The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-07-31

required. We have said that the cost of
paint is not very great, but it is the labor
Of applying that is expensive. Therefore,
when you can cover as well with two
coats OF white lead paint as with three or
four coats of other paint, it follows that
the lead paint is the cheapest by far Any
substance that is added to white lead, ex-
cept for the purpose of coloring, dimin-
ishes in some way the value of paint.
Zinc is sometimes used. Now zinc is very
besides, in drying it forms with the lin
seed oil very hard, unelastic surface,
which is apt to crack and scale off. When
repa1nt1ng becomes necessary, the surface
is such that it will not readily hold the
new coat, so that the entire lot of old
paint has to be burned off, a very expen-
sive operation, If a first-class job is
wanted.
The substance most commonly added to
white lead is barytes, and it is added
simply because it is cheap and to make
weight: Barytes is powdered rock,
which is found largely in Virginia, Miss
ouri, and other parts of the country. 1t
is not opaque-one of the first requisites
in paint material, and has no action in
the oil, and If ground or mixed with oil
alone it will neither cover nor hide the
under surface, nor form an elastic water
proof binder with the hnseed OIL which
we have heretofore described. The great
attraction barytes has for paint manufact-
urers is its cheapnesS, and because it can
be and is readily palmed off on the con-
sumner and property-owner as pure white
lead
The only protection the buyer has is to
insist on having pure white lead, bearing
the guaranty of some reputable maker,
whose brand he can rely upon. The adul-
teration of pure white lead by zinc, barry
ties, and other substances, is most COM
mon one. If such mixtures were sold I'M
10 hole f1vy -l,of
were, and the consumer and property
owner bought them as such, no objection
could be made but they are often sold as
pure white lead, though chemical analyses
repeatedly made show that they contain
none, or, at best, but a small percentage
of white lead. If not sold directly as
pure, some misleading trade mark is add
ed; such as "Star White Lead, St. Louis,''
ETC., etc., the intention being to deceive
and induce the buyer to think he is get
ting pure article.
Within the last fifteen or twenty-five
years large demand has been created for
what are known as Ready Mixed Paints,
or paint prepared with oil and drier ready
for use, which appeals to the user as great
convenience. Some makes of these appear
to give fair satisfaction, but the very gen
eral complaint as to their want of dura-
bility has caused the whole class to fall
somewhat into disrepute. The cause for
this is not hard to find. We have pre-
viously shown that the base of the best
paint for general use should be pure white
lead and pure linseed oil. Now white
lead in its nature is so heavy an article,
SO dense are its particlers cit is this that
gives 1t its great value as a covering pig
ment) that is cannot be held in suspen-
sion for any length of time in pure lin
seed oil. AS matter of fact most ready
mixed paints contain but little white lead,
other and cheaper substances, inferior as
pigments, being substituted therefor and
in order to enable the paint to dry quickly
various driers containing turpentine and
benzine are introduced. The effect of
these is to thin the oil and render it less
capable of holding the various pigments
in suspension. To counterfeit the tend
ency to settle the oil is treated to make it
thicker, alkalies and water which form
soap or emulsions with the oil being fire.
quently used. 1t is not difficult, then, to
see why such paints so often prove dis
appointing to the user; nor does the ex-
pense stop here, because if he desires to
repalnt with a pure article and secure
the best results the old coats must first be
entirely removed.
The moral of all this is, the best is the
cheapest in the long run. Better results
are obtained, greater dura bility and salts
faction, besides at the present time the
best is actually the cheapest. ANY one
desiring to use paint can buy absolutely
Pure White Lead, under the guaranty of
responsible manufacturer, Pure Linseed
Oil, equally guaranteed, and pure Colors,
and can mix them himself ready to use at
a no greater cost per gallon than inferior
articles, which do not cover nearly so
much or so well.
Why, then, not always buy the best, the
very bests j. A. S.