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Thread: Vanishing Pewter

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Vanishing Pewter

    I've been buying pewter from my local flea market for years. Vendors know me and know my price. I bring my scale and everyone is happy.

    Last weekend there was no pewter to be found. I talked to 2 vendors that said a group of "college" kids came through and bought EVERYTHING that said pewter at the asking price which is generally around $7/lb. These guys didn't know what they were buying because they bought Wilton and anything that had PEWTER stamped or stickered on it. They were very hush-hush about the whole thing. The vendor that told me about the Wilton said that it said PEWTER so it was. I told her to sell them a bunch more.

    I stopped by one vendor that had closed his antique mall booth. He had enough pewter plates to weigh 25lbs. I had just finished weighing them when a young college aged couple came up and asked if they were for sale. My former friend said they were and wanted $7/lb. but agreed on $6. I was prepared to pay $4 but money talks and friendship walks. The buyer asked me about using borax to flux. I gave them the 15 minute lecture on the ID, and process on the production of ingots. I hoped communicating would get them to wag their tongues about what they are doing with the pewter. Not A Peep.

    Your guess is as good as mine. I looked on ebay for pewter ingots offered from my area but found nothing. I'm thinking it could be a cheap source of solder or ???????

    I'm letting folks on the board know about this and show a bit of caution when you buy from an unknown seller. Good Luck

  2. #2
    Boolit Master dbosman's Avatar
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    Oh, well. Some of us may have to share our bounty.

  3. #3
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    MrWolf's Avatar
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    I have never found any pewter for sale near me. I found it once in Florida on vacation at a flea market. You folks are lucky.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master elmacgyver0's Avatar
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    Are these "college kids" just buying it to keep it out the hands of bullet casters?
    If so, that is so very typically liberal.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
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    The pewter I've found in Thrift Shops locally has generally been in the form of artsy little figurines so their per pound prices were not at all attractive (at least not for scrap tin!) Fortunately one of our fellow shooters has a nice reliable source, so we're pretty well taken care of here.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Take a little time to check the price of pewter on ebay and the price of lead free solder anywhere. Prices are right up there. A fella that builds power supplies for just about anything has a small melting pot of certified lead free in the middle of his workers that dip the fluxed end of their connections to "tin" them before assembly. I figure it's a group of nerds trying to find a cheap way to feed their electronics habit. Maybe sell a bit on the side to cover costs. I know I scrambled a bunch to see my way through college.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    In 5 years I have found 1 piece of pewter. I still keep my eyes peeled.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    Meh.

    I buy from the local recycler. There is another dude that has a sinker casting business. Sometimes he hits the recycler before I do, sometimes I hit the recycler before he does. One of these days I'm sure somebody else will find that recycler and get in the way of me and the sinker casting dude.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by elmacgyver0 View Post
    Are these "college kids" just buying it to keep it out the hands of bullet casters?
    If so, that is so very typically liberal.
    I seriously doubt they are that informed about bullet casting or capable of thinking that many steps forward in the process.
    More likely there is some other social trend such as collecting items for a renaissance fair (or Game of Thrones props), props for a play, home decorating trend or items on a scavenger hunt list.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

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    We will never know...

  11. #11
    Boolit Master

    rancher1913's Avatar
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    my guess is casting figures for dungons & dragons games, thats quite huge to them and they all try and out do each other in the dice they use and the figures that represent them on the board
    if you are ever being chased by a taxidermist, don't play dead

  12. #12
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    Yes, probably Comic-con nerds like rancher said.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    A local priest passed away awhile back. When they cleared out his stuff there was a 10 lb. bar of pewter that the old guy used to cast figures. I was the lucky recipient.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    The SCA uses non-lead Pewter for the charms they give people on paying to attend events, the idea being that if someone's kid gnaws on it it won't harm the kid. Probably D&Der though.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I have never found an pewter items I would melt in over 12 years of looking here in AZ. The items I do find are antiques and go into my collection, but never any general modern pewter ware items like many have found elsewhere. I have had greater luck at junk yards where I get it for a buck a pound like all Pb-ish items they sell. (How about 30ea) 2# pure foundry bars of Sn for a buck a pound! Good times.......good times!

    banger

  16. #16
    In Remembrance Reverend Al's Avatar
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    Thank goodness I'm not short on Pewter ... I think I have about 95 to 100 pounds on hand that is smelted into ingots ...

    I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't reached my "Expiry" date!

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by elmacgyver0 View Post
    Are these "college kids" just buying it to keep it out the hands of bullet casters?
    If so, that is so very typically liberal.
    It will be interesting when or if we ever find out. I seriously doubt that its any kind of conspiracy. My thinking is that any conspiracy would leak out and some of us would hear about it.

    As far as pewter goes, I'm another that seldom finds it. As it gets harder for me to walk around I spend less time looking. Sometimes the other things that I find in thrift shops make up for the lack of pewter.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Petrol & Powder View Post
    I seriously doubt they are that informed about bullet casting or capable of thinking that many steps forward in the process.
    More likely there is some other social trend such as collecting items for a renaissance fair (or Game of Thrones props), props for a play, home decorating trend or items on a scavenger hunt list.
    I think this a real possibility. The local university is known for engineering. I bet it's for casting playthings.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master

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    The random pieces I find are usually kind of bent up and not worth saving and get melted. I haven't found any lately but sometimes find 2 or 3 items and think
    I have hit the mother load.

  20. #20
    Boolit Bub
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    D&D is again very popular. I had some small figurines from childhood, and tried giving them to a young adult male at a grocery store whom I know plays. He said "no thanks", he and his buddies had plenty. Ok, into the pewter pot they went. He said the resurgence of D&D has created a large market for fancier figures than what existed in my time. There are other craft-type people who seek it out. I purchased a few lbs the other day from a lady, and she assumed it was for crafts. It's still out there. I've never had a connection like some of you stated. Best deal I ever got was a dude selling pewter mugs at a flea market for a dollar a mug; one free if I bought ten. I bought ten. Should have grabbed them all.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check