testing pewter

[justing]

ok so i am a cook at cracker barrel and we serve some or items in so called pewter bowls i was wondering of there is a way to test them to see (as the management might give me some,) if that are really pewter, for starters they are not marked, and that are microwave safe if that matters and help would be great thanks.

[williamwaco]

ok so i am a cook at cracker barrel and we serve some or items in so called pewter bowls i was wondering of there is a way to test them to see (as the management might give me some,) if that are really pewter, for starters they are not marked, and that are microwave safe if that matters and help would be great thanks.

That is a give away.

If they are microwave safe, they are not pewter.

[richhodg66]

Real pewter makes a kind of clunk instead of a clang when you tap it with a piece f metal. I usually tap my wedding band on pieces in throft shops to tell. It also isn't real shiny and is usually pretty soft, it bends easily.

[imashooter2]

Real pewter can be very shiny:

http://home.comcast.net/~imashooter2/pictures/teaset-600.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~imashooter2/pictures/muga-600.jpg

[louism]

If you can easily cut a sliver from it with a pocket knife it may be pewter. If not is is most likely aluminum. In junk shops I use the back edge of my wedding band. I use it to try to nick the item on an edge. If I can raise a bur it is soft and most likely pewter. If not I pass. I also use the tap test mentioned above. If it give a dull thud I go on to the nick test if it rings I pass.

[justing]

from what i understood if a metal has no sharp edges it can be microwaved, i will take a pic tomorrow at work

[John Boy]

If it is pewter, it will be stamped Pewter on the piece.
Composition:
Modern Pewter ... International standards define pewter as having a composition of 90 to 98 percent tin, 1 to 8 percent antimony and 0.25 to 3 percent copper, with limits specified for various impurities (lead, arsenic, iron and zinc).
Laying under my work bench, from Goodwill at $19.95 are 5 pieces stamped Pewter weighing in total 6 lbs. So my find at $15 a lb is $81 to $88. But the real deal was a fella in PA selling 99.99% Sn for $5.00 per lb ... bought 50 lbs and he threw in an extra 7 or 8 lbs :awesome:

[louism]

Not necessarily, I have purchased several pieces in the past weeks that were not marked but proved to be pewter. The last three were candle sticks 3 for 4.00 at the flea market. They were weighted but still made 7 nice little 3oz ingots. I also purchased 6 coasters that were not marked but online research turned up the maker and they are also pewter. 1lb total for 4.00 Another find was an Avon statue that weighs in at 2.5 pounds with no markings. It also proved to be pewter after a little research. that one was 7.00
It is best to learn what to look for and that comes at the price of making mistakes. I have a couple of nice aluminum pieces that I thought were pewter when I first started looking for it.

[imashooter2]

There is no way, NO WAY, a high end restaurant like Cracker Barrel uses pewter serving pieces. It just isn't happening. What they have isn't genuine pewter, it is some cast aluminum based alloy at best.

[fredj338]

There is no way, NO WAY, a high end restaurant like Cracker Barrel uses pewter serving pieces. It just isn't happening. What they have isn't genuine pewter, it is some cast aluminum based alloy at best.

^^THIS^^ Maybe back in the 19th century, but not today.

[BBQJOE]

A friend told me to try and "write" on a piece of paper with it. Pewter will make a light mark, whereas aluminum wont.

[justing]

i will try to scratch some paper with it tomorrow

[303Guy]

Food grade pewter should say so. Pewter can contain lead and that's what must be stated as being absent, either 'Lead Free' or fine pewter or something like that. I'd rather have food cooked or severed in pewter than aluminum! Aluminum isn't a very good cookware material because it gets corroded by foodstuff (and the salts formed are toxic). But pewter ware is rather fancy, I think.

Oh, pewter ware handles are soldered on.

[BBQJOE]

There is no way, NO WAY, a high end restaurant like Cracker Barrel uses pewter serving pieces.
Good Lord I hope you're being sarcastic.

[imashooter2]

Good Lord I hope you're being sarcastic.

LOL! I didn't think I needed to point it out.

[justing]

74548

[justing]

when i scratched it it made a mark so i don't know not marked pewter but as you can see it dents

[fryboy]

sure looks like aluminum to me ...

[wrench man]

Agreed, if I saw that when I was looking for pewter I wouldn't even pick it up!

[justing]

is there a way to test if it is aluminum?

[justing]

when i scratched it it made a mark so i don't know not marked pewter but as you can see it dents

what i meant was i rubbed it on a peace of paper and it left a gray mark

[justing]

didn't notice the fried apples(in the pic) till now sorry if i make someone hungry.

[imashooter2]

is there a way to test if it is aluminum?

For heaven's sake, look at it. It doesn't look like pewter at all. It's cast and way too thick in cross section. Pewter melts at 450 degrees, they don't use it for bakeware. It isn't pewter. Honest. We're not lying to you.

[303Guy]

Aluminium goes dull from cooking and also develops small depressions so won't be smooth. That's why I won't eat stuff cooked in aluminium if I can help it. If it were pewter it would have melted by now.

[earthling121757]

I'd bet it's an aluminum alloy or maybe a zinc/aluminum alloy. Looks like a sand casting. A couple drops of hydrochloric acid will bubble if it's either of these. Vinegar might work too, but will be slower. Shine up a spot with steel wool or scratch it with something first to get rid of any surface oxidation.