What is pewter?
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| Pewter |
Pewter can be defined as a tin-based alloy consisting of other metals such as copper, bismuth, antimony, zinc and silver.
Pewter is a metal used to produce complex, aesthetically appealing, beautiful holloware, dinnerware, cookware, silverware and flatware casting with a decorative shiny appearance such as ornaments, hollowares, plates, trays, sculptures, toy models, hip flasks, giftware, candle holders, drawer handles, rosary beads, spoons and forks, pots (coffee and tea), jars, coat hooks, stands, glasses, vases and bells.
The main reason for using this metal product is that it is made from an inert metal which does not react with the food items and does not release any toxic chemicals making utensils, vessels, spoons, bowls, plated rings and storage containers safe.
Casting products are produced by melting ingots and pouring them into the sand or die mould from low to high pressure to produce thin casting.
This casting is then heat treated to improve mechanical properties, hammered, engraved, drawn, metal stamped, pressed, carved, shapes on a lathe machine, grinding, lapped, burnished, coated and super finished.
Why is a pewter called a tin-based alloy?
The majority of the metal elements in any type of pewter product is tin, thus it is called a tin-based alloy.
Is pewter an alloy or pure metal?
Yes, pewter is a malleable alloy metal made from a composition of three metals tin (90%), antimony (8%) and copper (2%).
The percentage of tin, antimony and copper can vary depending upon the final application, strength, aesthetic appeal, shine, cost of the final product, melting point required, manufacturing process, density of final products, surface finish, shape, accuracy and complexity of products.
This is not a type of pure metal but an alloy which is produced by combining more than two or more metals.
Pewter having tin, antimony and copper metal elements is considered to be a modern pewter metal as compared to the traditional metal alloy that consists of lead.
Pewter as a metal can be used in which casting process?
This metal can be used in the sand casting process, slush casting process, spin casting process, gravity die casting process and investment casting process.
Processes mentioned above can mass-produce simple to complex shape casting at larger volumes.
How is pewter mined and extracted?
The best method to extract and mine pewter from the earth is by doing gravel pumping.
When this material is mined in the form of cassiterite and separated to produce tin. This is done by water-blasting cassiterite at high pressure to separate sand and other unwanted materials and foreign substances.
A high-pressure water jet sprayed on the cassiterite separates tin from sand and sedimental rocks.
Major sources of pewter consist of tin, copper and antimony but products can be produced by mixing with other metals copper, bismuth, nickel, zinc, cadmium, copper, silver, gold, bronze and brass depending upon the type of final application.
Is pewter toxic?
No, modern pewter and lead-free pewter material is safe and non-toxic.
Modern pewter metal equipment, tools and products are safe and lead-free. These products are made from the composition of bismuth, copper, tin and antimony.
Traditional pewter products such as statues, pans, urns, cooking handles, jewellery, storage containers, mugs and blows had lead elements in them but modern pewter products are free from any lead material.
Historical traditional pewters consisted of other alloy metals such as lead and cadmium, which are considered harmful to humans. Lead used in old pewter metals (Historic and traditional products) has been totally eliminated over time, especially in products such as utensils, cooking pots, pans, beverages, food vessels and storage containers.
Is pewter material safe to use for food and drink items?
Customers should feel free to use modern safe lead-free pewters, the best would be to contact manufacturers and ask for any questions related to manufacturing, composition and safety.
What is pewter metal also known as?
It is also known as Britannia metal and has been used since 2500 BC.
It is mostly tin metal but other elements have been added over time to make it durable, strong and long-lasting.
Pewter meaning?
Grey colour appearance metal is used for making dishware, drinkware, kitchenware, ornaments, jewellery, figures and housewares used from the bronze age till today for making artistic beautiful decorative products.
Why is pewter no longer used?
Pewter is still used, toxic pewter (Historic) which consists of toxic elements such as lead is not been used. These days human and environmentally-friendly pewter metal is used replacing older traditional metal.
What's so special about pewter?
It is a long-lasting low melting point metal having soft, malleable, ductile and shiny metal properties used for producing dishes, cups, pendants, neckless, mugs, idols and bells.
What is pewter made of?
Pewter is a metal alloy made of a composition of mainly three basic metals such as tin (90%), copper (2%) and antimony (8%). Other metals such as bismuth and silver can also be added to tin to increase the mechanical properties and the quality of the final product.
Pewter Manufacturing Methods And Process
How are pewter products manufactured?
