Silver What is it?

[IronSpike]

My friend found this unusual piece of silver (It weighs 2.2 oz).

Looks like silver to me The test kit is in route.

IMO a very unusual piece. Could it have been spills from silver smiting? Maybe looted silver melted down for easier carry/transport?

Then again I have a good imagination and can see all sorts of design in the piece

What's your thought?

 

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[pronghorn]

Does anyone know the metal makeup of the leading they used in old cars, for soldering seams.
I think they call it leading, or tinning, I think it was common in cars from the 30s through the 50s.
Possibly earlier and later than those dates. I ask because I remember picking up globs of metal
like this around an old car that burned when I was a kid in the 60s. They looked similar in everyway.
The metal ran down the side of the car and dripped very fast into a puddle like this piece before it
cooled.

 

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[IronSpike]

Does anyone know the metal makeup of the leading they used in old cars, for soldering seams.
I think they call it leading, or tinning, I think it was common in cars from the 30s through the 50s.
Possibly earlier and later than those dates. I ask because I remember picking up globs of metal
like this around an old car that burned when I was a kid in the 60s. They looking similar in everyway.
The metal ran down the side of the car and dripped very fast into a puddle like this piece before it
cooled.

Pronghorn You might be on to something here I don't know the metal makeup for soldering seams, however my friend did find a Ford model T spindle in the same area. The spindle is in rough shape and may have been exposed to fire.

 

[IronSpike]

The ingredients for the test solution did arrive. Not really sure how to read the results

Didn't see any yellow and the end color looks leaden or steel grey. Lead/zinc alloy Any thoughts?

 

[searcher]

Did a search for leading seams etc. on old cars. Got this;
http://books.google.com/books?id=VE...X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7#PPA132,M1

Go to page 129 to 132 and it gives a how to with tin/lead percentages.

 

[IronSpike]

Tin/lead alloy makes sense and likely 30/70 ratio based the density test (below silver).

Appreciate all the help and tips

Checking this one solved as car soldering drip.

 

[traderoftreasures]

most the solder from those days are 40% tin and 60% lead

 

[IronSpike]

most the solder from those days are 40% tin and 60% lead

Agree and 40/60 would also fit better with the weight test that was performed

 

[searcher]

Sweet!
I saw the GREEN check and almost fell over.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

The ingredients for the test solution did arrive. Not really sure how to read the results

Didn't see any yellow and the end color looks leaden or steel grey. Lead/zinc alloy Any thoughts?

Test the metal somewhere where it doesnt puddle up. You only need a tiny drop. Also try testing on a known silver coin for comparison. It may leave a stain so wash it off good. As far as I remember you will get a brilliant red color with 90 percent silver. Aluminum I recall is definitely yellow. I will look for my test solution and see if I can help with the colors. It does kinda look Chocolate/Reddish brown and leaden after wiping. Maybe its Lead/tin solder like you say. It doesnt look like the test colors of silver.

Also I will search for the correct mix. Its been a few years.

 

[IronSpike]

We mixed the solution based above post: 1 ounce (weight) Potassium Dichromate, 6 fluid ounces Nitric acid and 2 fluid ounces of distilled water. The tin/lead alloy make sense and even the ID that it's soldering from an old car.

Good point to also to test known metals with the solution (we did the same with the silver test kit just to make sure it worked ok and it did).

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

We mixed the solution based above post: 1 ounce (weight) Potassium Dichromate, 6 fluid ounces Nitric acid and 2 fluid ounces of distilled water.

Yes that sounds like it.

 

[pronghorn]

Tin/lead alloy makes sense and likely 30/70 ratio based the density test (below silver).

Appreciate all the help and tips

Checking this one solved as car soldering drip.

And I thought my growing up in a junkyard was never going to pay off.

 

[IronSpike]

If I had grown up in a junkyard I would have picked up silver golbs left and right

Pronghorn made the ID even without the second testing of the metal 8) Great ID