Is the shiney lead softer?

[BSA1]

Yesterday was such a nice day I cast batch of scrap lead into 1# bars from two different sources. I melted down some roofing lead (marked Dutch Boy no less) that came out bright and shiney whereas the other batch is dull. So does this mean it is purer?

 

[rcmodel]

Probably not.

It probably means you didn't flux the dull batch enough to float out all the impurities.
Or the temp was too low to melt them all loose.


rc

 

[chris in va]

My wheelweight ingots are a dull grey. Pure lead window counterweights are shiny.

 

[loose noose]

What RC said, I use wheel weights for my general cast bullets, and they come out very shiny; I also use pure lead mixed with tin for my black powder loads and they also come out very shiny. I do believe it is all in the fluxing to get the impurities out.

 

[BSA1]

Temperature was turned all the way up.

I did some fluxing with the dull looking batch and none with the roofing lead sheets. The lead from the dull batch was dirtier and had what sppeared to be rust on it. I got a lot of dross off of the dull batch.

Since the roofing batch appears to be cleaner I'll use it for my balls for black powder guns.

 

[loose noose]

BSA I'm not talking about frosting, which too high a temperature will do just proper fluxing. I'm not sure what you are referring to?

 

[FROGO207]

Pure lead will scratch easily with your fingernail. It is good for use in BP firearms. WW led will not scratch as easily. There are a lot of impuritys in WW lead as well as other alloys to make it harder. Hope you did not get any zinc in that batch if the temp was so high as it will not cast well as far as bullets go when filling out the molds if so.

 

[BSA1]

This is pure lead. I have a assortment of soft lead from several sources including sinks, roofs and who knows where and what it was used for. It is all soft just curious about the big difference in appearance.

I have wheel weights in another bucket.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I melt all my lead at 650-700 deg especially with wheel weights. If you get ahold of a zink weight it will float for a while before it melts, I grab them back out before they do melt. I flux my WW lead really hard and it is very shiny when I pour ingots.

Most of them stay shiny for quite a few years, some start to turn dull quicker than that. Don't know why.

 

[Bird Dog II]

A slight change in topic, but are the rich copper colored Sierra bullets softer than the brighter, brassier colored Speer and Hornady bullets?

 

[Duckdog]

I find that pure lead can be shinier than WW, but a lot depends on the temp. You will find pure lead will not frost like WW will.

If you really want to know and do not have a hardness tester, just do the drop test and see if it rings of thumps. If it thumps, it softer.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I smelt my clip on wheel weights separate from my stick ons and I have observed that the stick ons are indeed "shinier" than the clip ons. And the stick ons are generally considered to be nearly pure.

 

[Nwflycaster]

Lead wheel weights will run very close to 3% antimony. It's the antimony content in the lead that makes the frost, vary the antimony and it will change what the frost looks like. If kept away from moisture the bars will have a moderate matte shine.
With linotype you have tin, antimony and lead. Again because of the antimony you will have a frost on top of the bars. If there is also something that looks kind of like a wrinkle or wave on top then you are low in antimony, likely 2 - 4%. These bars will also have a moderate matte shine if kept away from moisture.

Pure lead will generate more dross than an alloy will and bars will usually have a bluish to purplish tint to them. They will be darker in color but may actually have more of a reflective shine in the larger crystalline surface but as I mentioned it will be of a darker appearance.

If you are melting wheel weights keep a close eye on your pot for zinc. Zinc in lead is a very bad deal. Yes zinc will float a bit before completely melting but it will start to melt much earlier on any sharp edges and it doesn't take much to screw up your whole pot of metal. Zinc content will show up as more dross and it will be more porous and could be a bit foamy as well. Zinc in the alloy will often give you bullet casting problems with the sprew breaking out a cavity in the base of the bullet same as when pouring too hot.