Thread: lead wedge materials

hi all -

sorry for the dumb question but are there different qualities of lead? ive been using large, round lead shot for a couple of wedge attempts but the metal is super soft and wont keep a shine past what seems like a couple minutes. yet other lead wedges i have in other razors are a little more firm and keep a shine just fine after a little polish (at least for a while). ive also tried some lead fishing weights without success because when hammered the lead 'folds' together but does not truly merge into a seamless piece. so i guess my question is... what is a good, high quality (?) lead to use for wedges? i like colored acrylic wedges to add a little color. and also nickel or brass liners sometimes. but if im making a set of horn scales for a nice old sheffield id like to stay old-school and use lead too.

any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
thank you.
-s.

I have used pewter obtained from jewelry supply house. Google pewter...then..shopping. buy the thickness you want. 1/8th inch. Or buy a bar and saw off what you want. Or, buy a few pieces of pewter ware at a junk shop and melt them down..
You may also use type lead which would require sawing. Some of the spacers made for between lines of type would be good also. Weights for goose decoys care thick enough also and are soft lead.
Have fun!
~Richard

I took a bunch of miscellaneous lead and tossed it into an old cast iron frying pan and made a series of lead pancakes to use for making wedges. Most of it was fishing weights and two ten inch round by an 1/8" thick pancakes makes lead wedges for some time.

Seems outback Mike smushes a bullet!

Some use fishing weights or tire weights.

Not the lead thing again?

Has anyone tried any of that 100% water safe solder with no lead?

Says it contains tin, copper, silver, and antimony.

Looks nice on the roll but isn't old enough to have a patina.....................

Richard's advice is 100%. Avoid lead if you possibly can, pewter is a great alternative. It's mostly tin, copper and antimony so toxicity isn't an issue and it will keep something resembling a shine for longer than lead will.

You could use old tire weights, their a lot harder than standard lead, or check scrap yards for babbit, its a high tin content lead. And yes, I melt my own lead , and have my own alloys or grades for casting bullets, they have to be quite hard or they will not catch the rifling in the barrel, they will just push through. It takes a shine and keeps it for quite awhile.

Originally Posted by outback

You could use old tire weights, their a lot harder than standard lead, or check scrap yards for babbit, its a high tin content lead. And yes, I melt my own lead , and have my own alloys or grades for casting bullets, they have to be quite hard or they will not catch the rifling in the barrel, they will just push through. It takes a shine and keeps it for quite awhile.

I must complement you on that wedge, outback!
Looks just loverly!

Thanks Tom, its nice to do something special for someone, makes ya all warm and fuzzy inside. [emoji56]

Yes, lead does have alloys added for hardness.

Bullets and tire weights work well, hobby shops sell lead tape for gliders and remote control airplanes, in ¾ in X 1/8 in thickness.

I recently bought 10 lbs of used lead weight tape for $10, from a guy on Ebay, lifetime supply. Was about $20 with shipping. Hundreds of 3/4 x3/4 x 1/8 squares, WD40 removed the glue and foam tape.

Just beat to rough shape and finish with sandpaper, it’s not that dangerous, cast bullets and fishing weights most of my life… just take rational precautions, and wash your hands.