Pewter: what I've learned in a short time. Ebay or local pawns, flea markets, antique shops, etc. I buy only what is stamped on the bottom "pewter" and made in Norway, Holland, Germany, or England, with Norway providing the bulk of it. Anything else is a crap shoot. The pewter we would want is "spun" not cast. Stay wide and clear of anything made by Wilton Armatelle, it's an aluminum alloy made to look like pewter. Keep track of the cost, anything over $10 a pound shipped is too much, you may as well just buy tin. On pewter tableware, remove handles, legs, embellishments, etc, and melt them seperate from the pewter. If they melt higher than 450 degrees don't use them, might contain zinc or other things you don't want. Me and a few others have cleaned out the cheap stuff on eBay recently, as what's listed now is too high for me.
Pure lead: tons on Ebay, most is cleaned/fluxed, and cast into ingots, but buyer beware. Doesn't hurt to contact seller and ask it's source if they don't list it. Beyond that plumbers and roofers may sell you some scrap tear out.
Edit to add: I won't buy pewter figurines or artwork. Too much chance buying unknown crap metal. And candlestick holders are generally a ripoff as well. They feel heavy, look heavy, but are very thin and have something resembling petrified camel shiit poured into the base to make them "weighted". Candle stick holders aren't worth the bother.
Last edited by Feral_American; 04/11/24.
