War Merit Cross
Hi Dietrich,
OK I think I have got it now. You are saying that tombac is in fact specific as a brass alloy where as Buntmetall is not. But the amounts of other metals in tombac e.g. zinc, copper, tin, even lead or arsenic do vary though don't they? They are not constant amounts are they? Or is tombac specifically 80% copper and 20% zinc - give or take a percent or two - and that's what tombac is with those percentages? I know little about medals and awards I am sorry to say, but the reason I mention this is because over the years I have seen (not owned) dozens and dozens of War Merit Crosses and they were a great variety of colours from almost gold through brassy and bronze colour to dull grey through to silver. I just assumed that these colours were the result of the various percentages of the different metals comprising the medal sometimes with or without a gold or silver wash. If tombac has a specific percentage of copper and zinc then the colour of the medal should be fairly constant (discounting the silver or gold wash) shouldn't they? Is that correct?
Terry.
Hi Dietrich,
OK I think I have got it now. You are saying that tombac is in fact specific as a brass alloy where as Buntmetall is not. But the amounts of other metals in tombac e.g. zinc, copper, tin, even lead or arsenic do vary though don't they? They are not constant amounts are they? Or is tombac specifically 80% copper and 20% zinc - give or take a percent or two - and that's what tombac is with those percentages? I know little about medals and awards I am sorry to say, but the reason I mention this is because over the years I have seen (not owned) dozens and dozens of War Merit Crosses and they were a great variety of colours from almost gold through brassy and bronze colour to dull grey through to silver. I just assumed that these colours were the result of the various percentages of the different metals comprising the medal sometimes with or without a gold or silver wash. If tombac has a specific percentage of copper and zinc then the colour of the medal should be fairly constant (discounting the silver or gold wash) shouldn't they? Is that correct?
Terry.
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