bought a crystal vase and it says that its 24% lead.... what does this mean?
2007-12-22 07:51:22 · 2 answers · asked by jolly12 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Sculpture
Glass is made of oxides of various metals, mostly silicon dioxide (sand) and Sodium or Potassium and Calcium. If just 3 ingredients, you get a light glass as in drinking glasses or bottles. Lead oxide, when added, produces a heavy glass that sparkles when cut and chimes nicely with struck, especially when thin. The result is called lead crystal.
So 24% is 24% by weight. There is no short term risk in using lead crystal. It is not recommended that it be used for long term storage such as putting a mildly acid wine in a decanter and leaving it for weeks, but that is not what decanters are supposed to be used for anyway.
2007-12-22 11:48:37 · answer #1 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means that it's made from lead crystal. check out wikipedia entry for for info.
2007-12-22 11:40:07 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