True plumbago is NOT graphite. It IS a lead compound.
The name comes from the Greek word for LEAD. It has
the same root word as plumber, i.e. one who works with
lead. The chemical symbol for lead is Pb. Many
products used to contain lead as packing, etc. but
powered lead was originally called plumbago. Later,
the graphite, in "lead" pencils, etc., began to be
erroneously called "plumbago". I too, have used
plumbago as a sealite on O2 bottles and that was
powered red lead.
John
--- Don Ross <don0731@gte.net> wrote:
> Plumbago was a packing compound using fibres and
> graphite in its normal
> useage around the railroad. We used it for valve
> packing quite a bit..
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <jeralbin@aol.com>
> To: <BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Monday, August 04, 2003 3:14 PM
> Subject: [BRHSlist] Plumbago
>
>
> > In a message dated 8/4/2003 12:37:03 PM Central
> Daylight Time,
> > BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com writes:
> >
> > > Technically, the "red lead" was not a true
> "paint". It
> > > was a mixture of linseed oil and powdered red
> lead
> > > oxide (called plumbago in the trade).
> >
> > I believe plumbago is one form of graphite.
> Probably mixed with a drying
> oil
> > to coat the firebox and smoke box. Jerry Albin
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
> >
> >
>
>
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