Metal finishers helping each other -- No cost, No registration, No damn popups
(we earn from 'affiliate link' purchases, making the site possible)

Curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET

finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry

  The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing 1989-2025

Thread 254/57

How to tell if gold plated parts are brass vs. steel

Is it true that a gold plated brass component with nickel undercoat can be attracted by a magnet? If so, how can I distinguish between a gold plated steel component and a gold plated brass component with a nickel undercoat using visual methods (e.g. by using a magnet)?

Ong Tze Chen
Logistics - Singapore
2003
publicly reply to Ong Tze Chen

Weigh them. Brass is heavier than steel.

Jim Treglio - scwineryreview.com
PVD Consultant & Wine Lover
San Diego, California
publicly reply to Jim Treglio

The underplate of nickel on brass is so very thin and the nickel itself is so weakly magnetic that the force will be almost impossible to observe or measure by conventional means. So, if there is an evident attraction, it most surely comes from a magnetic solid metal under the gold such as iron or steel.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
publicly reply to Guillermo Marrufo

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: