Posted By Chris Packham
Are they really from lead, or is this just journalese speak for heavy objects?

I ask this as I had something described to me the other day as "lead" when further examination showed that there was no lead in the object at all.

Chris

Posted By Kate Graham
But why do you think that solid pieces of lead are dangerous, exactly?

Posted By John Murgatroyd
I presume that you are capable of stopping your children from sticking LARGE chess pieces in their mouths ?
You sound like an american redneck....why not buy the "leadcheck" testing kit to make sure it's lead....cheap at twice the price !

Posted By Ian Mitchell
You may find they are something called 'whitemetal' which is a low-melt alloy used in modelmaking. I think those wargame figures are similar. Whether whitemetal contains lead I am unsure but it could be checked on the web by someone with time on their hands. Cheers Ian

Posted By holmezy

Hi All, hope you are all fine and dandy.

was amused by some of the responses....so.....

Firstly, havent got, nor want, any kids, if I did have, I would certainly stop them putting lumps of lead in their mouths.
Secondly, havent got a problem with lumps of lead, provided they are used and handled safely, and hygiene standards are upheld, health surveillance where necesary etc.
Thirdly, I am not a redneck?? (where did that one come from??)...however their are rumours of interbreeding amongst some of the locals in my area, but yet to have it proved.
Fourthly, smurfs became collectors items for a while, but they were covered in lead paint??

All I said was that I thought having lead chess pieces was odd?? ....still do!!

Cant wait to get home and play with my lead soldiers with my brother, or is he my uncle, never could work out my family tree. Anyway, both him and my mom (or sis??) have a blueish tinge to their gums and twitch alot.....so they must be quite related somewhere along the line? And whats wrong with all sleeping in the same bed? Keeps us all warm and promotes family bonding!

Off to milk the pigs now,,,,,,see ya'll....you have a nice day!

Keep smiling everyone....soon be alcoholoclock!!

Posted By gham
Yes you are thinking of ball bearings

Yes it is soft and that is why it is are used in bearings. The female part is usually coated in a soft metal so that the hard metals do not make contact, still lubricated with iol and that, this means that these parts can be easily refurbished when they get worn. For example I beleive that the liners on the piston arms in the engines of some cars are made of such soft metals cheaper to replace them than the drive/cam shaft and piston

Posted By gham
Huh

(:-{

Posted By peter gotch
Holmezy,

Not likely to get dangerous dose of lead by putting solid chess piece in your mouth.

The relevant ACOP explains that significant exposure arises from fumes from molten lead and dust.

In terms of public lead exposure from e.g. pipes is not from the pipes themselves but from lead compounds dissolved into water.

Regards, Peter

Posted By Ian Mitchell
Possibly, maybe the valve seat recession was just a side-effect of removing the lead rather than one of its reasons for inclusion. I just know it caused me no end of headaches as I was a classic car owner at the time of the ban in 2000.

Posted By John Caboche
The metal in question is in all probability white metal, and doesn't actually contain lead (these days at least...).
I know as I have loads of model soldiers at home made from it.... not sure I should be admitting that, especially in conjunction with working in the safety profession.... but what the hell....
More info on the material at:

http://www.tiranti.co.uk/indexhome.asp

In the product list under casting.

John C

Posted By Ian Mitchell
Don't worry John, I used to have a big hornby railway layout with my Grandad when I was young and all the people, animals, vehicles etc were made of white metal and needed to be handpainted so that's how I knew about it! Hope your anorak is high-vis like mine!! Ian M

Posted By John Murgatroyd
Oh well......how about this then:


"People who are routinely exposed to lead at work are 50 per cent more likely to die from brain cancer than people who are not exposed, according to new US research. The University of Rochester Medical Center study, based on information from the US Census Bureau and the National Death Index, could be the largest study ever to find a lead-cancer link, the researchers say. Study co-author Edwin van Wijngaarden said: 'If we are able to help explain the cause of even 1 or 2 per cent of the total number of cases, that's important.' The findings, published this month in the International Journal of Cancer, computed the risk estimates for lead exposure and brain cancer from a census sample of 317,968 people who reported their occupations between 1979 and 1981. The study found the death rate among people with jobs that potentially exposed them to lead was 50 percent higher than unexposed people, and the number of deaths was larger than in many previous studies, van Wijngaarden said. Scientists have suspected for years that lead is a carcinogen, which passes through the blood-brain barrier, making the brain especially sensitive to the toxic effects of lead."

Posted By holmezy


oh...and if they say they're lead but they're not really, dhasn't that got something to do with trades description act???

More alcohol please...hic...

Posted By K Dorren
These figures are not an alloy - they are solid lead and therefore i think it is irresponsible for the manufacturer to try and 'avoid' good practice by saying they are collectors pieces. They are merchandised next to the Ballet magazine (with free gift) in the newsagents so are likely to be bought or sought by children.

I dont think a disclaimer is acceptable especially since it is cleverly disguised by the actual figure on the magazine cover.