can you field test lead for alloy

[HVACscott]

is there a way to field test lead to see if its WW or pure? Without special expensive equipment.

[imashooter2]

The time honored thumbnail scratch should differentiate between those 2 alloys.

[Rcmaveric]

Pencil test or Lee hardness tester. Both are inexpensive. Will give you a rough estimate of the BHN. While not indicative of the lead chemistry. It will tell you what you cannuse it for.

Hardness of the lead means more to me than whats in it.

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[Conditor22]

The only way to tell what the alloy is in a lead ingot in the field is a portable XRF analyzer (not cheap) https://www.google.com/search?q=xrf+...h=784&dpr=1.13

IF you want basic hardness, drop it on concrete, if it thuds it pure or close to pure the higher the tone/ring the harder the alloy.

To be certain I bring my pencils and a chisel (to clear a test spot)

[fredj338]

If you have a known alloy ingot, like Lino, Then bang it against the unkown. Softer dents easily & is at least useful for bullets. If the lino dents, could be anything from mono to zinc.