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What makes some brass magnetic?
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I have been collecting brass from thrift stores, and always check it with a magnet. I can easily tell brass plated items from solid brass this way. However, some items, although marked "Made in India" as much brass is, and looking just like solid brass, show a very _slight_ attraction to a magnet. Is there an alloy of brass that contains iron?
Dave BlanchardHobbyist - Portland, Oregon, USA
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Brass is non magnetic.
The items you have bought are probably brass plated mild steel. It is quite common.
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Geoff Smith Hampshire, England |
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Iron melts at 1538oC. Bronze under 1000oC depending on its alloy. So, iron is not considered an alloy for any bronze but rahter a contamination, in my opinion, not enough to attract a magnet... unless it is added intentionally for cost reduction purposes.
Guillermo Marrufo-Mexico
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
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Geoff is right, there is loads of brass plated steel goods around, so beware.
There won't be enough Iron (if any) in brass (which is a copper/zinc alloy) to be magnetic, but in what we in the UK call Nickel Aluminium Bronze (might also be called Aluminium Bronze) there is about 4.5% each of Iron and Nickel; this makes it a bit magnetic.
It is however unlikely that your brass items are of this more specialised high strength alloy.
Regards
Ship Repair - Plymouth, UK
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There's also a possibility that some
steel wool [linked by editor to product info at Rockler], filings, powder or wire was added in the mold before pouring the bronze. That would make it somewhat magnetic and less expensive to produce.
G. Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico