Razor and Brush

[ Razor and Brush ]

Pewter doesn't last forever apparently

Posted by Zach on November 3, 2009, 10:23 am

A few years ago, the wife got me this Edwin Jagger pewter bowl; it's made in Sheffield and I used it with both soaps and creams; usually it had a puck of soap in it, recently it was Arko.

Modern pewter is tin over copper.

When the Arko looked like it had a green tinge to it, I pried it out of the puck and I noticed that there was an area where the the tin was gone, the copper was exposed, and the resulting mix with the soap was forming a nice blue/green tarnish that had actually worked its way into the soap, the bottom was lime colored.

I have not scratched this mug, it must have worn out; I have only used it with a brush; so much for passing it on to the next generation!

Post a Response

Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently

Posted by Andy on November 3, 2009, 10:43 am, in reply to "Pewter doesn't last forever apparently"

Now that's interesting. I've seen a number of pewter bowls at various online stores, and have wondered how well they hold up to daily use. Hard to imagine how soap and a brush could wear the plating away. Must be really thin plating.

--Previous Message--
: A few years ago, the wife got me this Edwin
: Jagger pewter bowl; it's made in Sheffield
: and I used it with both soaps and creams;
: usually it had a puck of soap in it,
: recently it was Arko.
:
: Modern pewter is tin over copper.
:
: When the Arko looked like it had a green
: tinge to it, I pried it out of the puck and
: I noticed that there was an area where the
: the tin was gone, the copper was exposed,
: and the resulting mix with the soap was
: forming a nice blue/green tarnish that had
: actually worked its way into the soap, the
: bottom was lime colored.
:
: I have not scratched this mug, it must have
: worn out; I have only used it with a brush;
: so much for passing it on to the next
: generation!
:
:
:

Post a Response

Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently

Posted by Zach on November 3, 2009, 11:53 am, in reply to "Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently"

Yeah, I guess; I know there's some lye in the Arko and maybe over time it ate the tin?

I'll post a picture maybe tonight.

Post a Response

Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently

Posted by pdmayhew on November 3, 2009, 4:54 pm, in reply to "Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently"

Pewter is an alloy, it can't wear through. So what you have is not solid pewter but a plated copper bowl.

Best regards,

Paul

--Previous Message--
: Yeah, I guess; I know there's some lye in the
: Arko and maybe over time it ate the tin?
:
: I'll post a picture maybe tonight.
:

Post a Response

Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently

Posted by Zach on November 3, 2009, 5:34 pm, in reply to "Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently"

Hi Paul;
no, clearly it's not solid, I will take a pic tonight; something ate through the pewter layer and revealed the copper beneath.

Post a Response

Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently

Posted by pdmayhew on November 3, 2009, 6:34 pm, in reply to "Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently"

Pewter isn't normally something you would use to plate. I haven't seen this & I'm not sure it is possible to plate with pewter.

You can plate with Tin & this can be attacked by an alkali, obviously soap is just strong enough.

--Previous Message--
: Hi Paul;
: no, clearly it's not solid, I will take a
: pic tonight; something ate through the
: pewter layer and revealed the copper
: beneath.
:

Post a Response

Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently

Posted by Zach on November 3, 2009, 8:52 pm, in reply to "Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently"

Also note that dark smudge top center; it's on its way out like the bottom. I washed this out like crazy before I took the pic, it's not dirt, it's discoloration.

Post a Response

Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently

Posted by John Cappelletti on November 3, 2009, 9:28 pm, in reply to "Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently"

Zach;

The bowl you are showing, I strongly believe, is designed only for mixing your lather to your desired consistency and then washed out inside and out when your shave is finished. Most all shaving soap recipes have a bit of lye in the ingredients list, even melt and pour bases have lye. These bases are a convenience which when used eliminates you mixing in the lye. Not having to mess around with lye is appealing to me. Now, as you know lye is a corrosive and ate away at the plating. Perhaps a cathodic reaction is part of the caused of the deterioration as well. If the mug were gold plated, without any voids, scratches through to the base metal, then I would say the mug would have a chance at a very long life. My preference is a pottery made mixing bowl.

What could you do with the mug? Sand the interior and spray several coats of enamel or epoxy, (sanding lightly between dry coats). Do in white, it would be classy looking. I say at least three, (3) coats would be adequate. Then you could, if you wish, store a puck of shave soap therein.

Good Luck.

With Highest Regards;
John Cappelletti

--Previous Message--
:
: Also note that dark smudge top center; it's
: on its way out like the bottom. I washed
: this out like crazy before I took the pic,
: it's not dirt, it's discoloration.
:

Post a Response

Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently

Posted by Zach on November 3, 2009, 9:44 pm, in reply to "Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently"

What a great idea John!
Thanks!

Will do, and post a pic; white it is!

Post a Response

Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently

Posted by Murray on November 5, 2009, 12:58 am, in reply to "Pewter doesn't last forever apparently"

Zach, I've always understood pewter to be an alloy of copper and lead, involving no plating.

In fact, tomatoes were once thought to be poisonous because the less affluent used pewter cookware. The acid from cooked tomatoes leached out the lead and caused lead-poisoning. (At least that's what I read somewhere.)

