Pewter Find

Rally

NC Minnesota
2C52E192-99C9-4B49-90EC-BB19923BE3F9.jpeg
I was coming home from checking traps yesterday and saw an Estate sale sign. Wheeled in and found this salt, pepper, and tooth pick holder set. Almost walked by it, because it looked like stainless and I've seen several set of shakers just like it. Stamped on the bottom is "Thailand Pewter Ltd" and 97% Tin. Grand total of .75 cents, and full of salt and pepper! LOL
 
Last edited:

glassparman

"OK, OK, I'm going as fast as I don't want to go!"
Ok, sorry as I know this is a few months old. What does pewter do for casting? Just to add a little tin?

I have a couple pewter tea pots and ale mugs. What would the ratio be of lead to pewter?
 

Mitty38

Well-Known Member
It can be a big money saver. Getting your Tin that way. (97% is pretty darn close to pure plus the other trace ingredients can do good things for your mix too.)
With Tin at 20-30 bucks a lb plus shipping. Figure he just got 12 bucks worth of tin for 75 cents.

Great find @Rally.
 
Last edited:

Kevin Stenberg

Well-Known Member
Glassparman All quality pewter will have a stamping on the bottom of the object that says it is pewter. In many cases it is very small and barely readable. Their are many wanabies out there. I have seen stamping of " Mexican pewter" actually aluminum "Pewtex" a zink product
If you frequant second hand stores. The decorative wall hanging plates are not pewter
Traites of pewter. It bends easily, is a dull grey color, it has no screws or bolts all joints are soldered
Pewter can be found in serving trays and plates - candle sticks - picture frames - salt/pepper cont. - tea/coffee servers - gravy boats.
 

Dusty Bannister

Well-Known Member
I have never had success in my occasional searches for pewter so have concentrated on tin or solder as a source. If you have time and conditions are favorable, garage sales and auctions are a viable source. Some individuals are able to buy back scrap from the local scrap metal dealers and this is also a good source if you do not mind getting grubby in the lead bins. For others who have less time to do the search, commercial metal dealers are a good source. That might be better than buying something that turns our to not be what is expected. There are different forms of pure tin and this is one that is available from a commercial source. Not the cheapest, but a reliable source and from time to time, discounts or free shipping is part of the deal. At least this will get you started.

 

L Ross

Well-Known Member
Glassparman All quality pewter will have a stamping on the bottom of the object that says it is pewter. In many cases it is very small and barely readable. Their are many wanabies out there. I have seen stamping of " Mexican pewter" actually aluminum "Pewtex" a zink product
If you frequant second hand stores. The decorative wall hanging plates are not pewter
Traites of pewter. It bends easily, is a dull grey color, it has no screws or bolts all joints are soldered
Pewter can be found in serving trays and plates - candle sticks - picture frames - salt/pepper cont. - tea/coffee servers - gravy boats.
The gravy boats and creamers make great empty .22 brass receptacles. When I finally use up all of my tin and solder, in about 2078, I can melt down the pewter I found.

Pewtex huh? My brother is a school custodian. I'll ask him if he ever saw any Pewtex when emptying out the trash in the women's restroom.
 

Joshua

Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
I went a little crazy last year looking for the stuff. If I had a 30-50 mile drive I would plan on stopping at thrift stores along the way. I’ve also got a thrift store a few blocks from the house that I hit up on Thursdays for their 25% off sale.

I’ve traded off about 30 pounds of ingots, for brass, molds, and dies. I’ve got about ten pounds in muffin pan coin ingots right now.

I won’t pay more then 5 bucks a pound. On a good haul I only pay one or two bucks a pound. I buy only hallmarked items.

There are multiple aisles to look at.
1. Kitchen items, salt and pepper shakers, creamers, pitchers, plates, and bowls, the glass bottom tankards
2. Collectible plates, with hooks on the back for hanging
3. Picture Frames
4. Candle stick holders

I guess in some areas it just isn’t very available.

It’s sorta like panning for gold on a River. There are certain bank and river bar contours where the current deposits heavies. Once you figure out where and what to look for, you start to see it all over.
 
Last edited:

Ian

Notorious member
I only add tin to make binary alloy from pure lead or to boost the Sb/Sn linkage for some limited high-velocity applications. Most of the time I cast bullets from straight wheelweights or wheelweights mixed with softer, random scrap.

Tin is also useful to a limited extent in increasing cast bullet diameter when combined with antimony, up to a thousandth maximum at high concentration levels. Never add more tin than antimony as a rule.

Mostly though, you will find people adding tin as a crutch to poor casting technique and lack of understanding about mould heat management. In truth, half a percent tin in a 2-3% antimonial lead alloy is plenty for 90% of our smokeless-powder needs.

I rarely cast pure lead except for round balls. Black powder bullets with deep grooves will fill out MUCH better with only 1% tin added and that small amount of tin doesn't affect the desired softness of the bullet very much. I also tend to run pure or near-pure lead at relatively high furnace temperature, somewhere around 800-850⁰.
 
Last edited:

Spindrift

Well-Known Member
The cheapest way to find pewter around my parts, is flea markets. The last hour of the market, you typically can fill a shopping bag with anything you like, for 5$. Like various pewter items...
 

glassparman

"OK, OK, I'm going as fast as I don't want to go!"
I've been holding on to some real pewter items for a few years. Not for bullets though.

I'm still heavy into modeling and have been working on an 1/8 scale 32 Ford Highboy. I was planning on using that Castaldo casting putty to make some parts out of pewter as it has a look more like metal.
 

Rally

NC Minnesota
Pewter is all over, and Hallmarked pewter is suppose to be at least 95% Tin. My wife runs with a bunch of gals they call the "Garage Sale Goddess', so we hit a bunch of garage sales every year. She takes me along to drive, and so she can ask me if I can fix the junk she buys, before she gets it home. The best tip I can give you is to hit Estate Sales on the last day, because the people that are running them have about had it with the public by then, and want to be done. They like to talk to folks that want all of anything , whether it be puter, lead, or reloading supplies. Good way to get nice towels for shop rags also. Drives my wife crazy when I cut up perfectly matched sets of towels for shop rags! LOL
If your really interested in Pewter ID in short form, there is a post on CB done by a guy who lists all the names Pewter is sold under, and their Hallmarks in several languages. Once you get a feel for it you'll be surprised what is made of Pewter, some you might even feel guilty about melting.
 

Mitty38

Well-Known Member
Once you get a feel for it you'll be surprised what is made of Pewter, some you might even feel guilty about melting.
I love melting down ash trays and desk top lighters, since I quit smoking about 6 years or so back. No guilt there.
Just love watching them melt. Thinking, now instead of burning my money up in them, and with them, I am saving money by melting them.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I have found a source for "raw" tin for 18$ a pound but 5# minimum.
My main place for time is 50/50 bars. Bought when I find them.

We dont really have "thrift stores" like you guys speak of. So only place for me to search are scrappers and then only if im lucky enough to be there when they leave it laying about. Thats not often or pewter is t often scrapped. CW