Lead or lino strips of some kind?

[fatelk]

A friend gave these to me recently, about 25 pounds worth. They are thin lead strips, a couple feet long and several thicknesses. Most are maybe 1/16" thick.

I don't know what they are, but they're definitely lead alloy of some kind, and a lot harder than pure. I put a small piece on top of the pot and it melts at around the same temp as the ww alloy in the pot. When I melted a little in a ladle, it sure looked a lot like linotype.

Anyone seen thin lead strips like this before?

[454PB]

It looks like linotype spacers. Some of mine are softer than linotype, but still work well for casting. Bend them sharply and see if they break. If they do, they are linotype (or close to it).

[bangerjim]

Very common "leading strips" used in the printing industry of old. They are used to space apart the lines of type. You can still find that term used in MS WORD as the spacing between your typed lines on your computer.

They are usually softer than lino. I have several hundred pounds of them and they range from 10-14 depending on who made them. They were made on a machine using whatever lead was around the print shop usually. Also available pre-made.

They did not need to be very hard as they NEVER banged against the printing platen like the type did.

You really need a hardness tester to figure out what you have.

banger

[fatelk]

Cool, thank you. I had never seen long strips like that before.

It does bend without breaking but it's harder and lighter than ww lead. Not a big deal either way since it was almost free and it's only 25 pounds. I'll use it to sweeten the pot.

[runfiverun]

the real skinny [err thin] ones will bend, you have to pinch them together in the middle.
they will snap and break...

[madsenshooter]

I bought some once the guy had listed as lino, gave me a story about he took his lino to a foundry, had it refreshed, then to another place to have the rules cast. These had a thin line on them that was meant to print. Long story short, they tested around 15bhn, so if the story about refreshed lino was true, that's not what the guy got back. Judging by the hardness, it's about equal to Lyman #2. Consistent in that regard through the 30lbs that I bought.

[Fritz D]

Also, check out the thread "Linotype Question" started yesterday at 6:57.

[bangerjim]

I bought some once the guy had listed as lino, gave me a story about he took his lino to a foundry, had it refreshed, then to another place to have the rules cast. These had a thin line on them that was meant to print. Long story short, they tested around 15bhn, so if the story about refreshed lino was true, that's not what the guy got back. Judging by the hardness, it's about equal to Lyman #2. Consistent in that regard through the 30lbs that I bought.

If the pieces you have had "lines on them to print", what you have are "printer's ornaments" type. Used for borders, lines, outlines on a printed page. The are hard as type and are WIDER than the softer leading strips above that go between the blocks/strips of real type. Leading strips do NOT stick out and touch the paper.

banger

[fatelk]

the real skinny [err thin] ones will bend, you have to pinch them together in the middle.
they will snap and break...

Thanks! I just tried bending some and when they bend tight they are brittle and snap just like you say.

[boog]

I just picked up around 5 of those sticks and a 23lb Linotype ingot! I'm exited!