antique carboys

I just found a few carboys on craigslist. The guy I got them from said that they were from the 60's. when I got them home I noticed that a couple of them had what looks like a little metallic looking spot in the glass on the bottom. One of them has polar water in big letters on the side. has any one ever heard of anything like this?

No....but beware of lead. And I mean it this time....I'm not saying this because I want to start yet another paranoid lead thread. If you have lead in your primary you will definitely be drinking it!

how would I know if there is lead in there?

...and why would there be lead in there?

If you are concerned there is a lead test kit you can buy. PRO-LAB's Professional Lead Surface Test Kit is one. Better to be safe and spend the $10 so you know for sure.

If the spot is in the center of the base, on the outside, then it's probably a pontil mark. That's where they held the bottle while forming it. If that's where it is/ what it is, then the metal there is probably iron and graphite.

If the metal is on the outside of the bottle, I wouldn't worry about it and would enjoy using my antique carboys to make some fine beer.

I would imagine that the lead-paint test kit from any paint supply store should be as useful at testing for lead as any other lead test - I could be wrong of course.

kvh.

You didn't mention whether the metal was on the inside or not....I just wanted you to be aware because I know that lead was used in manufacturing a lot more 50 years ago.

the mark is on the out side and Im thinking sudsmonkey is right about the pontil but Im still not sure. I think all of the carboys are from the late 60's one of them has 1969 on the bottom. I have been researching this and I havent been able to find much but I did find some info from a glass blower who said that I probably didnt have to worry about it but I would like to be sure.

killian,

I'd be leary about any metalllic markings or anything on those carboys that won't come off with any washing or sanitizing. My first Q upon coming across old containers like that would be: "What were they really used for?"

Is it possible they contained anything toxic at any time during their history? If so, I'd be careful about that. Sometimes, trace amounts can linger despite all attempts to remove them.

If you are confident about their history, I'd consider filling them with a choice sanitizer solution and let sit for at least a week followed by a good cleaning and scrubbing with a long bottle brush before using them in the home brewery.

Whatever the outcome, good luck.

Cheers!

thanks, pap Im still a little nervous but I have found some info and I think they will be fine. I got the carboys from a wine maker that now only uses plastic he was using them so I think they should be ok. the mark is on the out side and it looks like it was made that way.

I just wanted to mention that the texture on the bottom of the carboy is different form all of my other glass. it is kind of hard to describe, one of my other ones is some what similar it looks kind of like a jig saw puzzle with raised edges.

I dont know if this link will work but that is similar to one of the carboys.http://cgi.ebay.com/UNIQUE-CRACKLE-...egoryZ14QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

ScubaSteve said:

You didn't mention whether the metal was on the inside or not....I just wanted you to be aware because I know that lead was used in manufacturing a lot more 50 years ago.

Click to expand...

lead was used more in the past, but not in the manufacturing of clear glass. Essentially, the production of glass hasn't changed much (beyond production) in probably 100 years.