Pewter is shaped by various manufacturing processes that I have listed below:
- Casting Process With Rubber Spinning Mould: In this method, a mould cavity is carved in the raw rubber making it into a mould. This mould cavity is a negative impression of the casting where metal will be poured after melting. Metal is allowed to solidify and solidified casting is taken out of the rubber mould.
- Casting Process With Metal Spinning Mould: Similar to the rubber mould, metal mould is used to pour the molten metal into the metal mould cavity and the mould is spun to produce the solidified jewellery casting. This mould is produced using advanced manufacturing processes such as EDM, ECM, AWJM, IBM, LBM and AJM.
- Slush Casting Process: Hollow casting products are manufactured by slush casting process by pouring the molten metal into a metal mould and only allowing a thin layer of metal to solidify around the wall of the mould and draining the remaining metal out of the mould to produce artistic, decorative, shinny thin holloware casting products such as mini bowls and vases.
- Die Casting Process: Pewter molten metal is injected into the die at low to high pressure allowing metal to flow through all sections of the mould cavity to produce hollow larger casting sections such as tombs using the die casting process.
- Pewter Sand Casting Process: In this casting process the liquid molten metal is poured into the sand mould cavity made from the pattern to produce high-quality casting using sand casting.
- Investment Casting Process: Liquid metal is poured into the ceramic mould cavity that is early produced using a wax pattern to manufacture complex shapes of the castings that cannot be manufactured using the sand casting process but are possible with investment casting.
- Metal Spinning On Lathe Machine: In this process, a pewter sheet or blank is kept on the rotating chuck which has a former attachment attached to it. This former rotates with the chuck and the metal blank is given shape with a forming tool to produce products such as bells.
- Stamping: Used to produce products such as plates, spoons and trays by shaping the pewter metal sheet on the die with a flat punch. The design and shape engraved on the product are made from a combination produced on die and punch on press machine. The sheet is pressed between the die and punch forming the required product shape using mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic press machines.
- Welding And Soldering: Welding and soldering are used to join two pieces of pewter components such as the handles of mugs, trophies and heads of goblets.
- Secondary Manufacturing Process Operations: After products have been produced using stamping, casting process and lathing the raw products are been taken for finishing, removing the burr, shaping, soldiering, heat treatment process, welding, coating and machining. Products are finished in satin and matte depending on the customer's requirements. Silver, gold, paint colour, polish finish, museum finish, and anti-oxidant coating are also options available on some parts of the products.
Pewter And Tin Difference
| Pewter | Tin |
|---|---|
| 1) Pewter metal is an alloy made from tin, bismuth, copper and antimony used to produce decorative, artistic models, structures, statues and jewellery. | 1) Tin is used to produce in tin containers. |
| 2) It is present in different colours from plain grey to matte finish to painted according to the customer's order. | 2) Silver is present in only one colour with little shades and variations. |
| 3) It is less hard, soft and ductile as compared to silver. | 3) Silver is more durable, strong, less ductile, less soft and hard. |
| 4) This metal is more malleable than silver allowing it to manufacture, engrave and craft decorative complex accurate design products. | 4) Silver is less malleable making it difficult for craftsmen and artisans to produce the same design easily with silver metal. |
How to clean pewter?
Pewter material products need to be waxed and metal polished to protect them from any oxidation preventing surface corrosion.
Microfiber cloth can be used to keep the surface of the pewter clean maintaining the surface finish.
Dust, dirt and oil on the dishes, plates, vases, cutlery, pricket base candle holder, urns, jars and spoons need to be removed periodically to keep the kitchenware and housewares long-lasting when they are stored before use.
These products need to be kept away from direct sunlight as it is sensitive to direct heat to prevent discolouration.
For jewellery and ornaments buffing can be done with emery paper up to 500 grade can be used to shine the parts.
Using a strong cleaning agent is not recommended as strong chemicals will react with the metal causing the product surface to get damaged.
After the pewter is cleaned it should be stored and dried by wiping it with a clean cloth.
Pewter Types
What are the types of pewters?
The list of pewters is as follows:
- Modern pewter
- Britannia pewter
- Lead-free pewter
- Antique Pewter
- Mexican pewter
Modern Pewter
This pewter is extensively used for producing jewellery such as neckless, chains and pendants but does not have shear, compressive or tensile strength making this metal applicable only for artistic show pieces instead of highly stressful applications.
The best part about this type of pewter is that it is free from toxic metals such as lead and can be used in wide applications for making utensils, vessels, kitchenware and tableware.
Britannia Pewter
Oscar awards and statues are made from this pewter by melting the ingots and pouring the metal into the metal die mould cavity. Due to centrifugal force acting on the molten metal in the die cavity, the metal is forced into all sections of the casting resulting in highly accurate dimensionally stable complex products.
