Yard sale find, no it's not a rifle

[greyhunter]

[attachment=0:148k2708][/attachment]Image03192012150152.jpg[/attachment:148k2708][attachment=1:148k2708][/attachment]Image03192012150126.jpg[/attachment:148k2708][attachment=2:148k2708][/attachment]Image03192012150057.jpg[/attachment:148k2708]Picked up this little copper pail at a yard sale fer a buck.  It's 4"x4" covered with some kind of silver finish? Thought it was paint, but paint stripper I had didn't touch it, inside coated too. Then I thought it might be solder, nope heat don't remove it, only elbow grease and sandpaper. Waugh, the inside is gonna be a pain. I hope to get it cleaned up so I can use it in camp for a boiler. Any ideas on cleaning, polishing? Yeh, it probably came from India, but there are no marks on it. Fairly heavy little rascal. If it don't clean up, I'll use it fer a Mike Fink target on my neighbors head. He will think he is getting his pitcher took.

[Shadow Hawk]

sounds like it might be zinc plating. is that possable? either way its cool  good find..

[greyhunter]

Any one else have any ideas?

[No Deer]

Tin coating would have been my first thought.  Copper and acidic foods (tomatoes etc.) are poisonous when mixed, so some copper pots got coated.  Don't know if they got coated back in the day or if it is a modern safety measure, maybe someone else that knows can chime in.

[Roaddog]

They did tin the inside back in the day. I hope Mario will chime in here but I think you have the real deal.

[Kermit]

Don't worry. You can get copper pots re-tinned. :lol:  

[Loyalist Dave]

Copper pots and acidic foods will not harm you.  Applebutter is made in untinned copper, and so is beer.

The problem is if you don't keep the copper cleana and shinny, or you let the acidic foods sit, verdigris forms, [green tarnish] and that's what makes you sick.  Because folks don't remember this, or because folks used to keep foods simmering over several days, eat some, add some fresh ingredients and simmer, eat some more the next day, add more ingredients, simmer, and repeat day after day, but don't clean and shine the interior of the copper pot..., tinning of copper began.  

Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot, nine days old...   :shock:

LD

[greyhunter]

Found out how to re tin, good demo on youtube. Guy near me sells tin ingots reasonable. Another learning experience. My mistakes are getting worse.

[buffcreekforge]

I would definitely check it for lead - anything from "India" is suspect in my eyes.

Just my humble ramblings....

Just Dave

[greyhunter]

Yeah, it doesn't say India, but it has all the looks of their handiwork.  I heated the bottom with a propane torch pretty good, and it didn't melt the coating, but that doesn't prove anything I know. I'll get it checked out before I use it tho, thanks for all the info guys.