If you are selling antiques, you need to tell potential buyers that your products contain lead. Not everyone knows how to test for lead. In this video I show you 3 ways you can tell if something is lead. The first thing is learning how old the item is. If it really is antiques, then chances are that it will have lead in it. Even American made toys contain lead.
Second to test for lead, pick the pieces up and feel how heavy they are. You can tell real quick if the metal is heavier than modern day pieces. This is a real big flag that the antique has lead in it. Lead has a lot of mass. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly after you have come in contact with lead. Do not eat until they are washed. I new that these were lead and decided to put on gloves to protect myself.
The third characteristic of lead is that it is very soft. There is a reason that we refer to the graphite in our pencils as lead. Lead used to be a part of the pencil. So grab a piece of paper and write something on it with pieces. This will show a shiny spot on the metal so do it in an unnoticeable spot. If it writes, it is lead and the piece will be shiny or indented. You could also take a needle point and try to make an indent. Just don’t go biting any coins that you think are filled with lead.
Now that you know you have lead, make sure you don’t let these toys get in the hands of children. They can get sick from it. You also want to put a warning note when you sell things on Etsy or eBay. You can’t always tell who is on the other end of your transactions. If you are really concerned, maybe you should sell these items locally.
So what are somethings that you have collected over the years that contain lead? Have you ever sold any thing with lead in it? Let me know in a comment below.