Cord prongs

Been pulling the brass prongs from electrical cords, since learning about it. But some have a silvery shine. What are they made of?

I have noticed that also. I think the silvery prongs are brass, maybe with more nickel in the alloy. Just a guess, though.

Just found out today that the collapsible antenna on older radios and stereos are brass too.

zipper pulls and belt buckles are typically aluminum too.

Originally Posted by chrisblackcat

I have noticed that also. I think the silvery prongs are brass, maybe with more nickel in the alloy. Just a guess, though.

They are plated brass just like collapsible antennas and some bullet shells. Just throw them in a seperate bucket as the price will be a little lower than clean brass.


Good luck
Jay

Originally Posted by rca987

Just found out today that the collapsible antenna on older radios and stereos are brass too.

zipper pulls and belt buckles are typically aluminum too.

I put every small and extension type antenna in with the yellow brass. I'm not talking large roof antenna.

I don't think I've ever seen an aluminum zipper pull or belt buckle, but I've seen lots of brass ones. If you scratch them and the scratch shows a silver color, it's probably die cast, not aluminum. AL is too soft a metal for those uses. Still, any zipper, I'd think brass.

Originally Posted by jaskelkyz

They are plated brass just like collapsible antennas and some bullet shells. Just throw them in a seperate bucket as the price will be a little lower than clean brass.


Good luck
Jay

My yard takes it all the same. I asked them one day about the nickel plated brass keys, and they said just throw them in with all the other brass. I dont pull the brass prongs, I just clip them off. I have gotten a few of the plated ones also, and just put them in with the other brass. Check with your yard and use the example of the plated brass keys if they are unsure of what you are talking about.

Yard takes them as brass same as when you have a crome plated sink faucet...

I've noticed some with a black section in the middle. Haven't checked what it is yet. I'm just starting to collect them. Guessing it's that ceramic stuff that takes to a magnet (ferrite?) or maybe just a plastic cover?

Originally Posted by rca987

Just found out today that the collapsible antenna on older radios and stereos are brass too.

zipper pulls and belt buckles are typically aluminum too.

Ah geez, I thought those were aluminum

Most zipper pulls are die cast zinc. They are frequently plated with brass though.

Yea I wouldn't do it but I"ve seen people do stuff like that. I do tend to pick up any peice of non ferrous metal I see when I'm walking across a parking lot. I guess that's how I end up with tire weights in the dryer.

I can't speak for everyone but I try to maximize my scrapping to the full extent. I don't do it full-time so I'm not in a time crunch but pulling prongs seems like a logical thing to do to me. I save nuts and bolts as well. Metal is metal to me. I saw a video on YouTube once about a guy scrapping a TV. He said he threw all the screws and nuts and bolts and stuff into the trash. Blows my mind. Just like people throwing away aluminum cans. Do people really like throwing money away? Because that's what it boils down to. Cans, zippers, cord prongs = money! It all adds up. And yes I take the time to pick up pennies from the parking lot...

if you take the time to pick up a penny then you need to pick up the alum can it is worth 2 cents!!!

Haha, good point! That reminds me of my childhood. My younger brother and I would walk down the gravel roads in Missouri with my mom and pick up cans. My dad would follow behind us in our '72 F-100 and pick up the bags. I recently took my wife to do the same thing and she had more fun than I thought she would. She grew up in an upper class family so had never done anything like that before.

I have been pulling all the prongs off the cords befor I cut em. IDK just seemed so easy, seemed like the logical thang to do for me.

Originally Posted by Kris Kringle

yeah that is about as bad as having a Thread about cord prongs. I mean is it Really that Bad out there?

I guess it would be the same as a thread about flushing money down a toilet.