Help with Identifying Metals

[rustyattic]

I've been picking up a lot of hardware lately.  Do you guys have any tips for determining between brass/bronze or any other common metals?  I know about testing with magnets.  But it's hard to differentiate the shade of metal, especially with tarnish.

Here's some stuff that's not magnetic, I'm guessing it's all brass.

[cogar]

Copper is very soft and has a “reddish” gold color and is easily bent, scratched, dented or eroded away due to friction caused by rubbing against another object.

Brass is a mixture of copper and zinc, is quite hard and has a “yellowish” gold color. 

Zinc is a “silver” colored metal.

See following photo.
 
All cabinet, door and/or house hardware is either made from “cast” brass (thick) or via “stamped” brass (thin) because of its durability. 

Thus said, your photos #1 and #4 are “cast” brass items and photos #2 and #3 are “stamped” brass items.
 


Source link of photo:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass

[rustyattic]

Are most non-magnetic handles/pulls brass?  These 2 are solid and heavy, non-magnetic.  Are they likely brass or another metal?

[rustyattic]

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[mart]

Most all door, drawer ect hardware are brass !! Very rarely will you find bronze !! To tell the difference just get a nail, knife ect and scratch the back !! Like Cogar said brass will be a yellow gold color,, bronze will be a darker red-umber,, copper a brighter red !!  Exact color will depend on the mixture used,, can be lighter or darker,, they are not all exact same tone !!  Some brasses are a bit darker than others !!  Its easy after you look at enough of it !!

[bigwull]

an just to confuse you a little bit more....phosphorus-bronze.....when scratched is a dark yellow....