Pewter?

scottickes

scottickes

Joined
Oct 27, 2005
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2,527
My wifes birthday was this past Sunday. One of her friends gave her a small bowl and spoon made out of pewter. It had been so long since I've seen pewter and had forgotten how nice something made from this material is.

Questions:
  • Do any of you use pewter for guards or bolsters?
  • Is it a good material to use as wire inlay (assuming it can be found in wire form that is)?
  • Does anyone here make pewter?
  • Does anyone know where to get pewter in flat bar or wire form?

I'm just curious, as I'd like to use it if it's a material that is suitable.
 
It's basically the equivalent to Zinc.

From Wiki:
Pewter is a metal alloy, traditionally between 85 and 99 percent tin, with the remainder consisting of copper and antimony, acting as hardeners, with the addition of lead for the lower grades of pewter, which have a bluish tint. The word pewter is probably a variation of the word spelter, a non-scientific name for zinc.

IMO it would be too soft for guards but maybe for decorative bolsters or such.
 
I have made a few small pieces of jewely for my wife by lost wax casting. I don't think you could use it for bolsters or guards because it is soft, but I may be wrong. Maybe you can harden it some way but I don't think you can.
You could probably use it for wire inlay if it comes in wire form. Again, not sure. Maybe one of the other guys on here like Mete can help you. Good luck.
 
Probably best when you are making a fancy [or fantasy ] sword where you want intricate shapes as it can easily be cast. It's fairly soft so it won't hold up to hard use as nickel silver or 416 would.
 
Several have used it for bolsters or for decoration down the handle. Most of it is as it is connected to itself to do the decoration. An old style riflemans knife that I made you recessed the handle in the bolster area, wrap it with paper, melt the pewter and pour. It's melting point is slightly above 100 degrees so you won't burn the paper, then file and sand to shape. I have seen some Dan Winkler knives where it was used and several others. I simply put some in a tinned can and melted it with a torch to melt it for the pour. Mike
 
The pewter I use on my hawks for bands,endcaps and mouth pieces. I use lead free plumbing solder. It is also used on traditional knives for poured bolsters and end caps. Pewter can not used for wire inlay,but like has been said it can be pour as a design. To get the darker look just use cold blueing.
 
argel55 said:
Several have used it for bolsters or for decoration down the handle. Most of it is as it is connected to itself to do the decoration. An old style riflemans knife that I made you recessed the handle in the bolster area, wrap it with paper, melt the pewter and pour. It's melting point is slightly above 100 degrees so you won't burn the paper, then file and sand to shape. I have seen some Dan Winkler knives where it was used and several others. I simply put some in a tinned can and melted it with a torch to melt it for the pour. Mike
Click to expand...

100 degrees? All of the information that I've found thus far states that the melting point is 466 Degrees F.
 
I haven’t bought from these folks personally, we did by a bunch of sheet for a workshop from them, my list says they carry sheet and wire, Lehigh Metals 14 Lehigh St. Box 2811 Providence R.I. 02907
Phone 401-941-7361, I don’t see a web sight for them at the moment.

Like most metals there are various alloys of pewter, so there is some variation in melting temps, but 460 def F seem like what I was told for the sheet I have, but I’ve seen some that melt as low as 360deg F. If you are used to soldering silver, copper or brass practice on some scrap, you will melt it on your first try, I don’t recall it changing color, just going from solid to slumping, but with the right stuff it solders beautify and easy, you can also fuse it. One other difference is it doesn’t work harden. It is easy to cast, in the workshop we used a rolling mill to tapper and also drew some wire after fighting to draw silver wire the pewter was like putty.

Todd
 
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