Too hard brass?

[Ohio Rusty]

I acquired a free solid brass door kick plate like you see on the bottom of doors to protect the wood from the abuse of two wheeled carts. It is fairly thick and I thought it would make good rifle parts and inlays when cut up. HOLY GOODNESS !! You can't even get a hacksaw to cut thru this brass sheet. I thought brass was soft ??? This sheet is almost impossible. Can I soften this sheet without discoloring it so i can work with it?
Ohio Rusty

 

[Roy]

A hacksaw blade needs to be darn near new to cut through brass. If not its slick as snot and the blade will not cut it. If you have used the hacksaw on steel it may allready be too dull for brass. To anneal brass all you need to do is heat it to a dull red and quinch it in water and that will soften it. When hammering brass its good to anneal it often to keep it from becoming too brittle and cracking.

 

[rich pierce]

Hope it's not bronze, which skitters a hacksaw blade pretty well.

 

[Roy]

If you can find them the old kick plates are great, the new ones are really too thin too make anything. Anyway I never found one made from bronze...yet that is. :v

 

[mckutzy]

ya that brass is not anealed. they do that so it will resist dents and abraision.

 

[J.D.]

TRy using a new blade, as mentioned. Also, lubricate the saw blade with break free CLP.

The saw will go through that brass like a hot knife thru butter.

One last tip, turn the blade so that it cuts on the back stroke, as you pull the saw to you. You will have much better control over your cuts.
J.D.

 

[LRB]

Many kick plates are of a brass alloy that is quite hard, and does not anneal very well. I was given two a couple years back, and gave up trying to work with them. When I have time I make brass oilers. I have no problem forming brass sheet from ACE hardware, but the kick plate brass would not form even after annealing multiple times, and it was the same thickness I normally use. Save it for some project that it may work for.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Sounds like those kick plates are more bronze then brass, Wicke.

 

[LRB]

Could be Paul, but they are a nice yellow in color. Don't know if that matters, but after several attempts at annealing, they seemed as hard as before.

 

[dlemaster]

I talked with our door repair shop here on campus yesterday after reading some of this. They confimed the brass kick plates are now made of a tough alloy to resist damage. I did get some copper roof sheeting from our roofers a few years ago, this stuff works like soft butter. I have made several items from it. The biggest hit were small oil bottles or cans and a few small containers to hang from a pouch strap for carrying pan priming.

Regards, Dave

 

[BlackNet]

get a MAPP torch and heat it up cherry red then dunk it in water.

Ed

 

[LRB]

That doesn't work with this particular alloy, Ed. It still comes out hard.

 

[BlackNet]

what's it mixed with?

Ed

 

[LRB]

I have no idea, but I tried water quench, and air cooling, but it seemed near as hard as before. Regular brass, same thickness, will bend and form around a jig I made for oilers, But this stuff will not even try. Years ago, a friend gave me some brass artillery casings, he was Navy, and they were much the same. Very little could be done with them.

 

[BlackNet]

quenching yes however what is the color temp your taking it to? THAT is what really matters. when you heat any metal you are changing the atomic structure. With copper based products (i.e. brass) they will weaken when you heat to medium to light cherry red.

I am assuming this is solid stuff and not plated stuff.

Ed

 

[renovato]

Dave, could you post a few pictures of the oilers please? I enjoy projects like that and would like to get an idea what they look like so I have an idea where to start. Thanks.

 

[Wanders]

I picked up a roll of roofing copper at the curbside mall and have been using it to line the inside of chest lids. It seals them nicely and it's an attractive look.
Bill