# Any idea what this is?



## Tony (Jan 17, 2019)

I got a bunch of stuff recently from a woodworkers estate and I got several packs of these. It's like steel wool with compound. They are all uniform size so I don't think they are homemade. Any guesses or has anyone ever used them? Tony


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## rocky1 (Jan 17, 2019)

Is it steel or lead???

They make a lead wool for caulking cast iron pipes. Saved dragging out the melting pot, propane tank, and ladle. Still packed the joint with oakum as you would a poured joint, and you caulked it as you would a poured joint, but you didn't heat it. Wherein the compound is likely a flux, or some impurity the lead is shedding having been locked in the bag for ages.

If you heat it with a cigarette lighter or propane torch, a strand of steel wool will typically turn red and glow. Lead wool on the other hand will simply melt and get shiny when it does.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## ripjack13 (Jan 17, 2019)

Is it heavy? If it is, it could be lead weight for dart kits...


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## Tony (Jan 18, 2019)

rocky1 said:


> Is it steel or lead???
> 
> They make a lead wool for caulking cast iron pipes. Saved dragging out the melting pot, propane tank, and ladle. Still packed the joint with oakum as you would a poured joint, and you caulked it as you would a poured joint, but you didn't heat it. Wherein the compound is likely a flux, or some impurity the lead is shedding having been locked in the bag for ages.
> 
> If you heat it with a cigarette lighter or propane torch, a strand of steel wool will typically turn red and glow. Lead wool on the other hand will simply melt and get shiny when it does.



I'll try that when I get home, thanks Rock.



ripjack13 said:


> Is it heavy? If it is, it could be lead weight for dart kits...



It is pretty dense Marc, that could be I guess.


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## rocky1 (Jan 18, 2019)

The same lead wool stuff, is used for weighting darts. You just peel a strand out, and wrap between the barrel and tip or shaft to add a few grams of weight.


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## rocky1 (Jan 18, 2019)

rocky1 said:


> Is it steel or lead???
> 
> If you heat it with a cigarette lighter or propane torch, a strand of steel wool will typically turn red and glow. Lead wool on the other hand will simply melt and get shiny when it does.




Oh yes... part a few strands off if you attempt this Tony, don't do this with it attached to the whole big chunk. If it is steel wool, it will also burn right handily. And, quickly!! I don't think it will however, it looks too much like lead wool to me.

Here's a good picture for comparison...

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Mike1950 (Jan 18, 2019)

rocky1 said:


> Is it steel or lead???
> 
> They make a lead wool for caulking cast iron pipes. Saved dragging out the melting pot, propane tank, and ladle. Still packed the joint with oakum as you would a poured joint, and you caulked it as you would a poured joint, but you didn't heat it. Wherein the compound is likely a flux, or some impurity the lead is shedding having been locked in the bag for ages.
> 
> If you heat it with a cigarette lighter or propane torch, a strand of steel wool will typically turn red and glow. Lead wool on the other hand will simply melt and get shiny when it does.


Yep back in the good ol days that is how they joined cast iron sewer pipes.


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## Tony (Jan 18, 2019)

Mike1950 said:


> Yep back in the good ol days that is how they joined cast iron sewer pipes.



Is that what you used when you laid the Roman aqueducts?

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 4


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## Mike1950 (Jan 18, 2019)

Tony said:


> Is that what you used when you laid the Roman aqueducts?


No we used it in the the drinking water pipes back then- that is why they went dipsh.....t crazy like most Texans..... 




Gramps got hurt in mines about 1940- retrained for awhile as a plumber. when I was a kid he would tell me -" stay away from plumbing trade- they are going to have to relearn their trade! there has to be an easier way than oakum and lead and threading cast iron.. 10 yrs later Plastic and glue replaced galvanized and copper and solder replaced threading..

