How To Tell The Difference Between Brass And Other Metals
Brass is a metal that can appear very similar in appearance to other types of metals
, most notably copper, gold and even stainless steel. Whilst it doesn't bother most people whether their door handle or ornament is made of brass or not, it can be necessary to be able to tell the if you want to match it to something else or you want to clean it.
The difference between brass and copper:
As brass is formed by combining varying amounts of copper and zinc, it is understandable how these two metals are often confused.
Take a close look at the colour of the item. If more zinc has been used in the construction, brass will appear to be a lighter yellow in colour, whilst copper is reddish-brown and turn green with corrosion.
Listen to the sound and pitch of the item by banging it. Copper, as a softer metal, will produce a rounder, more mellow sound, whilst brass will have a brighter or higher pitched sound.
Search for any markings on the item. Often, if you see a marking that begins with C and is followed by three to five numbers, the item is most likely brass (and this marking identifies its chemical composition).
The difference between brass and gold:
As brass that has a high level of zinc can appear quite light yellow in colour, it is often mistaken for gold (which is much more expensive and 'precious').
Run a magnet over the item. As brass is magnetic, it will be attracted to the magnet, whereas gold will not (keep in mind, however, that gold may be alloyed with other metals that may be magnetic).
Search for any markings on the item. Often, if you see a marking that begins with a number is followed by the letter K, the item is gold (as the K refers to the karat, or purity, of the gold). As mentioned above, brass may have a marking beginning with C.
The difference between brass and stainless steel:
As both brass and stainless steel can be manipulated to become different colours, some people are known to get the two confused.
Check the item for any signs of staining or corrosion. As stainless steel doesn't rust or show up stains, if you notice any of these on the surface of your item it is most likely brass.
Bang the item against another metal item or other hard surface (if you don't mind the possibility of it becoming damaged). As stainless steel is highly durable, if the item dents you most likely have brass.
There are, of course, other ways to tell brass apart from other metals, but the methods listed above are, by far, the most easiest to complete at home. If you still cannot tell the difference, take the item to a lab to have it tested for the components of brass just to make sure.
by: George
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