This is used to produce collectables, gifts, sundial compasses, thrones, necklaces, pendants, rings, bangles and solid decorative complex pieces.
Lead-Free Pewter
Lead-free pewter is a type of modern pewter used in tableware, kitchenware, houseware and drinkware which does not contain any traces of tin. This metal is safe and non-toxic in nature. The products are manufactured/cast in the dry sand mould using the sand casting process.
This is used to produce jars, tankards, containers, mugs, bottles, trays, food beverage storage and pitchers.
Antique Pewter
This metal is used to produce antique-looking casting products like statues, coins, cigarette cases idols, bells, swords, crowns, shields and armour.
This pewter consists of tin, copper, zinc and antimony having a grey rusty appearance giving an antique look to the product.
Mexican Pewter
This metal is used for decorative living room ornament, pirate binoculars, oil lamps, clocks, paper weight, jewellery and aesthetically appealing products produced from metal mould spin casting and lathe spinning.
Pewter Composition
What is the composition of pewter metal?
The composition of pewter based on country and type of pewter is as follows:
| Country | Composition |
|---|---|
| Europe Pewter Sheets | 92% Tin, 6% Antimony and 2% Copper |
| Country | Composition |
|---|---|
| Europe Pewter Castings | 95% Tin, 5% Antimony and 1% Copper. |
| Country | Composition |
|---|---|
| India, China, Singapore And Thailand | 97.5% Tin, 1.5% Antimony and 1% Copper. |
| Pewter | Composition | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Lead-Free Pewter | 90% to 95% Tin, 0% to 4% Antimony, 0% to 10% Copper And Bismuth 0% to 5%. | Glass, teapot, coffee mugs and trays. |
| Pewter | Composition | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Modern Pewter | 55% to 85% Tin, 5% to 30% Antimony, 0% to 20% Copper. | Butter tray, whisky flask and plates. |
Tin is the basic metal of pewter, other metals are added to tin to increase its mechanical properties such as strength, hardness, flowability and surface finish.
If the concentration of tin is high in pewter the final casting/product will be softer that is why other metals are added to the base metal. Modern pewter has the lowest tin as compared to traditional ones.
Antimony increases the machinability and workability of the metal during the manufacturing process.
Copper is added to tin to increase the mechanical strength and hardness of the final product.
Bismuth increases the flowability of the molten metal in the mould cavities. Bismuth helps the molten metal to flow in small sections of the metal die to produce intricate complex accurate casting sections such as jewellery and ornaments.
Silver increases the softness, texture, shine and surface finish of the casting
Pewter Properties
- Low Melting Point: Pewter has a lower melting point of around 150℃ (302℉) which allows the metal to cast and solidify during the casting process.
- Ductility: The modulus of elasticity (E) is around 3000 N/㎟ making this metal soft, elastic and ductile. This allows the metal to stretch and be drawn into wires and sheets without breaking allowing the metal to produce complex shape products such as drinkware, idols and statues.
- Malleability: It is the property of the material to mould and shape. Engineers, artists and craftsmen can easily shape the metal to produce decorative and artistic objects.
- Surface Finish: The surface finish of the metal is better than cast iron and metal has reflective properties as compared to silver. This metal looks and appears more expensive than silver metal making it the best for ornaments.
- Non-Toxic: Modern pewter materials are free from lead and cadmium making this metal suitable for producing decorative aesthetically appealing safe non-toxic products.
- Mechanical Strength: The tensile and compressive strength of this metal is as low as 50 N/㎟ which can be increased to 400 N/㎟ by adding hardening agents and metals such as copper and antimony.
- Corrosion Resistance: This material is resistant to corrosion but vulnerable to staining and tarnishing. surface coating is necessary for this metal as it can be reactive with atmosphere oxygen and can cause tarnish. This is the reason it requires regular surface cleaning.
- Light Weight: Products produced are lightweight and suitable for the production of kitchenware, tableware and hollowares as compared to other materials such as stainless steel.
- Design: The metal can be customized according to the customer producing accurate and complex designs as the metal has good mouldability properties. Carving, engraving, embossing and lathing can be easily done on the surface of the metal.
- Non-reactive: This metal is used for producing cups, mugs, food plates, serving bowls etc and does not react with the food and beverages. The taste of the food is not changed while serving and storing with this metal.
- Brittleness: This metal is brittle as compared to other metals which is why copper elements are added during the manufacturing process.
Advantages of Pewter
What are pewter material advantages?
