.riogrande.com

As for Pewter being mostly lead with all due respect to your metallurgist friend - I'm sorry, but that's not historically correct. Pewter has always been and still is an alloy of mostly tin, usually in the 90% plus range with the balance usually antimony, lead, and cadmium. The addition of lead was because helps it flow better and lowers it's melting temp somewhat. A high content of lead would make the piece not only inordinately heavy, but also way to malleable, which historic pieces are patently not. One only has to handle original pieces such as coffee pots, mugs, etc to know that there is no way they are mosly lead.

I cast a lot of P/HC style knife fittings and find Babbitt metal is actually a better choice as it is some what harder than pewter (it's used for making bearings of various types). Of course if one wants a P/HC piece than the thing to do is either use one of the pewter alloys including lead or use a lead free mix and add a bit of lead to it.

Scouts out....