German silver/nickel brass wood screws

Dusty_Traveler · Sep 12, 2024

Does anyone have a source for german silver wood screws? Slotted oval head type.

Is german silver/nickel brass the same thing as nickel plated brass?

The trigger guard is german silver and I'd like the screws to somewhat color match.

Thank you!!

LRB · Sep 17, 2024

German/nickel silver is a solid alloy. Plated is a thin coating over another metal. I don't know any source of nickel plated screws. Original gun screws would be of solid iron/steel. Early gun makers considered anything else would not be strong enough to trust. You could use stainless steel screws if you must have a close match. You may have to polish the heads.

Rifleman1776 · Sep 17, 2024

There is a fellow in my area that can make them for you. Be prepared for a heart stopping cost. As an alternative you might consider stainless steel. Appearance would be almost identical as the german silver.

Dusty_Traveler · Sep 17, 2024

LRB said:
German/nickel silver is a solid alloy. Plated is a thin coating over another metal. I don't know any source of nickel plated screws. Original gun screws would be of solid iron/steel. Early gun makers considered anything else would not be strong enough to trust. You could use stainless steel screws if you must have a close match. You may have to polish the heads.

Thank you!

After some searching, I can find plenty of nickel plated brass screws, but no alloy screws. I’m just going to settle for brass. The rest of the screws are brass anyway. This one is German silver to match the trigger guard. It’s just a cosmetic screw really, not providing any structural integrity.

The other odd thing is that the screw was number 5 from the threads up and number 8 from the threads down.

I’ll be filing and fitting the brass #8 into what I need. I will definitely post pics

I got the screws from blacksmith bolt and rivet supply (I think) in Portland OR.

LRB · Sep 17, 2024

Dusty_Traveler said:
Thank you!

After some searching, I can find plenty of nickel plated brass screws, but no alloy screws. I’m just going to settle for brass. The rest of the screws are brass anyway. This one is German silver to match the trigger guard. It’s just a cosmetic screw really, not providing any structural integrity.

The other odd thing is that the screw was number 5 from the threads up and number 8 from the threads down.

I’ll be filing and fitting the brass #8 into what I need. I will definitely post pics

I got the screws from blacksmith bolt and rivet supply (I think) in Portland OR.

Good enough, but if PC/HC could ever be a concern you would need steel with the heads cold blued, heat blued or browned.

Dusty_Traveler · Sep 17, 2024

LRB said:
Good enough, but if PC/HC could ever be a concern you would need steel with the heads cold blued, heat blued or browned.

This is for a mid 1800’s Nicanor Kendall underhammer rifle. I have the original screw, but half of the head is broken off. I removed the broken screw, and upon further inspection, it is for sure an unclad alloy.

I say ‘original’ screw….who knows what has been changed over the years…

If the original would have been blued steel, that’s what it needs to be replaced with. I will look for some steel screws also.

Thank you @LRB.

Dusty_Traveler · Sep 17, 2024

These three small wood screws are all that hold the trigger guard on. The front of the guard is made like a hooked breech. The thru-the-wrist tang screw is accessed when the trigger guard is removed.

@LRB can you tell anything about the era of the screw?

LRB · Sep 17, 2024

Dusty_Traveler said:
View attachment 349174
These three small wood screws are all that hold the trigger guard on. The front of the guard is made like a hooked breech. The thru-the-wrist tang screw is accessed when the trigger guard is removed.
View attachment 349177 View attachment 349178
@LRB can you tell anything about the era of the screw?

Not really, but the seemingly filed off machine/metal threads would indicate to me that the screw is probably a later date home replacement, just to keep everything going.

Rebel bull · Sep 18, 2024

true german silver is a softer color the nickle silver that you get from commercial companies (track etc......) is almost the color and shine of chrome plating and in my opinion has no place on a muzzleloader

German silver/nickel brass wood screws

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