BHN Samples

[Morgan Astorbilt]

Folks, I'm getting an old Rockwell tester, and want to use it to test my lead. Spoke to Wilson, the company that makes them, and there doesn't seem to be any Brinell to Rockwell conversion charts that go down to below about 50BHN.
I believe that if I pick a proper weight, and ball penetrator diameter, and test several samples, I should be able to create a chart that will give me the readings needed.

I've got plenty of what I believe to be "Pure" lead, BHN5, but was wondering where I could get certified samples of different hardnesses to do this testing. Was hoping to go up to BHN40.

Done all the ball bearing between samples in the vise testing I want to do. But if I have to, that's the way I'll go.:-D
Morgan

[alamogunr]

I bought samples of "pure" lead, Lyman #2 and linotype from Bill Ferguson a few years ago. I'm sure these weren't lab grade but close enough to use as my standards of comparison. Usually when I have unexplained variations, it is due to my technique. Bill is a metallurgist and the stuff he sells can be depended upon. I don't think he sells large quantities of lead alloys any more but might sell small samples. I use these to check myself when using either the Cabine Tree tester or the LBT. I tried using a large hardness tester at work a few years ago but it didn't work at levels of lead hardness. You seem to be running into the same problem. I wasn't knowledgeable enough to do what you propose. I'm still not sure that having hardness information beyond comparing one sample with another is all that useful.
John