Brass vs Bronze

Brass and Bronze — two ancient metals, famous since ancient times and profoundly influential in human history. While the two metals continue to have a wide range of uses today, many may be unfamiliar with the unique properties and attributes each one has to offer.

Today, we’ll examine both metals, exploring their histories, uses, similarities, and differences. Ultimately, you can better know how best to use both materials for future projects.

At first glance, Bronze and brass share many similarities. Both are alloys based on copper and are frequently similar in color. Beyond these surface-level attributes, however, significant differences emerge.

Brass VS Bronze

The impact of the Bronze on the world is hard to understate–a substantial period in human civilization was directly referred to as “The Bronze Age,” after all. In its earliest uses, the base of Bronze was copper and tin.

Over time, with advances in metallurgical sciences, the container was gradually replaced by other elements, including phosphorus, aluminum, iron, beryllium, lead, silicon, and others. Today, this shift composition is noted by referring to the first phase of bronze production as “tin bronze,” with the move away from tin labeled (logically enough) “tin-less bronze.”

Bronze’s popularity comes from several of its properties.

Bronze is highly durable (more durable than brass, as we’ll explore momentarily). That durability extends to the elements; Bronze is highly resistant to wear from extreme weather, seawater, and much more. It is also considered highly fluid while molten, meaning that it can be easily cast into various complex shapes and forms while it is heating into its liquid form.

This combination of traits can make it ideal for beautiful, long-lasting products that can be equally durable, detailed, artistic, and functional. These same attributes–combined with the ability to modify its coloring by changing its chemical composition–have made it a popular material for jewelry for over a millennium.

A few standard terms will come up frequently in dealing with Bronze, so understanding them will be extremely helpful in better understanding bronze as a material.

Phosphor Bronze: Modern bronzes contain small amounts of phosphorus added during refining. This additional phosphorus gives the alloy increased strength and elasticity.

Roman Bronze: a standard alloy used in sculpture casting in ancient Rome, its resilience and versatility are reflected in the countless pieces of classical roman sculpture still with us today.

Manganese bronze: an alloy composed of 95% copper and 5 % manganese. Also referred to as “Casting Jewelry Bronze,” Manganese bronze is ideal for projects demanding high levels of corrosion resistance and increased overall strength, load bearing, and anti-seizing attributes. These impressive combinations of characteristics have made manganese bronze an appealing choice in industries ranging from aerospace, marine sciences, oil and gas, and many others.

In addition to these, knowing Japanese alloys can also be helpful. Japanese copper-based alloys are constructed using classical compositions. The alloys can produce a range of colors, depending on the ratio of metals combined in the alloy. These alloys generally fall into three primary categories: Shaku-do, Shibu-ichi,, and Kuromi-do. These alloys can also be joined in layers via diffusion called mokume-gane. However, metallic arsenic in the composition of the alloys makes kuromi-do especially dangerous to manufacture.

Brass has several similarities to bronze but also several crucial differences.

Brass, like Bronze, is also a copper alloy. Unlike Bronze, however, it uses zinc as its primary alloy and manganese, lead, nickel, iron, and other materials. First crafted by the Romans, who mixed zinc ore with molten copper, the manufacturing process was later refined in 17th century England, who replaced zinc ore with pure zinc.

Brass, while not as durable as Bronze, is highly resistant to abrasion and corrosion. It also has beautiful, light gold coloring, allowing it to be used as imitation gold. These unique strengths have made brass a common medium for jewelry and other decorative goods throughout the centuries.

To make the most out of brass, it is essential to understand how changes in the composition of its alloys can influence its look and characteristics. Brass is divided into two primary categories: alpha brass, which possesses no more than 35% zinc, and beta brass, whose zinc content exceeds 35%. Each of these two variations has its mechanical characteristics and appearance.

Crucially, each of these classifications, in turn, has a wide range of variations, and each has its unique attributes. Out of these numerous variations, some of the most popular include:

Bath Brass is a type of brass covered by thick silver layers. The end product is most commonly used as tableware.

Naval Brass: A highly specialized form of brass, maritime brass is used in the marine industry to craft fittings, solder rods, and architectural ornaments. Naval brass differs slightly from Roman Brass, which was an antique variation.

Cartridge Brass: Regarding specializations, cartridge brass is used exactly like it sounds–to make cartridge cases.

Muntz Brass: First patented in 1832 by George Muntz, Muntz brass–first designed as a protective layer for the bottom of ships–has gone on to be used for a wide range of functions, including the manufacturing of solder bars, the creation of blanks for stamping, and many other uses. It is also notable for its vibrant yellow color.

Red brass: Red Brass is highly durable and widely used in plumbing. In addition to being a top choice for water pipes, faucets, and valves, it can also be used in jewelry and other applications.

Leaded Brass: As its name implies, Leaded brass combines small percentages of lead with brass to make the end product ideal for mechanical engineering. The change in the material comes primarily from the reduced tendency of leaded brass to chip while reducing tool wear.

Nu-Gold/Jewelers Brass: Known as both Nu-Gold and Jewelers Brass, the alloy has a very similar color to gold, making it an option for imitation gold jewelry and accessories. The composition itself is inspired by an old Victorian combination called “Pinchbeck metal.”

Gilding Metal Brass: Gilding metal brass has a beautiful golden color, which has made it a sought-after material for a wide range of architectural and design uses. Perhaps most crucially, however, where gilding metal brass gets its name is its ability to facilitate the electrolysis process of gilding materials together. By covering an object in gilded metal brass, the thing can then have a layer of gold leaf, powder, or other substances successfully attached to it.

Conclusion

So, now that we’ve gone through a basic overview of each material–which one should you choose for your next jewelry project?

As you’ve read, Bronze has a clear advantage in durability and resistance to elements like salt water and potential environmental wear and tear sources. Also, since Bronze’s components don’t evaporate during casting, Bronze can be used repeatedly–a strength that brass does not share. This reusability can make Bronze a more “eco-friendly” material to work with than brass.

Nevertheless, each project is different, so it can be helpful to get feedback from an expert to see if the particular goals and considerations of your project are better served by Bronze or brass. Here at Royi Sal, our experts are happy to answer any question and work with you step by step as your experienced and reliable jewelry manufacturing partner.