What is this?? - Page 2

This is an easier test. Smack it with a heavy hammer. If it's brass it will dent, if it's cast it will break. Forget the spark tests, this is quick and easy. By looking at it, like others have said it is not brass. The grainy texture is indicative of cast.

Man you guys are great!!! Amazing how willing you all are to help. Gunna put it in with the die cast pile for now and ask the yard on Friday.

you aren't going to hit it with a hammer ??? You just want to keep us in suspence don't you ?? lol

Well, I hit it with a hammer (just for you dee, LOL) and it did not break but it dented. Now I would think it may be brass but the underlying color is silver. Man this thing is frustrating me. I have it loaded in the truck and will find out tomorrow. I am going to a bigger yard that pays better for non farrous so hopefully they will have a gun and be straight with me on what it is. I'll let you guys know what it is as soon as I find out. Again, thanks all!!!

we're all waiting with baited breath !!

Well, they said it was die cast. They didn't get out the gun and check it so I am still not convinced. They were extremely busy at the time I went in so I didn't press the issue. Would have believed it if the darn thing hadn't dented when I hit with the hammer!! Oh well trip turned out ok with a pretty good payout. (copper, alum, brass, breakage,batteries, stainless, and oh ya DIE CAST. $413.45)

Thanks alot for all the help folks!!

that's a nice payday worley...too bad they were so busy.

Mick....I wish I had said that!!! lol I googled the heck out of die cast and pot metal....but, dang, sometimes, I'm amazed at how just a few words paint a better picture than Wikapedia for us "slow" folks !!! thanks again

I sure will. I should have been a little more to the point and had them make for sure what it was. Busy or not they should be willing since it is us that keeps them going. Is the price paid for die cast so low because it could be a mixture of any type metal. This particular yard pays .10/lb for die cast.

sounds like they paid him shred price doesn't it ??? Oh well, can't get it back now....but we can all learn not to let something "questionable" like that go without taking it to the sup. or mgr or somebody who knows what they're doing !!

In August I got .15 for diecast. Before that was .10 a lb. Most ever was .20 Die cast by me is zinc...

Ok I understand that there is no metal that is die cast but how would they know, or better yet I know, what the predominate metal is?

It looks like a part of an antique firelplace aniron. It appears as brass to me

I took in some broken lamps yesterday and that looks to be the same material they were. It was white, non-magnetic metal, it didn't spark and dented when I smacked it with a hammer. They also had a brass finish. Was told they were diecast zinc and paid $0.40/lb.

I've also had some cast brass items that had that same rough speckled look inside the bass, so you do need to hit those things with a grinder to be sure it's not yellow inside before you take them in as a cheaper metal.

I also vote for cast brass, should still fetch brass price.

I'll still stand by my original guess, based on the discoloring around the top part. Aw well, never know for sure,,,Guess I'll have a beer and meditate on it,,,