A Brief Intro to Brass

What is brass made of?

Brass is an alloy of zinc and copper. Tin or lead may also be present in minute quantities in brass. Non-ferrous materials do not contain iron. Brass is more malleable than bronze, and its low melting point of 900°C allows metal to be cast into moulds with relative ease. Depending on the proportions of copper and zinc, many varieties of brass are produced. The greater the zinc content, the more durable and flexible the brass. The greater the copper content of brass, the greater its electrical conductivity. Red brass, or rose brass, has a copper content of approximately 85 percent, resulting in a redder or more copper-like colour. Yellow brass resembles gold more closely and often contains just about 60% copper.

What is brass used for?

Brass does not rust, making it ideal for outdoor applications such as locks and doorknobs. In addition to plumbing and piping, electrical connectors, and aviation, brass can be used for plumbing and piping, electrical connectors, and aircraft.

Due to its resistance to corrosion, brass has a long history of decorative application. In the ancient world, brass containers, housewares, and personal ornaments such as brooches were immensely popular, and now brass buttons, tobacco-boxes, candlesticks, keys, and umbrella stands from the 18th century are highly valued antiques. Brass was historically used for scientific instruments such as astronomy and navigation.

Brass is not magnetic, so you can use a magnet to determine whether the antique brass lamp or bedframe you inherited is solid brass or brass plate. It is likely brass-plated iron if you sense a tug.

Brass resists corrosion and can be used for nautical applications. Naval brass, consisting of 59% copper, 40% zinc, and 1% tin, was created specifically for maritime use.

Brass is most often used for musical instruments, including trumpets, tubas, horns, and trombones, due to its flexibility and acoustic properties. In fact, the quality of sound your horn or trumpet makes is largely determined by the type of brass used for the instrument. Yellow brass, which contains more zinc, produces a lighter sound than gold brass, which contains more copper. Red brass produces a warm tone, but doesn’t project sound as well because it contains less zinc.

Copper C260 is a zinc-alloyed formulation with approximately 30% zinc with less than 1% lead and iron. This grade is sometimes referred to as cartridge brass thanks to its history of use in ammunition cartridges. Other common applications include rivets, hinges, and radiator cores.

Cartridge Brass Properties

Copper C360, also referred to as free-cutting brass, is highly machinable due to the relatively high amount of lead in the alloy. Typical applications include gears, screw machine parts, and valve components.

Free-Cutting Brass Properties