Canteen Question

[Salt Pork]

I have a bull's eye Canteen that I use for aproprate events. my question is I bought the canteen in the early 90's, I feel that the spout is lead, Am I correctt in my asumption or could it be made out of pewter.



Salt Pork

William Summe

[Cpt Boone]

Re: Canteen Question

It is pewter. Old pewter contained lead in it. Not sure the time when lead was taken out, but I believe it was way before the '90's. Others more versed can give you a firm date. If you question it, get a lead testing kit from the hardware store. That will answer your question.

[Clark Badgett]

Re: Canteen Question

I wouldn't worry about it. I talk regularly to my chemist BIL (has a doctorate in chemistry) about the lead craze and he thinks it is largely mostly myth. He has described in full chemist speak detail how lead enters the body and it takes some doing to get it in there. To break it down into easily understood words I'll sum it up like so;

Vaporous, either from very high heat to where the lead actually starts to burn, or the use of acids to vaporize the lead which most of us have no access to.

Ingestion, of powderous form of lead as in the whitish oxidation you see on lead that has been exposed to water for a time. And if you are inclined to store lead in your mouth for long extended periods of time then that could have some negative health repercussions, but not many are wiling to do that.

Lead is a natural element that is in the very dirt we all walk on, and the body is fully equiped to protect itself against the most casual intakes of it, which is a biological wonder in itself. If your canteen has lead in the pewter spout it is pretty likely that you would never have any negative issues from the occasional usage that it affords you. So worry not over the lead aspect unless you really want to start fretting about the lead that could very well be in the musket barrel you carry and the brass you wear.

[Salt Pork]

Re: Canteen Question

thanks y'all you have been helpful, plus it saves me from buying a new canteen.

Salt Pork (william Summe)

P.S. plus before the 1970's everyone was ingesting lead from the gas anyway.