I have used tin and it is shiny, lead will eventually darken as it oxidizes. Maybe you should just buy plated jigs. Not much more expensive than a bar of tin every time you want to brighten your lead pot.
I need some good lead alloys for making the jig heads stay shiny.
I know one can clear coat pure lead for a fairly shiny finish but I don't want to paint them at all.
Is tin going to be the best choice or would bismuth or something else be better?
I have used tin and it is shiny, lead will eventually darken as it oxidizes. Maybe you should just buy plated jigs. Not much more expensive than a bar of tin every time you want to brighten your lead pot.
Antimony. I use 95% lead 5% antimony. Makes lead a little harder but heads stay shiny. It’s all I use.
Antimony might be hard to get here but I'll check with my local center. Around $8 a pound isn't bad compared to tin at $23 online.
Any issues with releasing from molds with the antimony at 5%? I'll be doing round heads and pony heads.
No I haven’t had any issues. I have found that on heads where that it’s best to twist sprue off that you do it before it cools off completely otherwise it can be hard to do. If cutting off then no worries. I try to stay away from molds that need spore cutoff though.
That’s how I do it. Now there are some do-it molds you can’t do to the sprue being too thick. Those I just rock back and forth until they break off.
GrumpyLoomis LIKED above post
Is it harder to cut them off? Figured it would be cleaner but I havent pored jigs, just pencil lead and bank sinkers