I am in a tough spot.
My son works for a water main construction construction company, and he has been bringing me lead pipe, pretty steadily. I’m pretty sure it is “pure” lead, or close to it, as my Lee indent tester kit doesn’t even provide data for the large diameter indent made, during testing. The lowest BHN that it deals with, is 8.
I have hundreds of pounds of it, cast into muffin trays.
I picked up a bunch of very old scuba weights, and even though I was praying for harder BHN, they turned out to be under 8 BHN , as well.
When it rains it pours. My son brought home two counterweights, that they had been using on some machinery. They are two “wheels” 10” diameter by 4” thick. I cut one in half with a chainsaw, and melted, cast and tested the chips. It too is well under 8 bhn. I’m not surprised, as they prolly made them from scrap lead pipe.
Now I have several hundred lbs of very soft lead, that I cannot use, as is, without playing with tin and antimony and such. I do make my alloys, but there’s got to be an easier way. There’s got to be some muzzleloaders and such, out there, who value the “pure”.
I am located on Long Island NY, and I would trade for wheel weight, antimony , tin, linotype ….. whatever.
Obviously it would be easiest, to meet in person, because of shipping weights, but the muzzle loaders in my neck of the woods are PA, New England, and further upstate NY….
ANY trades, offers , ideas, suggestions ?
Kenny