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 1


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## Mike Mills (Jan 18, 2019)

My wag would be "shavings" from metal fabrication. Should be a steady stream if controlled by computer.
Maybe hes put something on them to prevent rust if they are steel.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Echoashtoreth (Jan 18, 2019)

Here's a rockhound's take on it - take a tiny pc an scrape across a pc of white paper or tile... the color (streak) will often identify the element - i.e. ochre red is hematite (iron), green is copper etc... you can find the whole wide world list online... doesn't work for composite steels so much but will get you to that point (knowing it is a mixture)...

Reactions: Like 2 | Informative 2


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## DKMD (Jan 18, 2019)

I think your tiny hands are throwing off my visual reference...

Reactions: Funny 3


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## Tony (Jan 18, 2019)

DKMD said:


> I think your tiny hands are throwing off my visual reference...

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 4


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## Tony (Jan 18, 2019)

Okay, I guess it's lead, burned some and it just melting, no red glow at all.

@rocky1

Reactions: Like 1


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## rocky1 (Jan 18, 2019)

Yeah... should just puddle up, shouldn't take a lot of heat either; probably melt it easily with a cigarette lighter. It's usually a pretty soft lead so it packs nice and tight in joints, it actually bonds to become a solid piece when you're caulking it.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mr. Peet (Jan 18, 2019)

What does it taste like?

Just kidding, no really I was Tony, don't do it...

Oakam, yeah used that when remodeling back in 2010....

Reactions: Funny 3


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## Mark. (Jan 29, 2019)

Sure glade Y'all figured it out cause in Frog Eye that stuff looks a lot like Feild Rat Chewing Tobacco, humor my Friends. As for the Roman aqueduct's, there was a bit of truth in the lead being a big contributor to their down fall. As much as they loved their wine, they had no idea the vessels they drank from was poison with the lead.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## rocky1 (Jan 29, 2019)

Further compounded by the acidity of the wine leaching lead at an accelerated rate, to boot.


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## Tony (Apr 15, 2020)

@ripjack13 you were right. I got some dart kits from @Tim Shettlesworth and some of this was included, they call it Lead Wood. If anyone needs some let me know, I've got a bunch.

Reactions: Like 2


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## ripjack13 (Apr 15, 2020)

Tony said:


> you were right



When, have I ever been wrong?

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Mr. Peet (Apr 15, 2020)

ripjack13 said:


> When, have I ever been wrong?



Is this Marc or Mrs. Marc..?.. the answer depends on who is responding...

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 2


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## ripjack13 (Apr 15, 2020)

Mr. Peet said:


> Is this Marc or Mrs. Marc..?.. the answer depends on who is responding...


You mean, @Mrs RipJack13 ?
I can assure you this is me, Marc.
I'm not always right, but when I am, it's usually all of the time.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## TXMoon (Apr 15, 2020)

rocky1 said:


> Is it steel or lead???
> 
> They make a lead wool for caulking cast iron pipes. Saved dragging out the melting pot, propane tank, and ladle. Still packed the joint with oakum as you would a poured joint, and you caulked it as you would a poured joint, but you didn't heat it. Wherein the compound is likely a flux, or some impurity the lead is shedding having been locked in the bag for ages.
> 
> If you heat it with a cigarette lighter or propane torch, a strand of steel wool will typically turn red and glow. Lead wool on the other hand will simply melt and get shiny when it does.


Lead Oakum joint? Nasty..


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Apr 15, 2020)

Hmmm.....

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Tony (Apr 15, 2020)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> Hmmm.....
> 
> View attachment 184882



Speaking as a man who has been married 27 years, he is wrong.....

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 2 | Informative 1


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## ripjack13 (Apr 15, 2020)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> Hmmm.....
> 
> View attachment 184882



I asked Mrs rip that question once.....she replied, "Are you mocking me?"
I was banished to my shop for a week....

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Tony (Apr 15, 2020)

ripjack13 said:


> I asked Mrs rip that question once.....she replied, "Are you mocking me?"
> I was banished to my shop for a week....



We should all be so lucky.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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