Lead wool explained

Lead wool consists of thin strands of lead metal that can be used to cold-caulk cast iron and steel pipes.^[1] It was manufactured by the New York Lead Wool Company in the United States^[2] and by The Lead Wool Company, Limited in Snodland, Kent, England.^[3]

The Lead Wool Company (the British company) was incorporated on 9 October 1919^[4] (although some references indicate that it was active before that date) and was still active in 1983.^[5] The British company also developed a device to test pipe joints internally.^[6]

The company's factory had been demolished by 1994, according to a report on archaeological excavations near the factory's site.^[7]

Lead wool is presently manufactured in the UK by Calder Industrial Materials Limited.^[8]

Notes and References

1. News: Lead Wool (advertisement). 1933. The Gas journal calendar and directory. A-104. 30 March 2010.
2. News: The New York Lead Wool Company. 1909. Gas Industry (Volume 9). The New York Lead Wool Company occupied booth No. 40. Their product is guaranteed to stand 1000 pounds pressure or more. It is applied cold. No melting is necessary. It consists of pure lead fibers which are calked like yarn. . 357. 30 March 2010.
3. Book: Non-ferrous metal works of the world. Harry George Cordero, Trevor J. Tarring. Metal Bulletin Books Ltd.. London. 1967. 471–472. 0078-0987.
4. News: Lead Wool Company, Limited (The). UK Data Limited. 30 March 2010. https://archive.today/20130205025321/http://www.ukdata.com/numbers/00159447.html. 5 February 2013. dead.
5. 1983. The Lead Wool Company. World Water. 6. 5–11. 33.
6. 1984. Many years ago, the Lead Wool Company Ltd. developed a rigid tester to test pipe joints internally.... Water Services. 88.
7. Excavations on a Romano-British Villa at Churchfields, Snodland, 1992-94. 1996. Vaughan. Birbeck . Archaeologia Cantiana. Kent Archaeological Society. 115. 72–73. 0066-5894.
8. Lead Wool, Calder website (http://www.calderlead.co.uk/product/construction/wool)