Help with lead ID

[Glenmar]

Hello all,

New guy here with a question.

I just recently came across a nice quantity (415#) of what I believe is pure lead. This was used as a counter balance for the generator in a sailboat. When the generator was removed the lead had to be removed so the boat wouldn't list.
Each strip has 5 rounds that weigh 5 lbs each. The rounds are stamped "WILLARD".
I can scratch it with a fingernail and as you can see my knife stands up in it.

My question is how can I determine if it's pure lead or an alloy?

Thanks,
Glenn

[imashooter2]

They look like commercial plumbers ingots to me. I'd call them pure.

[akriverrat]

if its that soft id say its pure lead. i know a guy in washington that found a wreaked sailboat and cut off about 2500 pounds of lead off the keel. he started a jig and lead weight business.

[randyrat]

I think you figured it out already. Another way is to make a few boolits out of it and some out of WWs and weigh them. The pure/or soft will weigh more.
Also if you melt them down and put them in different ingot(if you do) they will have a blue hue to them.
Drop them on a concrete floor and listen the soft will thud, harder alloys go dong,ding,ring, ting

[GLL]

I also think they are standard plumber's lead ingots. I have 300 pounds that are in very similar 5 pound biscuits strung together.

Scratch it with your fingernail ??? Pure lead ! :) :)

Jerry

[shotman]

that is the plumbers lead from the late 60s have several same name dad had. Was $1.25 a pc still got the price scrached in them