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What brass actually is
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. The more copper it contains, the redder it looks and the more it is worth. Because copper is the expensive part, a brass buyer is really pricing how much copper is in the piece and how easy it is to melt cleanly.
That is why brass is never one price. Two bags of "brass" can be worth very different amounts depending on the grade, how clean it is and what is stuck to it.
How to tell brass apart from other metals
| Check | Brass | Copper | Steel | Aluminium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colour after scratching | Yellow to golden | Reddish-orange | Grey | Silver-white |
| Magnet | Does not stick | Does not stick | Sticks | Does not stick |
| Weight in the hand | Heavy | Heavy | Heavy | Light |
| Common items | Taps, valves, fittings, keys, cartridges | Wire, pipe, windings | Bolts, sheet, angles | Utensils, frames, sheet |
A magnet and a file solve most doubts. File through any plating or dirt and look at the fresh metal. Chrome-plated taps often hide brass underneath.
The grades a buyer looks for
- Yellow brass. The most common grade: taps, valves, plumbing fittings, keys and decorative items. Clean, solid pieces with no steel attached.
- Red brass. Higher copper content, so a deeper red-gold colour. Found in some heavy valves, pump parts and older fittings. Usually worth more than yellow brass.
- Brass turnings and swarf. Fine chips from lathes and machining. Priced lower than solid brass because they oxidise, carry oil and are harder to melt with good yield.
- Mixed or attached brass. Brass with steel screws, plastic handles, rubber washers or iron parts still fitted. Paid at a deduction until it is cleaned.
Exact names and grade boundaries vary from buyer to buyer, so ask what grades your buyer separates before you sort.
What lowers the rate
Steel attachments. A steel screw inside a brass valve is contamination at the furnace. The buyer either pays someone to remove it or discounts the whole lot.
Oil and coolant on turnings. Oily turnings smoke and lose weight when melted. Drained, dry turnings get a noticeably better rate than wet ones.
Plating, paint and plastic. Chrome plating is a small deduction. Thick paint, plastic handles and rubber parts are larger ones.
Mixing grades. Red brass thrown into yellow brass is paid as yellow brass. The difference is simply lost.
How to prepare brass for sale
- Separate brass from copper, aluminium and steel with a magnet and a scratch test.
- Keep red and yellow brass apart if you have enough of each to matter.
- Remove steel screws, plastic handles and rubber washers. A screwdriver and ten minutes often lift the grade of a whole bag.
- Drain turnings. Let oily swarf drip in a mesh basket before bagging it.
- Keep turnings separate from solid pieces.
- Store indoors and dry, in clearly labelled bags.
See also: Ferrous vs non-ferrous: telling them apart and How scrap dealers arrive at a price.
How we buy brass. We file and check pieces in front of you, tell you which grade we are paying and why, and show you any steel or plastic that is pulling the rate down so you can remove it next time.
Have brass to sell?
Send photographs of the brass, a close-up of a scratched or cut surface, and a rough weight. We buy across Thiruvallur and nearby towns.