I picked up a Tiger while I was in TO on the weekend. When I got back I was surprised to read that the package “contains lead”. I though all these miniature things were pewter. Isnt lead suposed to be a no-no these days? Or maybe there is just some lead mixed with the tin etc?
I remember buying “lead figures” in the 1980s when I was into Dungeons & Dragons. I got away from that, and in recent years looked into such things again and see them refered to as “white metal figures” now.
As to what “white metal” is in general, it is an alloy that may or may not contain lead to be defined as white metal.
As to whether white metal miniatures contain lead or not, I have no clue, either. I would have to say if the package says “contains no lead” it would be safe to say it is a “non-lead” white metal, but if it makes no such statement that it may well be “lead mixed.”
Anyone else have better insights?
I would guess that it is made out of white-metal which has lead in it. You’re right that is a rather curious material to make toys out of
Hah, you must have posted while I was typing. White metal is a combination of tin and lead IIRC
Tin, lead, and antimony.
If you don’t chew on the models, you shouldn’t have any problems. [;)]
Jeff
White metal contains lead, and so does fishing line. As long as you make sure to wash your hands after touching it you should be fine. It is only poisonous if ingested.
The use of lead has only been banned in paint. Many things today still contain lead. Metal frames for stained glass and other glass decorations are made mostly of lead.
I know the main threat with lead content, like said above, is to do with the lead being ingested - thus paint because of children and their who-knows-why need to chew on the walls? I never did that as a kid, so it’s hard to grasp.
But, yes, lead is still a widely used metal in many venues.
I know I always worried a bit about the lead-dust from my miniatures all over my fingers during excessive handling and painting.
Yeah, I still naw on the wall when I’m stressed out [:D] How many grams of lead paint can a wood chuck ingest if a wood chuck can’t ingest paint[}:)][:I][B)]
I done eated lots of led wen I was litel. now i no tawk two good.
hahaha.
Pewter white metal contains lead anyways, so don’t rub your eyes after touching Warhammer figures or those flames of war tanks. It irritates my eyes every time i do that…
Just some Info…
there are 2 ways for lead enter’s your system…
#1. by Injesting it. I.E. Eating, smoking, drinking something without washing your hands after handling lead, or eating, smoking, drinking in a high lead concentrated area…
#2. By Breathing it in. I.E. As Fumes from Molten lead, or as lead dust. or old lead paint dust.
Simple rules are after handling lead wash your hands well before smoking, drinking or eating or handleing any food, candy, or drink.
If your melting it down or grinding it down wear a respirator to prevent breathing in the dust.
I follow these rules very closely as my Lead in blood level is right now 24 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (i get a monthly blood lead test) which is considered by some sources as moderate lead poison. but then I’m exposed to about a million times more lead than most people. I run a blast furnace and smelt down about 60 tons of the stuff a day…
so if yall follow the same rules you should be ok… :>
Osha’s PEL (permissiable exposure level is I think 50)
by the way there are tons of websites online about lead…
Heres one to think about, if your home has copper water pipes all of the connections are soldered together and solder contains Lead . So if your gonna chew on walls with lead paint you might as well wash it down with some lead tainted water. [yuck] I know this aint a plumbers forum but i didnt start this post either.[:D]
Err Plumbers should of been using lead free solder for a long long time on water supply pipes 
Also. the amount of “lead” exposed to water at a joint is very very small now if you were Roman 
Just for Info
AJ
Don’t chew on the metal figures? Now you tell me… Oh my… [:p]
Well considering that the parts that don’t contain lead are made of resin (also a fairly toxic thing to sand) I can’t imagine why one wouldn’t buy these things for 2 year olds [:D]
They are pretty nice little kits though.