"...Certainly David is correct about what pewter will last. The "better" the pewter the shorter it will last if not keptcorrectly. I will have to research the "catching" degradation from and poor pewter bobbin. As it stands, I do not see how a poor pewter can infect an intact pewter. My chemistry was never very good at the best of times! :)"
It is interesting as it seems that we interpret pollutants with contagion, such as in disease there are organisms of various sorts and we tend to think of them as nomadic, in that they move themselves, or are transferred by touching, or are airborne. I don't think it would be much different for metals, as airborne would be the issue here, especially if contained with other things that are not "contaminated." We think of airborne chemicals differently, as in the US they state days to stay inside because of chemicals in the air (who would have thought times would have come to this). If you think of rust on a car, it is buffed out, supposedly to eradication, but often comes out again. One factor can be that it is an area that is exposed to the same factors as the removed area, but there is obviously a microscopic element, in that the "pores (or pits)" of something may not be obvious, but those pits can contain the elements that keep eating away at things. Though I obviously don't have a degree in chemistry or physics, my common sense tells me that once "tainted" one may think they removed all, and did not. Along with our previous conversation of storing lace, if the lace is dry and stored airtight, but outside contamination can get in regardless, and spreads. In dry rot something can get dry and wick moisture from another part of the textile and the whole thing gradually weaken. The cause isn't always organisms but rather elements. I could see an affected pewter affect other pewter with time, just as one can cook and smell food hundreds of feet away. Logically no food is given to smell/taste, but micro elements are sent into the air that one can discern even, though simple logic would disagree if one had not had personal experience. I just hope that people using pewter wash their hands afterwards, as many metals are toxic regardless, and lead - especially. Best,Susan Reishus - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]
