Paul Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 Hey Guys Well it is starting up here in Canada - they are starting to talk about banning lead in fishing lures....so I was wondering what are some alternatives - I know of bismuth - but what else is there?? Can you use stuff like tin or aluminium....just put it in the melting pot and pour it into the mold?? I am starting to look for altenatives. thanks Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigmaster Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 YEs, that talk is starting in more places all the time. There are viable alternatives, but the cost per lure is much higher. Tin, which is roughly 2/3 the density of lead, is an option. I believe it will melt at a lower temp that lead....(may be mistaken there).....would make a lighter jighead if you were using your current molds......which isnt all that bad of a thing. Tungsten is out there, as well as steel, but not sure about the processing of such materials. Have not experimented yet. Jigmaster www.daimonlures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piddler Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 the lead ban is b.s. there are more wheel weights lost than fishing lures. follow the money and you'll see who will profit from the lead ban. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomer Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 Tin is a viable alterantive in the sense that it will work with current equipment. There used to (still may be ) a company in New Jersey that featured all tin jigs. Bismuth should work but the cost is prohibitive. Anyway what a load of crap. There is no science to support the ban on lead. Its an ELEMENT for goodness sakes -- that means its ELEMENTAL. If I'm not mistaken, Canada is one of the leading producers of lead.[/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnesr Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 Reprinted from CBC.ca Ottawa to ban lead sinkers, jigs Last Updated Tue, 17 Feb 2004 15:00:53 OTTAWA - Environment Minister David Anderson announced Tuesday he plans to bring in regulations to ban the import, manufacture and sale of fishing sinkers and jigs containing lead. 500 tonnes of lead into Canadian waters every year. Anderson said lost sinkers and jigs add 500 tonnes of lead to the environment every year. "That's the equivalent weight of dropping 500 cars into our lakes, rivers and streams each year," Anderson said in a news release on Tuesday. "Lead has toxic properties, and sinkers and jigs, containing lead are taking a toll on water birds, including the loon, a bird that has come to symbolize the wilderness for many Canadians," Anderson said. "Fortunately, this threat is largely preventable ? lead-free sinkers and jigs are affordable, work just as well, and are becoming more readily available." Restrictions on lead sinkers in national wildlife areas and national parks have been in place since 1997. In the United States, Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts restrict the use of lead sinkers and jigs. New York state plans to introduce similar restrictions this year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yeah, I guess I can understand them moving towards a lead ban, as it is a proven toxic substance. But I'd like to see them phase it out over a period of 10-20 years, so it doesn't hit us fishermen so hard in the pocketbooks. Besides, if we can't use them where are they going to end up, in our landfills? Maybe start with 1/16oz jigs and work your way up banning each 1/16 oz every two years or so. I would think the smaller jigs would pose more of a problem for bird poisoning. Anyone know of a source for Tin or Bismuth? Anyone have experience casting with either substance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richoc Posted February 20, 2004 Report Share Posted February 20, 2004 A painted jig will kill the bird from internal bleeding long before, lead will. Most "lead" in the birds, is shot. Old shot at that, non-toxic only for hunting here. A little from bad hits, and mostly eaten off the bottom, shallow areas. If sealed in non-lead based paint how is the lead going to effect the bird. They sink deep in the soft mud bottoms and can not be seen. Rocky areas are a differnt story. We all grew up drinking water from lead pipes, reinforce with asbestos mesh. The water mains under the streets are made of this , unless it little less than 10 years old , most likely your is also. The city lines here to the house are all lead, not any pipe in this building though. Been tested for years for lead at the blood bank, and it hasn't even shown up in the test. I have been pouring lead since I was 14 years old (20 years now)with out any masks vents , or fans.(well in summer fans) Good hygiene, wash you hands man. Lead will only effect a few people in a mill. Lead paint on the walls also, but I wasn't ignorat and ate the chips, Must tatse real good.... come on. If your kid is unsuppervised , buy peeling paint, long enough to eat the chips,(fill in the rest of this sentance yourself).............! More animals die from fishing line in the water than you would ever imagine, so we got to stop using line too! One of most abundant metal, natural resource here is lead. Good surface deposits are what gave our state the nick name of the badger state. The mines were described as large badger holes. Some of our lake bottoms are Lead, that is what they are, they going to have to dig it out? Just some out of control, people out there trying to get there way. If you could trace the money pushing this, who will it be????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 How about Zinc? All those old window sashes you see are made opf it. Eachn one weihs about 10 Lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
