"What is Miniature Lead Really?" Topic

What is really in miniature lead? Both modern and older lead?

???

Most metal wargames figures are cast in a lead/tin alloy. A high tin content is usually referred to as pewter.

Higher tin content leads to a more brittle result whereas a higher lead content is more malleable. Pure lead is really too soft, hence the use of an alloy.

Look back on a thread a few moths ago where I asked what are modern miniatures made of, a few well informed responded.
The short answer is hardly if any lead.

I seem to remember tin was added originally to lead because it allowed the alloy to flow better and therefore reproduce the details in the mold. I wonder what was in the early ('70s) mix that caused the rot we see in some figures.

Early 70s used scrap lead in many cases. I even read that some recommended used tire weights.
Supposedly "rot" comes from storage in some would that would out-gas acetic acid. Some even recommended a wash in vinegar before priming and painting. That's like doctors recommending cigarettes.
It was probably a combination of alloy and storage.

I know some wargamers with old and very mixed collections--some figures dating back to the dawn of 30mm wargaming. They report no instances of the "creeping crud" if the figure was well and properly sealed, which strongly suggests oxidation, but begs the question of why some figures and manufacturers were more prone.

Mind you, I have also seen the dreaded white specks on 54mm figures in a museum.

Lead rot caused by dampness:
link

I think at one time it was lead, tin and antimony. The latter being added to sharpen the casting and making them more durable.

This was the traditional mix for metal type face in the printing industry back in the day.

Of course that was a long time ago but metal figures have been around for quite a while!

My figures are from alloy Sn63/Pb37.

WOW, MajorB! Your link has another link--to something by George RR Martin--with an ending!! I haven't seen one of those in quite some years.

A blog with a discussion of lead rot and its causes, with various links including one to a previous discussion here and another by Kevin Kiley:

link

I recall an older article, from a naval history museum IIRC, that also mentioned outgassing from wood (possible unvarnished or unpainted) as an additional problem for lead minis. The blog linked above has a link to a naval museum, but the link appears to be broken as are some of the others.

I lost most of my Carthaginians after 20 years of storage in a wooden box ion a damp location. Other figures were unaffected, so the cause is clearly a combination of dampness and other reactive gases, possibly coming from wood. The effect varies a great deal based on the quality of the lead/tin mix, so there must be something in the metal which accelerates it greatly.

The quotes from Kevin Kiley was good as well, in this comments he recommends storing the figures in a dry location in a metal container, assuming you wish to keep the metal safe for a millennium. I know when I move on the war gaming club in the sky, my wife will probably dump my collection in the tip, thus as long as the figure remain safe for another 20 years I will be happy. I store my figures in painted and felt covered wooden trays in a cardboard document box in a very dry location, seems to work for me.

As for the metal in figures, back in the 70's I use to make my own figures and used a lead/tin mix, my memory is a bit rusty but I suspect about 20% tin was what I used. Finding tin was very hard, however back in the 1970's it was very easy finding lead. I suspect these days the amount of lead would have been greatly reduced in figures.