Miniture Rot?

[Slyen]

So I know read about this somewhere, but for the life of me I can't remember where. Since attempting to relocated it I have found some other articles and the like but I wanted to check here in case anyone could tell me.

 

So apparently in older days than today they used to make metal miniatures out of a substandard metal, one that would eventually suffer some sort of blight that would eat away at it. Only reasoning I could find for it was due to substandard metals being used in the alloy with the lead. Now from everything I found this issue was corrected relatively early after it began propping up, coming into being with lines during the '70s from companies such as Ral Pratha or Grenadier. And it is not something we need to worry about for most modern miniatures.

 

 

However the descriptions very from what I was seeing. Some describe it as a white powdery build up where others describe it as a beige. Some even say it is a blue-green color. So my question sits at did Games Workshop have this issue? Because I noticed a lot of the older metals I have do indeed have a white powdery build up, on that is easily scrapped away, but if its this rot I've been reading about that alone won't save the miniature (according to the different articles).

[chromedog]

That white powdery coating is simply 'snow' (aka tin oxide, SnO).

Most metals exposed to air will form an oxide crust. For many of them, it is a protective crust to stop further damage to the rest of the metal (titanium oxide, etc) from further oxidation. Rust is the most common one, and it is also an exception.

 

Blue-green I've not seen.

 

I've seen a greyish white one on old LEAD models, but this is only lead oxide (PbO). There are some fungi that can live off the oxides, and they produce corrosive wastes, but this is not the same as 'rot'.

 

Metals themselves do not 'ROT'. They oxidise and corrode. Organics rot. Metals are not organics.

[Hemal]

That white powdery coating is simply 'snow' (aka tin oxide, SnO).

Most metals exposed to air will form an oxide crust. For many of them, it is a protective crust to stop further damage to the rest of the metal (titanium oxide, etc) from further oxidation. Rust is the most common one, and it is also an exception.

 

Blue-green I've not seen.

 

I've seen a greyish white one on old LEAD models, but this is only lead oxide (PbO). There are some fungi that can live off the oxides, and they produce corrosive wastes, but this is not the same as 'rot'.

 

Metals themselves do not 'ROT'. They oxidise and corrode. Organics rot. Metals are not organics.

 

 

PbO and SnO are pretty hard wearing and ultimately protect the metal underneath - models aren't shiny forever! But the oxidation process is retarded by preventing oxygen hitting them in the first place - paint the models and they will be fine.

 

It also helps if the models are stored in a dry environment as that prevents airborne moisture attaching itself to the oxides..

[Slyen]

Alright, thanks for the info.

[CarbonCopy]

While the oxidation mentioned provide a protective layer to the metal, lead and lead-based pewter is a special case.

 

Lead and lead-based alloys are prone to something often referred to "lead rot" -- where it will start to corrode and, over time, will be totally consumed by it, being rendered to dust.

 

It's very well documented here.

[Firepower]

I know it sucks for the model and all....but I have to admit, this is kinda cool. I never heard of lead turning to dust like this, or any metal for that matter really. Still, most of those ships on the link are said to be something like 75 years old, so unless you're passing your minis on to your grand-kids, I wouldn't worry.

[Hemal]

And most pipes in London are older than that but haven't dissolved away - probably because they are also painted but still... I think ships is also a little more iffy as they have quite concentrated electrolyte (salt water) exposure rather than just normal rainwater which is slightly acidic/corrosive but not nearly as good at transferring ions as sea water