plomb à sceller

08:02 Nov 11, 2017 

Thanks for all the contributions. It's one of those translation conundrums. I can't call them security seals as the term Scellés de sécurité appears in many other contexts, particularly referring to labels. I have to differentiate from clip seals, hook seals etc. I can't paraphrase in the heading...
I have decided to go with lead seals or "lead seals" and to discuss it with the client.
Given the reservations here, I'm not sure it should be a one to one glossary entry, but presumably a future term search will be able to see this discussion too.

16:30 Nov 9, 2017 

I think if you do a bit of googling, you will find that "plastic lead seal", unless it's the type of compound that you get from a plumbers merchant, should actually be pronounced "plastic leeed seal", because the "lead" in its name refers not to the metal, but to electric cable. This is all further confused by the fact that so much of this material is now advertised on Ali Baba, which has some difficulty with the English language.

15:57 Nov 9, 2017 

I agree with BDF about using "lead seal" for the first instance, where it says "Le meilleur scellé pour de nombreuses applications de ce type reste le plomb à sceller". For the second, "Il existe différents types de plomb à sceller, en plastique ou en plomb traditionnel", I think you could put "there are different types of security seal". I've been looking at the same sources as Barbara and "security seal" seems to be the generic term for these, in any material. But lead ones are still used a lot (at least where I live, and apparently in France too), and I think they're probably best, health considerations aside.

13:33 Nov 9, 2017 

Thanks BD Finch I think this must be right - with the pliers as well - I'm just left with 'Il existe différents types de plomb à sceller, en plastique ou en plomb traditionnel"

So presumably the concept is "lead seal" while it has a modern sub category, something like: "Plastic lead seals" .....

11:10 Nov 9, 2017 

Thanks. I apologise for not giving enough context. I (wrongly obviously) assumed it would be a straightforward one to one equivalence.
The context is a product catalogue for all types of office type security. "Plombs à sceller" is a main heading. Under this heading comes such articles as "Pince à Plomber" "kit de plombage" "Pastille à sceller" "Scellé à plomb naturel"
A lot of mention of seals appears elsewhere such as letter seals, label seals CD seals.
Duncan

09:31 Nov 9, 2017 

Je pense qu'on peut récrire le début de la phrase autrement, genre "La meilleure méthode de scellement reste...", et pour le meilleur terme en anglais, il faudrait peut-être le contexte exact.

07:12 Nov 9, 2017 

Thank Tony. Id like to leave it at "seal" but I have "Le meilleur scellé pour de nombreuses applications de ce type reste le plomb à sceller"
and
"Il existe différents types de plomb à sceller, en plastique ou en plomb traditionnel selon les usages et les budgets".

The best indication of exact use I have is "permettra la fermeture definitive de vos installations de tous types"