brass question

[Salkehatchie]

OK.  Years ago someone on this great forum informed me of the difference in brass for items like butt plates and the like compared to run of the mill material and its workability.

Well, lately...I have noticed no matter where I get my 3/32" and 1/8" brass rod that when I use it for pins and grind it down flush in the countersinks...that it has a faint coppery look to it?

What's up with that?!

As always, thank you in advance.

[rich pierce]

You might need to make pins from sheet stock that you're using for inlays or whatever.

[JCKelly]

Any chance that the guy who sold you the brass rod had a name or number or specification for it?
Like, common designation C260 is cartrige brass, 70% copper 30% nickel. About the same as the sheet brass you use for inlays, patchboxes, thimbles.

Brass rod, huh? It wouldn't by any chance be brazing rod, now would it?  If so, that would be a different chemistry, so a slightly different color, than the 70Copper 30Zinc you are using for brass inlays.

Maybe buy your rod somewhere where you can indeed get C260 (UNS C26o00 brass)

[LynnC]

JCK, I thought cartridge brass was 70% copper & 30% zinc? I could be wrong 

Rich has good advise if you don't want the pins showing 

[JCKelly]

Brain ?
Yes, cartridge brass is 70% copper 30% zinc.
Sorry.

[kutter]

Just a different alloy perhaps. I use brazing rod all the time and haven't noticed any copper color. But then there's probably a gazillion different alloys of brazing rod too.

I think aqua fortis stain if mixed or used (neutralized?) incorrectly will slowly leach the zinc out of brass leaving the edges of inlayed brass with the copper color and the halo of white zinc in the surrounding wood.
Probably not involved here but maybe worth the mention.

You mentioned 'grinding' the pins. Perhaps the high surface heat involved if they are indeed ground on a wheel.
I know that brazed joints that go through case hardening will sometimes loose their zinc from the surface of the braze and show as copper. I'm guessing from the high heat.
Again maybe not something related here but I'm always up for guessing!

[PicklockPat]

 You could match your inlay material, I'm assuming sheet brass) with the same alloy pinstock.
 Knifemaking.com has brass sheet and pinstock (in 12" lengths) both 260 Brass.
 Again I am not affilated with this source other than as a cuatomer.  PLP