Copper, Brass, and Bronze

Copper, Brass, and Bronze are often hard to tell apart.

Copper is a metal that is bright orange in color, very shiny and quite soft. It is commonly used to make wires that conduct electricity in electric cables.

When copper is mixed with the metal tin, another elemental metal, an alloy is formed called bronze. This is much harder than either constituent metal and bronze has been used for thousands of years to make tools. The time period when people first started using bronze tools is now actually called the 'bronze age'. Bronze has a lovely deep orange brown color and is often used for sculptures and statues.

Copper can also be mixed with zinc to form another alloy – brass. Brass is again stronger than either of its constituent metals. It is very resistant to corrosion and is a good conductor of electricity. It is often used to make brass musical instruments because it is resistant to corrosion by saliva from the player's mouths.

1. Color
Copper, Brass, and bronze all have a slightly different color and sheen to them. Copper contains a brown, somewhat rustic finish to it. Brass has a lighter finish, and is contains a very bright sheen. It is very comparable to the color gold. Bronze has a much darker finish, and does not contain much of a sheen to it.

2. Alloys
Copper is true in itself. Copper is pure, and is not made of any alloys. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. The copper in brass can be used and varied to create many different types of brass. Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. Copper is the main used, and can be mixed with other materials to create other types of bronze as well.

3. Magnetic
When looking and testing to see which material is which you may be able to tell with a simple heavy duty magnet. Copper is in no way magnetic. Using even the strongest of magnets on copper, it will not attract. Brass is magnetic to a small extent. If you take a very heavy duty magnet, and hold close to a brass object, chances are the object will attract to the magnet. Bronze is in no way magnetic, just like copper. The only material out of those three is brass, which will only attract to a heavy magnet.

4. Durability
Copper is durable, as well as flexible. Copper at its true state is very hard to crack or break. You can bend copper, stretch it, and shape it into anything you want without cracking or damaging it. Brass is strong, however not as durable. Brass is susceptible to corrosion cracking. It is not as strong or durable as copper, and is not flexible at all in comparison to copper. Bronze is tough, and durable. Although bronze is not easily flexed in any situation, it does withstand water, which in turn is resistant to corrosion.

5. Uses
Copper is used for many things. The most common objects you will see copper present in are wiring and plumbing materials. This is because it is a great conductor, and has been used for years upon years in construction of many types. Brass is used in many of our household accessories. Our locks, doorknobs, gears, etc. are mainly made out of brass. You will also see brass used and some electrical and plumbing materials as well. Bronze is used in many ship and boat parts and gears. This is because as stated before bronze will withstand water, so it can stand up to just about anything.

Brass Cleaning Hints

If your brass is simply dirty, then cleaning using nothing more than soapy hot water and a child’s toothbrush is recommended, this can be used very gently even on those pieces that have fine etchings and decoration. If the piece is only lightly tarnished, then a silver polishing cloth can be used to remove the tarnish. If however there is severe tarnishing then a brass and copper polish should be used to gently remove the tarnish and restore the original beauty.

Whenever you are cleaning brassware it is essential that you dry the piece thoroughly after washing, making sure that great care is taken to remove any cleaning materials that you have used. Residue from cleaning materials can cause pitting of the brass and this should be avoided at all costs as it distracts from the beauty of the antique.

When done correctly a piece of cleaned brass won’t need touching again for several years if it is handled correctly, you should avoid touching the actual item and instead use a cloth to hold and the place the item into place, touching it will only start the tarnishing process over again. The only thing you should need to do on a regular basis is to give the piece a quick dust over to ensure that its shine remains.