[TheForge] Silver ID help?

[James Binnion]

While real silver is relatively soft, carving it with a knife blade  
is not so easy and it is real tough to break out a chunk of it due to  
its excellent ductility. My guess is it is pot metal, aka white  
metal, aka zinc, aluminum copper alloy. The tin content in pewter  
would make it too expensive for this. Normally real pewter is  
reserved for drinking vessels and the like where its qualities can be  
charged for. Also it does not break or chip normally, it its real  
ductile as well.

Jim


On Jul 15, 2007, at 11:06 AM, Kathy wrote:

> How about pewter as an explanation?
> Mikey
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:theforge- 
> bounces at mailman.qth.net]
> On Behalf Of Jeff & Leslie
> Sent: Sunday, July 15, 2007 10:45 AM
> To: Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: [TheForge] Silver ID help?
>
> I recently picked up a  "silver" candle stick on the side of the road,
> obviously thrown away because a chunk had broken out from the top just
> outside the hole that the candle sits in.  Cleaning up today I  
> scraped the
> bottom paper and felt off in preparation for getting the skin of  
> silver off
> the masonry that gives them the weight, only there is no masonry  
> and no
> skin.  Its a poured heavy candle stick of uniform granular material  
> that
> cuts readily with a knife to reveal a shiny soft silver-like  
> material.  It
> tarnishes with Clorox.  Upon close inspection the chipped area is  
> granular
> but scrapes easily with a blade to give a shiny swath.  I mean if  
> it looks
> like silver and feels like silver and is made into a silver candle  
> holder,
> what can it be?  Its 3 7/8 " in diameter and stands 3" high and  
> weighs .81
> lb.
>
> Is there an obvious explanation I've overlooked, or is this a  
> certifiable
> good find?
>
> Jeff in muggy and hot Tallahassee
>
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James Binnion
jbin at well.com