The reason I want to know is that I bought a beautiful pair of andirons at a great price. To tell if it's cast iron or any other ferrous metal, you can use a grinding wheel on it and look for sparks. I assume the seller is not sure. I've only worked with bearing bronze and such like bronze … On the other hand, some people easily point out the difference, just by looking at the material in front of them. Before you can determine whether the lamp or piece of hardware you want to restore is made of aged brass, however, you need to be aware of some of brass’s properties. Dates to about 3500 BC. The answer is simple. The key difference between brass and bronze is that brass contains copper and zinc whereas bronze contains copper and tin. Brass tends to be a dull gold color, while brass looks more brownish. Discovered s. Dates to about 500 BC. (Yeah, I know, taking a grinding wheel (even a Dremel) to a case is probably a no-no.) How to Tell Authentic Bronze. Brittle, not malleable; breaks if bent. Alloy of copper and zinc in varying quantities. Telling the difference between a gold coin and a bronze coin could mean the difference between a coin worth a few dollars and one worth hundreds. Brass is a combination of copper and zinc while brass is a combination of copper and tin. bronze's melting point is 850-1000°C (1562-1832°F) depending on how much of each metal is in it. Most bronze is an alloy of copper and tin, but architectural bronze actually has a small amount of lead in it. Red brass is referred to as rose brass or cast bronze, but whether or not red brass is actually one of those depends on the amount of copper in the metal blend. Step 1 Take a look at the color of the coin. I would doubt very much that the figure is cast iron. I cleaned them and the color is not yellow brassy but not quite "bronzey" either. Bronze is the familiar brownish color whereas brass is the more greyish greenish, bluish. Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive, but sometimes with other elements such as phosphorus, manganese, aluminum, or silicon. When I cut into the bar it is a brassy color. Some figures vary between different types of bronze/brass, so do your research if you plan on testing the limits of your valve. Bronze Brass; History: Dates back to ~3500 BC : Dates back to ~500 BC: Melting Point: 1590F (865C) 1710F (930C) … Take the piece to be chemically tested. Properties. Brass is corrosion-resistant, so if it shiny metallic yellow and isn't Gold, it is probably Brass. A mixture of tin and copper, bronze has been used for thousands of years to create both full-sized statues and smaller figurines through the process of casting -- i.e., pouring the molten alloy into a mould. How do you tell the difference between brass and bronze? Corrosion is the usual "tell", with brass just not up to the marine environment for very long. It’s light red and turns greenish with oxidation. In ancient times ‘bronze’ was a term that could denote copper or the far more durable alloy fusion of copper and tin. Because bronze is an alloy densities vary. The first one is to scratch the metal with a file, brass is easier to but cut. Weight and Sound. Bronze is an alloy made by melting two different metals and mixing them. I have a non-critical part I'd like to make out of bronze. You can also heat the metal in a furnace, brass will melt faster. Brass is pretty soft, while bronze can be more … The reason why it resembles copper so much is because it’s actually part copper. Hard, takes detail very well. Cast iron is a dull cement colour and bronze looks more copper-coloured. The main indicating factor of the differences between brass and bronze is that bronze will have a much redder color hue than brass would. Both Bronze and Brass look coppery when new. The main difference between brasses and bronzes is that brass is mostly made of copper and zinc while bronze is mostly made of copper and tin. Bronze is nonferrous. Usually 88% copper and 12% tin. Comparing Copper and Brass. Bronze is a metal alloy containing copper as the main constituent and tin about 12%. Bronze: An alloy of copper and tin. Bronze vibrates like a bell when hit. But with a few simple tools, one can easily tell the difference. Today, it can be hard to tell the difference between real bronze and fake unless you physically inspect it for characteristics like its weight, magnetism and its patina. There are several ways that performs well in differentiating these two alloys. Art Deco sculpture materials . Written by: Graham Rix. Some other metals and nonmetals or metalloids are also added, depending on the requirements, to obtain desired properties. Learn More → If you enjoy collecting antiques or found artifacts and restoring them, you may be interested in learning to identify old brass. Color. Difference Between Bronze, Brass and Copper. Brass is great for making items like musical instruments or furniture. On the other hand, bronze has a reddish-brown appearance. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and to me seems very malleable, shapeable, and fileable. Originally Posted by Tank. Reddish brown . Composition. What is Bronze? It’s often mixed with other metals to … It is worth taking a moment to consider the difference between an Art Deco sculpture made in bronze and one made in spelter, and the qualities of each material. It will detect the presence of zinc in the metal. Like the brass, it also has bell like vibration when hit. Solid brass is non-magnetic. So, what exactly make it possible for them to tell the type of the materials? Brass consists of zinc as the main alloying element, while tin or aluminium or silicon is the main alloying element of bronze. If you are searching for the best way to identify between brass and bronze, you only have to take a closer look at their color. When it comes to bronze, this metal tends to feature a muted yellow shade-type color. Brass is comprised of copper and different ratios of zinc. Difference between Brass and Bronze, differencebetween.info, Why is brass more malleable than bronze?, quora.com, Rotax Metals There is what is called red brass. Bronze vs. Brass. The oxidation is a dark brown. Both brass and bronze can be often found with piping and plumbing fixtures. But I honestly don't know whether I have brass or bronze. Brass. Brass Bronze; Composition: Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. 2. Let’s start with some handy definitions… Bronze. Copper is an unusual metal in that, like silver, gold, and tin, it can appear in ``native" form -- that is, as a fairly pure metal, just lying around. How to identify authentic Antique Bronze Sculpture. If there is a yellowish color, once you file off the surface, you most likely have brass, which is more common. Muted yellow, similar to dull gold. If it's a fake, it's quite possible you'll spot small differences from the original. Copper, by itself, is too soft, and Tin on its own is too brittle; it breaks too easily. Below is a Comparison Chart that will clearly highlight the similarities and differences between the two metals: Brass vs Bronze. They were covered with soot (sp) and cobwebs. Yellow brass is sometimes called gold brass, but it's not the same thing. You can also tell the difference between bronze and brass because bronze will have faint rings on its surface. Brass comes in many different alloys, each with … Weighs 4.71 ounces per cubic inch. Bronze has a dark coppery color and gets a green oxide over a period of time. A hand crank will rotate a threaded steel shaft and the shafting thread will push/pull this threaded flange. The two metals are generally copper (90%) and tin (10%). Lesser grades of bronze can also have some zinc in the alloy, resulting in properties closer to brass. Unfortunately, many metals resemble brass, which can make it difficult to identify a brass item. Bronze Applications. Its a threaded flange. Bronze, brass, and copper can be difficult to tell apart if you don’t know what factors to look for. Written on: July 14, 2020. Alloy of copper and tin, may include phosphorus, manganese, aluminum, or silicon. Many people find it really difficult to differentiate between Bronze, Brass, and Copper. These tests, including magnetism and chemical reaction tests, will also help you identify whether your item’s makeup is solid brass or simply has a brass coating. That would make it very heavy. This test usually consists of doing a chemical spot test that should not damage the bottom of the piece. 3. Brass has zinc added, while bronze uses tin. Bronze is used in the construction of sculptures, musical instruments and medals, and in industrial applications such as bushings and bearings, where its low metal on metal friction is an advantage. Without any applied patina, it is the same color as some brass. Now it could be plated brass on steel, which would make a magnet stick. Any way to tell them apart? Difference Between Copper, Brass and Bronze | Metal Supermarkets I only wish there was a close-up. Copper. I see alot of e-bay listings for items stating brass/bronze. Brass will look more yellowish due to its higher zinc content. If clean and not oxidized, the brass is a golden yellow color and the copper is reddish brown color we call copper color. Bronze is a combination of tin and copper, as well as a bit of lead. This makes it appear like dull gold, which is why it is often incorporated into fixtures and furniture. View Profile View Forum Posts Stainless Join Date Oct 2009 Location Louisville, KY, USA Posts 1,000 Post Thanks / Like Likes (Given) 215 Likes (Received) 222. 04-23-2015, 04:20 PM #22. fciron. The mistake is that sometimes … Actually, antique brass has been fetching some pretty good value in the market as well. 1. Both brass and bronze are copper alloys. Those looking to separate them from the more valuable copper pipes (reddish) in color, toss the “yellow” metals together and call it brass. Both can have other things added too, though bronze is much more augmented in this regard. However, various methods can determine whether you have found a brass antique or an antique composed of another metal. In addition, brass is more malleable than bronze. Therefore, brass is cheaper than bronze. Bronze forms a patina or corrosion "skin" as it ages. Bronze. One test to determine whether it is solid brass or just brass-plated steel it to put a magnet to it. BRONZE. New brass is shiny bright, without any hint of the copper. It might be brass, for that matter. This metal is dark coppery but it could turn greenish after some time. Most metal statues that have a dark blue-green or brownish patina are going to be bronze. Bronze. It can easily be made molten at around 1600F and poured into whatever shape you want. How to Tell the Difference Between a Bronze Coin and a Gold Coin By Egon Schiele A gold American Eagle bullion coin. It can be polished to a shiny lustre with little effort. Copper and brass may look alike on the outside, but further scrutiny will tell you another side of the story. Bronze is Copper and Tin, and rather hard and heavy. However, if you have an understanding of the different materials, it can actually be simple to tell the difference between them when items are placed in front of you. 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