Thought it was pewter, is "leaded pewter" a thing?

I scored some marked pewter items at a thrift shop and some questionable stuff that I melted separately. This stuff had a dark grey finish, felt pretty dense, and was more malleable than the known pewter items. It was just marked "CHINA" on the bottom, and had some brass wire and ugly stones cast into it around the edges. The pewter ingots came out normal - bright shine, hard, and goes "TINK!" when you tap two together. This other stuff ended up frosty-looking, scratched with a HB pencil (BHN 14-15 best I can tell), and gives more of a "TANK!" when you tap them together. I'd WW ingots would be a "TUNK!" and pure is more of a "THUD!". Hell, you know what I mean.

Any educated guesses on what this mystery metal is? Any other tests I can redneck at home to get an idea? If it might be lead with tin, I could use it for non-specific alloy sweetener for a batch of vanilla WW.

***EDIT - reading other threads, it is clear that "leaded pewter" is a real thing. Still pose the question regarding ways to divine a swag at the constituent value.

might be silver from the plating, had some many years ago that did what you are saying.

When things are not exactly as expected, sometimes it is a good idea to mark it clearly and set it aside until you get several of these unknowns and then following the instructions given by BNE, send off samples for an XRF scan.

If the ingots you make from this unknown material cast well, it might just be a strange lead and tin mix that will sweeten an alloy for casting. But it might not cast well and should be clearly marked and set aside. I have not been successful in finding pewter as a source of tin, so no real help there. Known reclaimed solder from list members has always been my best source. Good luck.

I never found any "china" pewter. Hong Kong yes, China no. I look for a melt temp of no more than 450degF. Pewter with lead is called lay or ley pewter.

I recently found a Stieff Pewter Colonial Williamsburg Double Handled Porringer bowl

Did a little research -- no lead.
Some Stieff Pewter pieces will have an ATC markings like these.

The ATC mark was the mark of the American Pewter Guild.

The Guild was created in 1958. Fine pewter is made of

Antimony, Tin & Copper (no lead)

This mark is similar to having Sterling on fine silver.

The 1958 standard was 92% Tin, 5% Antimony and 3%Copper

This standard would change in a few years to 92% Tin, 6% Antimony and 2% Copper.

Obviously, those pieces made prior to the 1958 founding of the Guild,

will not carry the mark of the American Pewter Guild

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Originally Posted by NavyGuns45

I scored some marked pewter items at a thrift shop and some questionable stuff that I melted separately. This stuff had a dark grey finish, felt pretty dense, and was more malleable than the known pewter items. It was just marked "CHINA" on the bottom, and had some brass wire and ugly stones cast into it around the edges. The pewter ingots came out normal - bright shine, hard, and goes "TINK!" when you tap two together. This other stuff ended up frosty-looking, scratched with a HB pencil (BHN 14-15 best I can tell), and gives more of a "TANK!" when you tap them together. I'd WW ingots would be a "TUNK!" and pure is more of a "THUD!". Hell, you know what I mean.

Any educated guesses on what this mystery metal is? Any other tests I can redneck at home to get an idea? If it might be lead with tin, I could use it for non-specific alloy sweetener for a batch of vanilla WW.

***EDIT - reading other threads, it is clear that "leaded pewter" is a real thing. Still pose the question regarding ways to divine a swag at the constituent value.

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I’d swag the unknown stuff as 50/50 solder, throw it in a big smelt and not lose any more hair worrying about it. People spend way too much time obsessing over exact composition of their scrap alloys.

What’s the sense of guessing on items not marked or tested as pewter. Just go to the scrap yards and buy lead or WW’s

50/50 would be the right hardness... Thanks.

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Originally Posted by imashooter2

I’d swag the unknown stuff as 50/50 solder, throw it in a big smelt and not lose any more hair worrying about it. People spend way too much time obsessing over exact composition of their scrap alloys.

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This is so true. when you are kinda new at this you want to do it right- for sure! - but - it is not as exact as all that.

I obsess over composition, but it is like making biscuits. You can use the same recipe and measure everything on a scale out 4 decimal places and still not make a biscuit near as good as granny who just guesses at weights and throws it in a bowl.