So, to answer the headline: lead smells like nothing. It’s a ghost. A blank. But your brain will fill in the blanks with “metallic” or “sweet” because it expects a heavy metal to announce itself.
This is actually a handy fact to remember. If you think you smell lead—and you aren’t near a soldering iron—you’re probably smelling something else. Or just your own hands.
Curiosity is great, but maybe don’t make sniffing old sinkers a hobby. Leave that to your dog. Your nose is a liar, and lead doesn’t care about your feelings. Stay safe, stay curious, and wash your hands after handling any old metal. I’m serious. Go wash them now.
