What is Pewter?

It is a soft, easily shaped alloy primarily made of tin (85-99%), with smaller amounts of antimony (about 5-10%), copper (2%), bismuth, and occasionally silver. In the past, it included lead, but modern formulations exclude lead to prevent poisoning. The melting point of pewter is relatively low, between 170-230 degrees Celsius (338-446 degrees Fahrenheit), varying with the specific mix of metals. The term “pewter” likely evolved from “spelter,” which referred to zinc alloys and was initially a casual name for zinc.