Am I being gouged, or is lead really THAT expensive?

[Steve50]

Think of it as training. It gets you used to what you will spend on all the other gear...

 

[Bob DBF]

Keep your eyes open, I've found most of my weights on the bottom of the ocean. It helps being near Abalone divers (freedivers) because once they drop the weight belt it is difficult for them to find and retrive.


Bob
----------------------------

 

[Andy077]

That's why ammo is so darned expensive too. lead, and brass are a fortune because of demand from Chinese military demand, and US law enforcement agencies upping their ammo buys.

 

[Lead_carrier]

That's why ammo is so darned expensive too. lead, and brass are a fortune because of demand from Chinese military demand, and US law enforcement agencies upping their ammo buys.

Not sure about the Chinese military demand, but I do know that they usually have way to much lead in all the paint, bracelets, necklaces, etc. that they ship over here. Just check out the Consumer Products Safety Council recalls.

 

[Andy077]

Not sure about the Chinese military demand, but I do know that they usually have way to much lead in all the paint, bracelets, necklaces, etc. that they ship over here. Just check out the Consumer Products Safety Council recalls.

I'd laugh harder if it weren't true!

 

[Dsix36]

One of my LDS's wanted $5 a pound, but right down the street the same exact weight was going for $2.56 a pound. Sometimes it is supply vs. demand and others it might just be greed.....

 

[pnw_diver]

no seriously go to a reloader shop buy the shot at about 1.50 a pound and then sew some into little pouches using your wifes sewing machine and the bottom of her curtains

I bought some unfilled shot bags off of Ebay many years ago for next to nothing - I don't recall how cheap they are, but they were reasonable - cheap enough that I wouldn't have considered making my own. They're sewn shut on all sides except for a small (1/2" or so) opening with a velcro closure. Just the right size for filling with a funnel.

I filled them using #6 bird shot sourced from my local sporting goods store. Just about any place that carries reloading supplies will carry shot. It's a lot cheaper per pound than anything your LDS has.

One downside to this is that you'll need to periodically inspect the stitching and replace a bag now and then. It's also possible for smaller shot to "leak" past the closure, but you can always sew that shut. I didn't, and haven't experienced much loss over the 9 or so years I've been using mine.

 

[Herk_Man]

Just remember to wash your hands after handling lead, ESPECIALLY lead shot bags. That milky residue isn't the ocean.

Not saying you should go bathe in the stuff but it's been determined that handling lead or being around it in the water (as long as you're not drinking the water) is not all that harmful. And we have non-scientific evidence to back it up. That being, not a whole lot of dive shop or scuba pros falling over from lead poisoning.

Again, not saying you should press to test. Just saying that there's not a big fear factor with the stuff.

 

[scubafanatic]

...if you think lead is expensive, have you priced titanium weights lately ?

 

[KozMcCharlie]

...if you think lead is expensive, have you priced titanium weights lately ?

Yeah... and my Weight Integrated BC can only hold 11oz...