- Brass (67% Copper and 33% Zinc)
Gilding metal So called through being able to be easily gilded, is defined in the 1900 Dress Regulations as “eight parts of copper to one part of zinc.” (86,7% Copper, 13,3% Zinc By weight, Royal Army Clothing Department Pattern No. 4480/1897) A brass alloy therefore, but now containing a higher portion of copper than zinc to those previously made.
White-metal or German silver, sometimes referred to as nickel-silver (64,5% Copper, 16,5% Zinc, 19,0% Nickel by weight, Royal Army Clothing Department Pattern No. 4481/1897)
I'm definately no metallurgist, but it would seem to me that white metal with its nickel content would be harder than brass or gilding metal. So those softer brass badges would be easier to manufacture than white metal ones.
fougasse1940.
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