Bronze, Brass, Nickel Silver and Copper Base Metals

by Judy Ellis

Many of us have turned to base metal wires when precious metal prices soured. So what are base metals, anyway?

What are Base Metals?

A base metal oxidizes or corrodes easily. It reacts with hydrochloric acid to form hydrogen.

This group includes iron, lead, nickel, copper, and zinc. (Fun fact: copper doesn't create hydrogen.)

Ancient alchemists coined "base" to contrast these with noble metals like gold and silver.

Today, U.S. Customs defines base metals as iron, steel, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, aluminum, tin, titanium, and others. Everything except gold, silver, and platinum.

COPPER

Fun fact: Copper has been mined for over 10,000 years. Yet, more than 95% of all copper ever produced came after 1900.

About 80% of that copper is still in use today, in structures or via recycling. (Copper recycles indefinitely without quality loss.)

Copper is soft, rating 2.5-3 on the Mohs scale.

It makes great practice wire. Wrap a cabochon without tool marks, and you're doing excellent work!

Its symbol Cu comes from cuprum (cyprium), linked to Cyprus, the Roman source.

Oxidized copper forms verdigris, the green coating that colors malachite, azurite, and turquoise.

In wire jewelry, copper is affordable and forgiving.

Experiment freely, recycle scraps, and keep costs low. (It's still cheaper than silver!)

Major sources include Utah, New Mexico, Chile, Indonesia, and Peru.

Sweden's Great Copper Mountain ran over 1,000 years (900s to 1992). It supplied two-thirds of Europe's copper in the 1600s and backed a "Copper Standard" currency.

RECYCLED COPPER

You don't need to smelt copper to recycle it. Reuse wire from house wiring or appliances.

Can you turn stripped electrical wire into jewelry? Yes, but keep these points in mind.

Electrical wire is always round. Thick cables hold dozens of fine 30-gauge strands or several large ones.

For square or half-round wire, or precise sizes, buy jewelry-grade copper.

Electrical copper is 99% pure, like jewelry wire. It's for conductivity, not looks. No solid evidence of lead risk from old coverings.

Practical considerations:

Temper: Usually dead soft and pliable. Work-harden it to prevent bending.

Surface: Expect dirt, burn marks, or rough spots. Clean with steel wool.

Stripping: Remove insulation slowly to avoid nicks or kinks.

Recycling works, but takes effort. I'd try a truckload too!

NICKLE SILVER

Nickel silver, also called German silver, Albata, New Silver, or Alpaca, is an alloy of nickel, zinc, and copper.

It looks like silver but contains none. It mimics silver's shine at lower cost. Explain this to customers.

German metalworkers developed it in the 19th century to copy Chinese paktong.

Europeans matched the formula by 1823.

It became popular for electroplated nickel silver (EPNS) silverware.

When coating wears off, the base shines brighter and resists tarnish.

Uses include keys, zippers, instruments, frets, coins, and model trains.

Native American tribes like Kiowa and Pawnee used it.

It resembles silver with a faint golden tint.

Highly tarnish-resistant, it darkens slightly over time.

It doesn't react to liver of sulfur like sterling or copper.

Perfect for chainmaille jewelry.

Imagine polishing an entire chainmail garment!

A NOTE ABOUT ALUMINUM

Aluminum can look like silver but loses shine and dulls.

Some use lightweight, inexpensive aluminum jump rings in chainmaille.

For bundle bracelets, cabochon pendants, and prong rings, it's too soft. It won't stay in place or work-harden easily.

We provide the top base metals: brass, copper, and nickel silver.

Choose the gauges and shapes wire artists love.

Happy jewelry making!

BRONZE AND BRASS

Bronze and brass are both copper alloys.

The copper amount and other metals determine color and properties.

Many see no need to distinguish them. Museums often call artifacts "copper alloy" due to varying historical content.

In jewelry, traditional terms matter.

Coin collecting also distinguishes them.

Bronze has a warm, tan gold color. It develops a brownish patina.

Brass is vibrant. Tarnish creates green verdigris like on copper statues.

Bronze suits Steampunk and Victorian styles with patina.

Brass replaces gold in many stores.

BRASS

Brass is a copper-zinc alloy stronger than copper, but not as strong as steel.

Lead or tin may be added for workability.

By 300 AD, Germany and the Netherlands led production. By 1852, brass cartridges enabled automatic weapons.

Brass comes in yellow and red varieties.

Red brass (85% copper, 15% zinc) has a warm reddish color between bronze and traditional brass.

Yellow brass (67% copper, 33% zinc) offers bright, fluorescent yellow used as gold substitute.

Spot it in door hinges; it's shinier than red brass.

Lacquer protects household brass like taps and lamps.

Clean with polish and light buffing. Avoid abrasives.

Use silver or copper jewelry methods like wax, sealants, or sprays.

BRONZE

Bronze is a copper-tin alloy, typically 88% copper to 12% tin. It may include manganese, silicon, aluminum, or phosphorus.

Early bronze used arsenic, later replaced by nontoxic tin.

Bronze is hard yet brittle. It formed weapons, tools, and armor from 3000 BC. (Bronze swords stabbed more than sliced.)

The Iron Age ended the Bronze Age. Wrought iron was weaker but cheaper, so it replaced bronze.

Tin scarcity helped bronze fade. (Iron led to steel.)

ORMOLU AND DORE

Gold over silver is vermeil (gold vermeil).

Gold over bronze is ormolu (gilt bronze).

Gold over brass is doré (gilt brass).

This effect is rare today. It required mercury.

France outlawed mercury-firing in the 19th century due to health risks.

Some places continued until 1960.

It was popular for jewelry, chandeliers, clocks, candelabras, ceramics, and sculptures in Rococo, Neoclassical Europe, and some Chinese areas.

The Titanic's Grand Staircase had ormolu, recalling Louis XIV style.

Gold didn't tarnish as metal weathered. It contrasted raw bronze (like gilded hair on sculptures).

To care for gilded brass, bronze, or vermeil, avoid polishing cloths.

Wash with mild soap and water.

Bronze, Brass, Nickel Silver and Copper Base Metals

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