About Pewter

Old 454 · September 1, 2013, 07:49 AM

I was reading over on cast boolits about pewter.

My question is pewter is supposed to be about 85% tin and I guess you melt this down, so what is the other 15% and how do you get it out so you have the tin and nothing else.

Buying tin at 18 bucks a pound gets expensive.

**Mike Irwin** · September 1, 2013, 07:55 AM

Pewter was traditionally a combination of lead and tin.

Except that it was never a set alloy type, and there are literally dozens of different alloys that all come under the heading of pewter.

Today, pewter contains little to no lead (depending on what it's to be used for) because of the toxicity.

Today's pewter is an alloy of tin and metals like bismuth, copper, antimony, zinc, and the like.

I'm not so sure that a modern pewter alloy would be particularly useful to you, especially due to the copper in some mixes.

Mike / Tx · September 2, 2013, 05:32 AM

While your over there reading up on it, look for the sticky that has the hallmarks in it. It will show you which ones seem to be the better ones to pick up.

I managed to pick up some pure from a couple of folks over there who were trying to sponsor a gun build or similar and let some go in small quantities for around 10-15 per pound. I figured that I didn't really need it but it does come in handy while blending up a batch of alloy for my HP's. At the rate I use it, I will have some for quite a while.

IF I were going to purchase today, knowing what I do now about blending, I would probably bite the bullet and go with Rotometals and be done with it. It might be expensive, but you know for certain what you have is pure. Also when your blending up to 75 pounds of an alloy your usually only using a couple of ounces.

The solder blends also work really well and most is listed in the calculator I use. It can easily be found for sale in ingot form on CB's as well.

Old 454 · September 2, 2013, 12:11 PM

ahh I thought this might be a little to good to be true, thanks for the info.

dahermit · September 2, 2013, 02:30 PM

Quote:

ahh I thought this might be a little to good to be true, thanks for the info.

I would not be put-off by copper in the pewter, inasmuch as there are type metals that contain copper (Babbitts and foundry types I believe), and they have made good bullets in the past. I have never heard of zinc in pewter, but I would not rule it out. If it did contain zinc, that would be a problem.

Beagle333 · September 2, 2013, 06:43 PM

I'm using hallmarked, modern, food service pewter for my tin. At $8/lb, if I'm wrong, I don't wanna be right!

If it is at least 85% tin, and I'm only using 2% of it in my alloy..... that's only, what?.... 0.003%? of other things, and some of them are good things. (not 100% sure of that math there.....)

(0.15x0.02?)

Hawg · September 2, 2013, 06:56 PM

Save your pewter for pouring stuff like butt caps and bolsters for knives.

**Mike Irwin** · September 3, 2013, 09:02 AM

"I have never heard of zinc in pewter..."

Apparently pewter is used colloquially for some zinc-based alloys that look like pewter.

Mike / Tx · September 3, 2013, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Save your pewter for pouring stuff like butt caps and bolsters for knives.

Well it will work for that as well, but when tin is hitting $16-18 a pound, and you can find pewter in resale shops and yard sales for only a couple of bucks, why not use it to sweeten up your alloy?

I managed to find some folks who had plenty and were selling it off to pay for other projects. Even so the best stuff I got was around $15 per pound. Some of the other which is still great for blending my alloy with was only around 10.

If I could find the pewter in any of the local stores I would surely pick it up and stockpile it for later on.

dahermit · September 3, 2013, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Apparently pewter is used colloquially for some zinc-based alloys that look like pewter.

I guess I will have to test to see how quickly it melts with a propane torch. That aught to make me popular in the used stuff stores...hummm? I wonder if this old picture frame is Pewter?

Beagle333 · September 3, 2013, 05:42 PM

Quote:

I guess I will have to test to see how quickly it melts with a propane torch. That aught to make me popular in the used stuff stores...hummm? I wonder if this old picture frame is Pewter?

Now that's funny right there!

Mike / Tx · September 3, 2013, 06:28 PM

Quote:

now that's funny right there!

YES IT IS....

Boomer58cal · September 5, 2013, 08:14 PM

Knowing some of the guys around here, that might not be as funny as we think

Boomer

Sure Shot Mc Gee · September 12, 2013, 09:14 PM

Quote:

so what is the other 15% and how do you get it out so you have the tin and nothing else.

