Bullet Lead ID...and Button

[undertaker]

My son found this lead a while back while looking for arrowheads and metal detecting a lake shore. Does anyone have a clue what bullet cal. it could be? Also is a pic of a button I found today on a indian site. Im not sure how old it is or what it is made of. It doesn't feel like plastic or glass. Were older buttons ever made out of bone?

 

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[ivan salis]

buttons were and have been made of just about everything --yes bone -- porclien and other items were used.

 

[BioProfessor]

The diameter expressed in decimal inches is the caliber.

Really nice bone button.

Daryl

 

[Monty]

Measure across the widest part of the base of the bullet. That will give you the approximate caliber. But lead bullets vary quite a bit, Ie .38 Caliber can be anything from .354 to .358, .44 caliber is usually .429, etc, etc. Monty

 

[BioProfessor]

Just going by what the original post said. If it is an Indian button and doesn't seem to be stone. Chances are it was carved from a piece of animal bone. It's a nice button and I can't think of much else it could be make of other than bone when all the other things are pretty much ruled out. Just best guess.

Daryl

 

[undertaker]

My brother told me to take a lighter to the button and if it melts its plastic and if not then it must be some other material. Its always easy to say stuff like that when you don't own it. My guess is that its bone but I dont think the indians made or carved it. I found what appears to be part of a gun flint on this site which makes me think that this button could be colonial or later.

 

[BioProfessor]

Don't set it on fire!!! Just take a needle and heat the tip until it is red hot. Pick a place that is not noticeable - like the side of one of the holes - and push the pin in. Plastic will melt and the needle will go right in, bone may turn dark and maybe smoke and smell, stone just looks at you. It the same test we use for Ivory and plastic.

Daryl