Zinc, Buntmetal, Tombak

[Darrell]

Hi guys,

What is the primary difference between Zinc, Buntmetal and Tombak.

I would guess that Tombak is the most sought after for material choice of badges / medals (and best quality?).

Where does Buntmetal fit into the equation? Is it of lesser quality or value than Tombak but more valued than Zinc?

Was Buntmetal used for a certain timeframe of the war (i.e. early / mid / late)? Or was it specifically used for certain badges or medals exclusively?

Just wondering. Thanks.

[coastie]

Hi guys,

What is the primary difference between Zinc, Buntmetal and Tombak.

I would guess that Tombak is the most sought after for material choice of badges / medals (and best quality?).

Where does Buntmetal fit into the equation? Is it of lesser quality or value than Tombak but more valued than Zinc?

Was Buntmetal used for a certain timeframe of the war (i.e. early / mid / late)? Or was it specifically used for certain badges or medals exclusively?

Just wondering. Thanks.

Looking around some of the other threads Buntmetal and tombak are one of the same with an alloy of copper tin zinc nickel.

[Darrell]

Isn't Buntmetal and Tombak the same?

Charlie,

Good question. I thought I once read that Buntmetal was inferior to Tombak ... but I could have been mistaken.

[Robert P.]

Some of the current dealers use the term 'buntmetal' to describe the material in early Luftwaffe qualification badges, as well as many other early badges such as KVK's, etc.. I always assumed it was the same as tombak.

I have assumed metals such as 'white' metal and 'kriegs' metal to be inferior to tombak and better than zinc.

Robert

[stdub]

Hello Darell,

Buntmetall is a synonym for non-ferroos metal:

Brass (Copper-Zinc-Alloy) <O

Bronze (Copper-Tin-Alloy)

Tombak (Brass with more than 67% copper)
<O</O
So you can say tombak is a better definition.

Zink is a low quality material that was used later

Best wishes</O
<OJoerg</O
<O

[Darrell]

So it appears from the concensous that Tombak and Buntmetal were one of the same, just different names?

[stdub]

Yes, Buntmetall is genus and Tombak is a specification.

So it appears from the concensous that Tombak and Buntmetal were one of the same, just different names?

[coastie]

Yes, Buntmetall is genus and Tombak is a specification.

Really thought buntmetal was the stuff that got kicked around the shop and thrown in the melting pot, oops my bad that's puntmetal the other stuff that kids wear with spikes and ear,nose, lip rings is punkmetal. I better stop now the medication is kicking in.

[Yannis]

Hello Darell,

Buntmetall is a synonym for non-ferroos metal:

Brass (Copper-Zinc-Alloy) <O

Bronze (Copper-Tin-Alloy)

Tombak (Brass with more than 67% copper)
<O</O
So you can say tombak is a better definition.

<O

Thank you for clarifying this, it was a question I always meant to ask (and never did).

How do they differ visually??
Also, is there a difference between Zinc and Finezinc?

All the best
Yannis

[Frank Heukemes]

Tombak is part of the Buntmetall group of metals, Strictly speaking, zinc is as well part of it, but in collector circles it is excluded.
Feinzinc is a more refined, brighter earlier variant of zinc, while zinc was actually darker with a higher lead and "monkey metal" content. Kriegsmetall is another larger group where zinc, pot metal and monkey metal fit in which basically all mean the same thing.

[Tim Miller]

Really thought buntmetal was the stuff that got kicked around the shop and thrown in the melting pot, oops my bad that's puntmetal the other stuff that kids wear with spikes and ear,nose, lip rings is punkmetal. I better stop now the medication is kicking in.

Reproduction stuff would be BUNKmetal/JUNKmetal then?

[Darrell]

Ahhh ... thanks for the clarification. Clear as ... nah won't say it


Ok to summarize ... we now have:

Tombak with is a metal within the Buntmetal group ...

Puntmetal is a shop term used much in the same breath as punkmetal ...

Feinzinc is a more refined, brighter earlier variant of zinc ...

zinc was actually darker with a higher lead and "monkey metal" content ...

Kriegsmetall is another larger group where zinc, pot metal and monkey metal fit in which basically all mean the same thing ...

and finally .............

Reproduction stuff would be BUNKmetal/JUNKmetal

I think I have it

[ANDY BUTKUS]

Finally..

Ahhh ... thanks for the clarification. Clear as ... nah won't say it


Ok to summarize ... we now have:

Tombak with is a metal within the Buntmetal group ...

Puntmetal is a shop term used much in the same breath as punkmetal ...

Feinzinc is a more refined, brighter earlier variant of zinc ...

zinc was actually darker with a higher lead and "monkey metal" content ...

Kriegsmetall is another larger group where zinc, pot metal and monkey metal fit in which basically all mean the same thing ...

and finally .............

Reproduction stuff would be BUNKmetal/JUNKmetal

I think I have it

[Darrell]

Seriously ....

Thanks for the info guys... appreciated

[Yannis]

Seriously ....

Thanks for the info guys... appreciated

Same here. Thanks!

Yannis