Superior alloy in ingot.....what is it?

[osteodoc08]

Going through and cleaning out moms house for sale. Downsizing since dad passed. I think it has more to do with financial consideration and she's having a hard time up and down the stairs, but won't admit to the last one.

Anyhow, got all the remaining lead and casting, smelting, reloading stuff. In the pile was 8-10 ingots as seen in the picture. They weigh about 8 to 8-1/2 pounds each. I can't deny it or scratch it with a nail. Most his other stuff is pure or COWW. Got those squared away. Even found some bar solder. This I just don't know. Ideas?

EDIT:

Title should read imperial marked ingot not superior.

[osteodoc08]

Picture of alloy in ingot form

[NyFirefighter357]

It might very well be Zn. If it's that hard I'd be very careful. Have you seen the Imperial Zn alloy company? http://imperialzinc.com/specs/
But in an old thread here I find those ingots discribed to a "T". http://castboolits.gunloads.com/arch.../t-216074.html

"Defcon-One 10-12-2013, 09:37 AM
The long bars at the bottom of the pic are Linotype. At least they were cast in a Linotype ingot mold.

[The one that says "Imperial" matches an ingot that I purchased a while back (Mine was whole, all three section intact, 8.5 lbs.). It was said to be "Plus Metal" for the Linotype shop to sweeten there Linotype alloy when it got depleted. I was told it is 10% Tin, 13% antimony, 77% Lead. I never had it tested, though it is very hard.]"

RogerDat is correct try the muriatic acid test.

[RogerDat]

small amount of drain cleaner will fizz on zinc, won't fizz on lead.

[Sandhills Writer]

That is pure Linotype from the Imperial smelter. I was a printer for over 50 years, we would send in our old Linotype lead that would get zinc in it to be resmelted. When you would cut zinc engravings and Lino on the same saw, you would get a zinc mixture after a long period of time, that is when we would send it in to the smelter. I have over 1,000 pounds of those 3 three bar ingots. They weigh approximately 10 lbs each. I have shot it for the last 50 years too. Works fantastic in a 45 auto.

[Sandhills Writer]

It is plus metal, but printers would just put it in the Linotype pots as is, they then melted it down with the used type and then they would cast into 20 pound ingots to be hung from the chains on the linotypes.

[country gent]

Another is babbit material it can be quite hard and is normally in those size ingots for pouring bearings, thrust washers, and wear plates. There were several alloies of Babbit for different uses also and manufacturers had their "special" blends.

[Sandhills Writer]

When I was building custom Hawken rifles, I would pour the nose caps using the Imperial Plus Metal. Evan after 40 years the rifles that I kept still have shiny nose caps.

[osteodoc08]

They were in his Linotype bucket so that all makes sense. They are right at 8-1/2 pounds each three section as seen. I'll test it but will likely use it as Linotype. Thanks guys.

That's right at 50# just in the picture. I have a bunch of Lino that needs smelted as well. As soon as I have some off time and a clear day I'll be smelting the lino into 1# ingots.

[RogerDat]

Just a suggestion but you might want to keep much of that linotype in original form. In 1# ingots it could be anything. Original form clearly identifies the alloy as to it's content and value.

[colchester]

That is Imperial plus metal. Typically it is 7sn 14sb. Printers that remelted in house would add this to the linotype to replenish some tin and antimony lost in dross. ETA I have a fair amount of that exact stuff I shot some justt to confirm alloy mine is 7 tin 14 antimony 79 lead

[osteodoc08]

Just a suggestion but you might want to keep much of that linotype in original form. In 1# ingots it could be anything. Original form clearly identifies the alloy as to it's content and value.

Should of been more specific. I was just referring to the dirty mangled Lino sitting in a bucked. Literally unprocessed Lino strips.

[RogerDat]

I like the "strips" without letters, they can be a mystery but sometimes turn out to be especially nice alloy. Those I think are always best as a really big batch to get a consistent alloy since in small batches they can vary a bit.