You don't. As what other alloy's are mix in with the tin blends well with it. So what you get is what you have to deal with in your pot. But there are certain pewter items a caster can scavenge and hopefully not run into unexpected quirks or difficulty with its use in casting. Those little places on earth we hardly ever hear or know about are perhaps the worst when it comes to the blending of unwanted alloys into what they call pewter. Pass over those pieces and keep looking is my suggestion. Old pewter turn of the century stuff. And food service pewter for the most part is considered usable for our hobby. But their are exceptions to the rule also. I hope I answered your question correctly. Any how. Good luck with your quest.

skizzums · September 18, 2013, 10:14 PM

just FYI, i went looking for pewter and wasn't sure what i was looking for. i spent 10 bucks on a PEWTERAX dish........no beuno. now i know to look for thin and dull, not thick and shiny

September 1, 2013, 07:49 AM	#1
Old 454 Senior Member Join Date: August 15, 2011 Location: Chesterton Ind. Posts: 822	About Pewter I was reading over on cast boolits about pewter. My question is pewter is supposed to be about 85% tin and I guess you melt this down, so what is the other 15% and how do you get it out so you have the tin and nothing else. Buying tin at 18 bucks a pound gets expensive.

September 1, 2013, 07:55 AM	#2
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,389	Pewter was traditionally a combination of lead and tin. Except that it was never a set alloy type, and there are literally dozens of different alloys that all come under the heading of pewter. Today, pewter contains little to no lead (depending on what it's to be used for) because of the toxicity. Today's pewter is an alloy of tin and metals like bismuth, copper, antimony, zinc, and the like. I'm not so sure that a modern pewter alloy would be particularly useful to you, especially due to the copper in some mixes. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

September 2, 2013, 05:32 AM	#3
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	While your over there reading up on it, look for the sticky that has the hallmarks in it. It will show you which ones seem to be the better ones to pick up. I managed to pick up some pure from a couple of folks over there who were trying to sponsor a gun build or similar and let some go in small quantities for around 10-15 per pound. I figured that I didn't really need it but it does come in handy while blending up a batch of alloy for my HP's. At the rate I use it, I will have some for quite a while. IF I were going to purchase today, knowing what I do now about blending, I would probably bite the bullet and go with Rotometals and be done with it. It might be expensive, but you know for certain what you have is pure. Also when your blending up to 75 pounds of an alloy your usually only using a couple of ounces. The solder blends also work really well and most is listed in the calculator I use. It can easily be found for sale in ingot form on CB's as well. __________________ LAter, Mike / TX

September 2, 2013, 06:43 PM	#6
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	I'm using hallmarked, modern, food service pewter for my tin. At $8/lb, if I'm wrong, I don't wanna be right! If it is at least 85% tin, and I'm only using 2% of it in my alloy..... that's only, what?.... 0.003%? of other things, and some of them are good things. (not 100% sure of that math there.....) (0.15x0.02?) __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile. Last edited by Beagle333; September 2, 2013 at 06:49 PM.

September 3, 2013, 09:02 AM	#8
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,389	"I have never heard of zinc in pewter..." Apparently pewter is used colloquially for some zinc-based alloys that look like pewter. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

September 2, 2013, 12:11 PM	#4
Old 454 Senior Member Join Date: August 15, 2011 Location: Chesterton Ind. Posts: 822	ahh I thought this might be a little to good to be true, thanks for the info.

September 2, 2013, 06:56 PM	#7
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	Save your pewter for pouring stuff like butt caps and bolsters for knives.

September 5, 2013, 08:14 PM	#13
Boomer58cal Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2013 Location: closer than you think Posts: 967	Knowing some of the guys around here, that might not be as funny as we think Boomer __________________ The number one cause of death in the 20th century. 290,000,000 citizens were first disarmed and then murdered by their own governments. This number does not include those killed in war. We're from the government, we're here to help

September 18, 2013, 10:14 PM	#15
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	just FYI, i went looking for pewter and wasn't sure what i was looking for. i spent 10 bucks on a PEWTERAX dish........no beuno. now i know to look for thin and dull, not thick and shiny __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed