| Widowson | 07 Feb 2010 3:58 p.m. PST |
I have many sources indicating that Napoleonic brass had a coppery tinge to it, and at least one source that says, for all practical purposes, Russian brass WAS copper. Can anybody verify that? |
| Cold Steel | 07 Feb 2010 5:00 p.m. PST |
Yes, Russian brass had a very high copper content. I just paint it copper. |
| nvrsaynvr | 12 Feb 2010 2:31 p.m. PST |
Erm, well, brass is copper, mostly. The questions is whether it's yellow brass or red brass… Presumably the Guard used red brass while everyone else used yellow (or tin for white metal). |
| Widowson | 13 Feb 2010 10:50 p.m. PST |
Nvr, This gets to the crux of what I am asking. So the guard infantry – and cavalry? – wore copper. Russian line and light regiments used the same yellow brass as the French, etc. Which Russian units had white metal? I don't recall that being a light infantry distinction. Thanks, Bill |
| nvrsaynvr | 16 Feb 2010 10:19 p.m. PST |
Yes, the Leib Guard foot and cavalry, including the artillery et al used red brass when brass was called for. Of course a number of cavalry regts. had white metal distinctions, but I think only the sappers and pioneers in the foot had white (including the L.G. Sappers). |
| Widowson | 15 May 2013 11:34 p.m. PST |
This has just come up yet again for me. My old Murray booklet indicates that all Russian brass was red-ish brass. The Guard wore plain copper. Did I get that right? |
| summerfield | 16 May 2013 3:46 a.m. PST |
The Russians used Tombac which is a high copper content brass. This was also used when silver plated by the mercury amalgam process in Prussia etc.. Electroplating was a late C19th invention. The Guard did not use pure copper as this would be too soft but a high copper brass. Alas authors have not been specific enough on the type of brass used. It is also important to state that gun metal (bronze) is 90% tin so is a best described as a white brass colour rather than golden as we use in our painting of figures.
Stephen |
| von Winterfeldt | 16 May 2013 5:18 a.m. PST |
looking at original items it seemed like usual brass – at least for me
Also artillery
and
|
| summerfield | 16 May 2013 6:36 a.m. PST |
I was referring to mitre plates. Many wargamers paint their guns almost as copper.
Stephen |
| Greystreak | 16 May 2013 1:29 p.m. PST |
If one examines the 200-year old actual artifacts of the period (example: Guard Cuirassiers helmet at link) you will see that they are 'regular' looking brass, similar to most other nations at that time. |
looks at a multi-period building.
