French dress bayonet frog

[Sleepwalker]

Hello,

A copper-plated brass core can be natural. Makes sense for reasons of sustainability.
But ultimately it doesn't matter in terms of the visible color. Copper was specified as the color.
The copper look is clearly visible in this piece.


To add: The gendamerie version is available here in nickel silver.


ceinturon et porte baionnette gendarmerie blanc en buffle WWI | eBay


Regards

[Sleepwalker]

Nickel silver can also have a yellow tinge.

[AndyB]

Dont believe this, but explanation would be the nickel version coat, maybe the black surface is remains of nickeling which was wrong way added or chemically detetoriated as nickel or chrome surface is deposed on brass per middlelayer of copper, its visible on water battery faucets. When You will add chrome or nickel surface on brass that it will hold mechanical rubbing, You must add a copper base layer on brass and then You could add a nickel or chrome finish.

[Kilian]

I indeed did find three more pictures of details of the metal fittings on my laptop. I'll need to have a closer look under a microscope to try and confirm if there's red copper over the yellow brass and what the black stuff is.

[Sleepwalker]

Hello,

thanks for the pictures. This is clearly copper or copper-plated. It also corresponds to the regulation.

Regards

[Sleepwalker]

Hello,

Metal objects have been simply copper-plated for a long time.

An example. It doesn't belong here, but it shows copper plating.
NVA belt lock. Copper plated.

[Sleepwalker]

Why should the surface be nickel-plated? The prescribed colors were "nickel silver" or copper. "Nickel silver" is massively processed.

+++the English name "nickel silver" (= Alpaka/Alpacca, Argentan, Minargent, Cuivre blanc, Maillechor, German Silver, Plata Alemana) is very confusing for me. It is a copper-nickel-zinc alloy.+++

[AndyB]

You will not get a yellow color on alpaka or nickel silver, this is allways in colors typical for them as there is already silver color because high part of nickel inside of the alloy, the material was used as basic metall for silvering items. Easy way why using on similar items brass in cheaper and hold better form as is harder. nickeling was normal form for better looking surface. many early dress KS98 were build on brass alloy cast, which are nickeled over with copper base layer.
The hangers here are evidently made of brass and were coated copper as most real preparing a shiny surface with chrome or nickel. Unfortunally by a chemical process the upper layer was probably removed.