- Pewter has a lower melting point (150 ℃ to 250 ℃) and is suitable for casting processes such as gravity die casting, investment casting, slush casting and squeeze casting.
- It does not reduce the die life used in the casting process as low-temperature metal does not impact the life of the die as compared to high-temperature metals.
- Its material is ductile, castable, malleable and has low thermal conductivity.
- The cost of production of products is low as metal is low in cost.
- High-integrated structures, statues, mugs, jars, tableware and decorative pieces can be produced due to metal having high viscosity.
- Products achieved from this material are light in weight, shiny and mouldable into complex shapes.
- The solidification time of this material is low compared to ferrous materials such as cast iron and steel.
- Mass production of customized casting complex design products is possible in the foundry as this metal is easily mouldable and engraved.
- Versatile metal with highly corrosive resistance and tarnishing properties.
- Exceptional surface finishes produced are cast for decorative items making it look like silver.
- This material has a historical significance and has been used from bronze age times proving itself as material for artefacts, decorative, jewellery, statues, figures and crafts.
- Modern pewters are free from any toxic elements and are widely used as food storage containers.
- High flexibility for design engineers to design unique art, antique and gift products.
- Easy in cleaning, polishing, powder coating (silver and gold), corrosive resistance and painting.
- Thin antique-rusty look products can be manufactured.
- This alloy metal is environmentally friendly without lead and can be recyclable.
- Pewter metal products are not dishwasher-friendly.
Pewter Disadvantages
What are the disadvantages of pewter material?
- Pewter metals have lower yield strength, tensile strength, compressive strength and ultimate strength.
- The hardness of these metal products is low as the metal is soft and ductile.
- Durability, reliability and sustainability of products are lesser.
- Needs a heat treatment process to improve the quality of the products.
- The mechanical properties of the metal and the product produced are low.
- Finds applications in more decorative, aesthetic and statue-type applications where components are not subjected to high mechanical loading and stress.
- This is a soft metal as compared to steel and cast iron which requires heat treatment properties to gain some mechanical strength and properties.
- Initial shine and surface finish can fade with time, this metal requires coating, polishing, cleaning and controlled storage to reduce metal staining.
- Products need to be given a satin finish (grey colour) to avoid fingermarks and scratches on the finished products.
Pewter Uses And Application
What are the applications and uses of the pewter?
The pewter metal uses can be found in ancient history from all around the world in countries such as China, Egypt, Britain, America, Rome, Norway, Japan, Europe, Canada, The United States of America and India.
Pewter material is been used for centuries by artists, craftsmen, hobbyists and engineers for making products mentioned below.
- Jewellery And Ornaments: Neckless, bracelets, rings, vases, cups, earrings, nose pins, anklets, bangles, brooches, crowns, cufflinks, pitchers, taira, chains, wedding gifts and pendants.
- Household Decoration: Chandelier, candelabra, serving pieces, tableware, flagons, wine cups, dining plates, napkin ring, glasses, bottles, candlestick holders, laminate, porringers, decorative door handles, bells, basin, cauldrons, wall plaques, platter, panels, windchimes, rams, oil lamp, stencilling, cabinet hardware, napkin rings, pool linings and wall fittings.
- Kitchen Utensils: Dishes, plates, cutlery, oval bowls, vessels, wine goblets, beer tankards, jugs, knives, spice jar, bottle knobs and stoppers, champagne toasting set, salt cellars and shaker, kitchenware, countertops, wine ice bucket, whiskey flask, tea and coffee spoons, measuring cups, butter tray, pots (jam, chocolate, mustard and garlic), countertops and cookware.
- Vintage Antique Artefact: Replica of statues, figures, inkwells, vintage look like pots, tombs, badges, coins, masks, picture frames, pewter owls, angels, crosses and idols.
- Models, Commercial Products And Gifts: Car models, aircraft, tea sets, toy sets, baby cups, luxury goods, souvenirs, medals, awards, farewell gifts, decorative flash, engraved wedding plates, quaisch, coasters, stein, statuettes, nameplate, trophies, models of seagull, bears and dragon, planter, horn mug, matchbox, boxes, giftwares, thimbles, pitches, switchplates, altar vessel, openers and trains.
- Personal Use: Pocket watches, cardholders, inkwells, tea canisters, pint mugs, beakers, shaving basins, compasses, sundials, clothing buttons, shaving scuttle, bottles, mini glasses, pilgrim tokens, shot glasses, and keychains.
- Industry: Electric motors, light fittings, socket fitting, bathroom lights, heart shape pin, wall fitting and bearings.