Pewter mold casting for bolsters

I have done my 1st using masking tape and it turned out decent. I would like to be able to make some to form below the handle at the heel.
Just wondering if any another material works better or easier to mold the shape to cast

2nd question
Does anybody melt scrap pewter mugs etc. ?
or do you purchase new ingots to pour

Pewter is about the easiest metal to work with without any real metal casting equipment. I've only used it a handful of times but I just bought some ingots for it, you know exactly what you're getting that way.

Ahhhh yes very true, less inconsistency with ingots

Thrifted 2+ pounds of pewter from teapots & mugs for $10 bucks
so Im gonna give it a try up recycling my scrap

andrew44 said:

Ahhhh yes very true, less inconsistency with ingots

Thrifted 2+ pounds of pewter from teapots & mugs for $10 bucks
so Im gonna give it a try up recycling my scrap

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true corrected weight 8 lbs
paid $10 so $1.20 per pound
vs $15+ per pound ingots online prices

Old pewter will have a lot of lead in it. The new stuff sold for pewter craft doesn't- the lead is replaced with tin, I think, which is non toxic but much more expensive than lead.
Also, my opinion only, but destroying old things to reclaim material is a bit naughty, and very often a false economy.

Dan P. said:

Old pewter will have a lot of lead in it. The new stuff sold for pewter craft doesn't- the lead is replaced with tin, I think, which is non toxic but much more expensive than lead.
Also, my opinion only, but destroying old things to reclaim material is a bit naughty, and very often a false economy.

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ARE YOU SURE they put lead in Pewter for drinking mugs/cups/teapots??
England made during 1970's & 1980's. I have a feeling you are wrong for using lead in pewter during that period

THEY are scrap!! Poor condition junk (dings, dents, warping, etc)
so they have no true value in my opinion

FYI
Pewter was used for cutlery until 1940's when certain health weenies objected to the antimony content

It's unlikely they have lead in them, but it's also possible they weren't intended for food consumption, so I'd say use a respirator when you're melting/pouring it! It's always possible there's other stuff in them that isn't good for you when working it.

Lead was definitely used in pewter (in the UK) up till fairly recently, not sure exactly when.

They stopped using lead in pewter in 1974.

Dan P. said:

Lead was definitely used in pewter (in the UK) up till fairly recently, not sure exactly when.

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drinkware post 1974
I'm not worried about there being ANY lead in my pewter

Beau Nidle said:

It's unlikely they have lead in them, but it's also possible they weren't intended for food consumption, so I'd say use a respirator when you're melting/pouring it! It's always possible there's other stuff in them that isn't good for you when working it.

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true Antimony "possibly carcinogenic to humans"
used in Pewter Ingots with or without Antimony