Many consumers know that lead is still used in many products, even though it has been phased out in others. For instance, lead is still used for ballasts to add extra weight in ships. This enhances stability. Lead shot pellets for shotguns are considered acceptable for certain types of hunting. Material from a extruded lead wire spool also may be used in creating fly-ties for fly fishing.
Why Lead Wire?
Lead wire has traditionally been used in fly fishing lures because it adds sufficient weight to these small devices. That keeps the flies in the water instead of blowing off in the breeze. Although the word wire brings to mind a relatively stiff product, the material wrapped around a lead wire spool actually is soft and flexible.
Safety Assurance
Some men and women wonder whether lead is problematic in any way for fly tying, since the metal has been banned from numerous previous uses. It no longer can be included in gasoline, paint or tap water plumbing pipes, for example.
The primary problem with lead is when particles of the metal are ingested or breathed in. Lead in vehicle fuel polluted the air and could be inhaled. Toddlers sometimes would eat flakes of lead paint peeling from walls, furniture or toys. The metal could eventually leach into tap water from the pipes.
In contrast, the tiny amount of lead in wire for fly ties is not considered to be a problem. Lead is not absorbed through skin, so crafting ties by hand with the wire is safe.
