Brass Kick Plate?

[Jeff Durnell]

You know those brass kick plates used on the bottoms of doors? I know some are just plated steel, but some claim to be solid brass. Can they be used for inlays and/or engraving if they're solid brass?  Has anyone here used it? I think they can come in different thicknesses, .050 being the average? And I'm guessing they wear a coating that would need sanded off. Just wondering. I have a lot of practicing to do

[rich pierce]

Old ones can be real brass. But realistically new brass plate in day 0.040 thickness is inexpensive practice plate. Plus you can still use the other side for actual parts.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

My door kick plate is .040" thick, and has a lacquer finish on one side...comes off with abrasive cloth/paper.  Wondful stuff for inlays, patchboxes, you name it.

[SingleMalt]

That was Bill Brockway's source of sheet brass.

[45-110]

i salvaged several old kick plates years ago. they are a blessing to have in stock for making all kinds of things. check with a magnet when in doubt for plating.
kw

[n stephenson]

I have picked up a few of them over the years , as stated , they work good for a lot of things. I do like to find the older ones. Nate

[Hungry Horse]

Don’t stop there, push plates are usually heavier than kick plates, and old schools, and public buildings had plenty of them. Old government buildings, and some others I suspect had brass thresholds that make great tradegun buttplates, as well as musket buttplates, and heavy sideplates.
 As you can probably tell I love forming parts from recycled stuff.

  Hungry Horse

[WKevinD]

I used to have a few, when I worked for a glass shop. We replaced a lot of old doors with aluminum/glass and I salvaged all the kick plates and push-pads. I took some to a local sheet metal shop and had them sheared to 1 1/4", 2" & 4" . Once annealed they work great. Careful some are plated steel and some are bronze.
Kevin

[jdm]

I have a buddy who practiced his engraving on a snow shovel . He had the fanciest snow shovel in town.

[Hungry Horse]

A friend of mine practiced his engraving on his vintage aluminum hard hat. By the time he got the hard hat covered he was good enough to tackle the brass action of his Mowrey Allen& Thurber replica. It turned out so good that he sold it at a Rendezvous and bought a custom flint longrifle.

  Hungry Horse

[Jeff Durnell]

Kevin, are you saying that I would need to anneal a solid brass kick plate prior to engraving it? If so, can you tell me how?

[WKevinD]

Jeff,
Not sure if you would need to or want to anneal for engraving (an accomplished engraver can answer here) I anneal if I am forming thimbles, patchboxes, inlays. I heat with propane till dull red and quench in water, if it's brass sheet it should be dead soft and form nicely. Keep in mind that hammering to shape or repeated bending it will eventually "work harden" the brass.
Cast brass (push plates) are another story.
Kevin