Were the old powder 'tins' really tin?

[ghh3rd]

I figure that on old timer will come along and read this and know the answer. I have an old Hodgdons 4895 powder 'tin', and wonder if it's really made of tin. The top and bottom are steel, but a magnet is not attracted to the sides. Did they use aluminum for things like powder tins back then?

If it is in fact tin, I though it would be nice to use the old 'tin' in some boolit alloy :-)

Randy

[David2011]

Randy,

Not sure I'm old timer enough (not on Social Security yet) but I'll give it a shot. Very few things are made from tin. Most "tin" is tin plated steel or galvanized steel. "Tin" roofing metal is galvanized or painted steel. Tin cans are steel that is tin plated on the inside. It gives the inside of the can a gold color. I have some old Hodgdon's containers that have steel tops and bottoms, probably tin plated, but the sides are cardboard. They're a mix of round and rectangular containers. I think the oldest of mine dates to the late '60s. I didn't buy them new; they came into my hands about 10 years ago

Organ pipes, old fountain type soft drink dispenser piping and pewter are high in tin content but it's very soft so not used alone for much. Toothpaste and some medicine/ointment tubes used to be made from tin.

David

[Bent Ramrod]

"Tin" generally meant tin-plated steel. The bodies of Hodgdon powder cans I've seen were pasteboard.

Toothpaste and ointment tubes used to be made of tin. Not since the late Fifties, though.

[imashooter2]

No, they were painted or plated steel.

[Shiloh]

Tinning was a process of putting a layer of tin on cans to prevent rust or corrosion. Called tinned steel.
Your old cans are not made of tin.

Shiloh

[bedbugbilly]

The explanation of "tin plate" has already been given. "Tin" - as tin plated steel was/is often referred to as was a product that was commonly used for many years. As mentioned - "tin roofs" - Tiffin, Ohio produced many such roofs and associated items as did other locations. "Tin ware" was a common household item - many kitchen products were produced from it ranging from cups, containers, etc. In WWI, "Bacon/Meat cans" and "Condiment Cans" were produced from it. It was widely used for producing powder containers as it could be stamped/formed and was, at the time, cheap.

Can't speak for your powder container but I have seen many powder containers over the years that were constructed from "tin" - i.e. "tin plate" of a combination of materials such as "tin" tops and bottoms combined with cardboard sides, etc. that were containers for many different products.

When I was a kid in school - "tin plate"d was commonly used in shop class for learning hoe to do sheet metal layout and small projects - when I taught shop many years ago, I used it for the same purpose and my students had to make such things as small "scoops", grain scoops, boxes, etc. from it. I also remember many products that were packaged in "tin" containers - "Tetley Tea" was one of them when I was a kid and we should "recycle" the tin container for scooping grain out of the storage barrels for the horses/ponies as they were just the right size for a "ration of grain". And then, of course, there was the infamous "Prince Albert in the can". Those tin containers made great containers for various "treasures".My mother used a tin plated "colander" for straining for years as well as all of her muffin tins being tin.

And yes . . . "I'm old"! ;-)

[CastingFool]

I remember those old Prince Albert tobacco cans. I used one to make a pocket fishing kit. A spool of line, a small container of split shot, another container with #6 and #8 Aberdeen hooks and a couple of balsa wood bobbers, cut down to fit.

[catskinner]

My Dad used Prince Albert and Union Leader cans for storing nuts and bolt,rivets in his shop. Big bolts and chain links were stored in wooden cheese boxes.

[ghh3rd]

My father made dental appliances, such as dentures, bridges, crowns, etc. I am not sure what he used it for, but when he passed I found a couple of one pound rolls of actual tin foil, about 6" wide. One of them found it's way into some of my lead, but I still have the other one. Sometimes when someone mentions "tin foil", I drag it out to show them what tin foil actually looks like.