Pewter Cantles

[fortcollinsjerry]

I've read for sale add's from various vendor's saying that the cantle on their Sporrans is polished pewter. I have a whole box of antique pewter tableware, pitchers, cups, plates, etc and all of it has turned grey with age.

If these sporrans are really pewter are they also subject to lose their finish and turn grey? Anyone ever see a tarnished cantle?

[lukeyrobertson]

I have relatively new dress sporran with a pewter cantle. So far no worries. It has a more subtle finish than chrome or silver. A personal preference more than anything else. L&M Highland supplies a series of pewter cantles. I wonder what their experience is over the long term?

[bigdad1]

Pewter used to have a varying amount of lead in it which caused it to tarnish rapidly. Newer pewter does not have lead since lead is poisonous and thus the pewter does not tarnish as easily.

[fortcollinsjerry]

thanks for the lead info - makes perfect sense

[tyger]

The extent to which pewter will deveop patina (tarnish) depends on many factors, the basis of which is chemicals in the air, on the hands, and their reaction with the metal. There are many metal alloys that are all called pewter, and this makes it all the more interesting.

[bigdad1]

Although there are different mixtures or alloys Pewter must contain at least 90% tin and then varying amounts of copper, bismuth and antimony or else it isn't really pewter. Contact with hands and the oils in them will tarnish this material but since modern pewter does not have lead it doesn't tarnish as quickly or as much. Pewter that tarnishes a lot is generally older pewter with lead.