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Lead soldier casting set (1960s-70s) (thelemmy.club)
submitted 2 months ago by to c/vintageads@sh.itjust.works
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This was a kit sold for children 12 and up, which let them create metal soldiers and other figures. The kit included a crucible, a heating unit, and lead ingots that you would melt in the crucible, to then pour the molten lead into molds.

I assume you could then paint the resulting figures, if you wanted.

Here is a photo showing those components. The crucible and electric heater are on the right. I suppose(?) you would file or trim away the flashing and pour-funnel from the final cast figure, but this photo shows the result straight out of the molds.

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Ages 12 and up.

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[–] [S] 22 points 2 months ago (5 children)

Naturally!

I wonder about the exposure of playing with this, and how it compared to other sources at the time, like lead paint, lead gasoline, lead pipes, etc.

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  • [–] 27 points 2 months ago (2 children)

    My guess is that the leaded gasoline was a bigger contributor than kits like this. As you would almost always be breathing in the lead smog.

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  • [–] [S] 8 points 2 months ago (1 child)

    Yeah, seems likely. Lower level but constant exposure from that, and directly into the lungs, too.

    I bet this kit could vary a lot, depending on just how you played with it. Like did you have your head over the crucible inhaling fumes, or off to the side? Did you wash your hands after handling the figures and before eating food? Etc.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 months ago

    I think lead gas by far for the reason the other person mentioned. Everyone got exposure by existing and breathing.

    With other stuff, it depends on your interaction with it. Lead paint was and still is pretty safe unless you sand it and breathe it in which is unfortunately easy to do in that context, or it flakes off and you're a kid who likes the sweet tasting corn flakes made of wall.

    These toys were probably fine if you had air circulation, didn't chew on your toys, and washed your hands before you ate. But there of course were kids who probably thought it was funny you could dent them by biting them...

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