- Murray

--Previous Message--
: A few years ago, the wife got me this Edwin
: Jagger pewter bowl; it's made in Sheffield
: and I used it with both soaps and creams;
: usually it had a puck of soap in it,
: recently it was Arko.
:
: Modern pewter is tin over copper.
:
: When the Arko looked like it had a green
: tinge to it, I pried it out of the puck and
: I noticed that there was an area where the
: the tin was gone, the copper was exposed,
: and the resulting mix with the soap was
: forming a nice blue/green tarnish that had
: actually worked its way into the soap, the
: bottom was lime colored.
:
: I have not scratched this mug, it must have
: worn out; I have only used it with a brush;
: so much for passing it on to the next
: generation!
:
:
:

Post a Response

Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently

Posted by John Cappelletti on November 5, 2009, 3:05 am, in reply to "Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently"

Modern pewters must contain at least 90% tin and be alloyed with copper, antimony, or bismuth to be considered a pewter. Lead is no longer permitted to be an alloying element. Older pewters with higher lead content are heavier, tarnish faster, and oxidation gives them a darker silver-grey color.
A typical European casting alloy would contain 94% tin, 1% copper, and 5% antimony. A European pewter sheet would contain 92% tin, 2% copper, and 6% antimony. Asian pewter, produced mostly in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, contains a higher percentage of tin, usually 97.5% tin, 1% copper, and 1.5% antimony. This makes the alloy slightly softer.

Your mug, depending on age, however, might not contain lead. I certainly would not use pewter to cook anything in, especially acid concoctions like tomato sauce. The sauce would cause a corrosive action to the metal and quickly compromise it's integrity, etc.. AS so with shaving soap with it's small amount of lye in it's composition.

Regards;
John Cappelletti

--Previous Message--
: Zach, I've always understood pewter to be an
: alloy of copper and lead, involving no
: plating.
:
: In fact, tomatoes were once thought to be
: poisonous because the less affluent used
: pewter cookware. The acid from cooked
: tomatoes leached out the lead and caused
: lead-poisoning. (At least that's what I
: read somewhere.)
:
: - Murray
:
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: A few years ago, the wife got me this Edwin
: Jagger pewter bowl; it's made in Sheffield
: and I used it with both soaps and creams;
: usually it had a puck of soap in it,
: recently it was Arko.
:
: Modern pewter is tin over copper.
:
: When the Arko looked like it had a green
: tinge to it, I pried it out of the puck and
: I noticed that there was an area where the
: the tin was gone, the copper was exposed,
: and the resulting mix with the soap was
: forming a nice blue/green tarnish that had
: actually worked its way into the soap, the
: bottom was lime colored.
:
: I have not scratched this mug, it must have
: worn out; I have only used it with a brush;
: so much for passing it on to the next
: generation!
:
:
:
:
:

Post a Response

Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently

Posted by pdmayhew on November 5, 2009, 3:35 am, in reply to "Re: Pewter doesn't last forever apparently"

If you do like pewter then a solid pewter shaving cup / mug would work great. I have a shaving mug from Vulfix that I use regulary, not issues so far.

--Previous Message--
: Modern pewters must contain at least 90% tin
: and be alloyed with copper, antimony, or
: bismuth to be considered a pewter. Lead is
: no longer permitted to be an alloying
: element. Older pewters with higher lead
: content are heavier, tarnish faster, and
: oxidation gives them a darker silver-grey
: color.
: A typical European casting alloy would
: contain 94% tin, 1% copper, and 5% antimony.
: A European pewter sheet would contain 92%
: tin, 2% copper, and 6% antimony. Asian
: pewter, produced mostly in Malaysia,
: Singapore, and Thailand, contains a higher
: percentage of tin, usually 97.5% tin, 1%
: copper, and 1.5% antimony. This makes the
: alloy slightly softer.
:
: Your mug, depending on age, however, might
: not contain lead. I certainly would not use
: pewter to cook anything in, especially acid
: concoctions like tomato sauce. The sauce
: would cause a corrosive action to the metal
: and quickly compromise it's integrity, etc..
: AS so with shaving soap with it's small
: amount of lye in it's composition.
:
: Regards;
: John Cappelletti
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: Zach, I've always understood pewter to be an
: alloy of copper and lead, involving no
: plating.
:
: In fact, tomatoes were once thought to be
: poisonous because the less affluent used
: pewter cookware. The acid from cooked
: tomatoes leached out the lead and caused
: lead-poisoning. (At least that's what I
: read somewhere.)
:
: - Murray
:
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: A few years ago, the wife got me this Edwin
: Jagger pewter bowl; it's made in Sheffield
: and I used it with both soaps and creams;
: usually it had a puck of soap in it,
: recently it was Arko.
:
: Modern pewter is tin over copper.
:
: When the Arko looked like it had a green
: tinge to it, I pried it out of the puck and
: I noticed that there was an area where the
: the tin was gone, the copper was exposed,
: and the resulting mix with the soap was
: forming a nice blue/green tarnish that had
: actually worked its way into the soap, the
: bottom was lime colored.
:
: I have not scratched this mug, it must have
: worn out; I have only used it with a brush;
: so much for passing it on to the next
: generation!
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

Post a Response

«Back to thread

[ Razor and Brush ]