Source of good quality brass screws?

[Deadeye]

Sounds simple. But all the ones I get seem to be made of orange cheese. Where (online) can I get a good old-fashined brass screw at a sensible price and that won't shear when tightened by hand!?

 

[Bingy man]

I ordered some last year but can’t recall where from ( sorry) but if you search for solid brass screws ( uk companies) you will find they sell multi packs of different sizes-the pictures make the boxes look quite big but I was disappointed when they arrived. They were however solid brass ( magnet test ) you can get c/sunk round heads slotted etc . Luckily just spotted company name on the boxes. Boxes of 1 size are available but the cost is eye watering . Hope this helps you.

 

[Spectric]

Try these, Screwsline - Specialists in new & vintage brass, chrome, steel and stainless slotted wood screws, nuts, bolts, washers, ironmongery & more

 

[okeydokey]

Nettlefolds screws search on ebay

 

[Inspector]

Lee Valley is having Brass Screws made to their specifications. I haven’t as yet tried them so can’t vouch for their quality or if they are going to be a reasonable price when shipping is factored in.

Pete

 

[davidgrogers]

Sadly, the majority of screws that are sold as part of the dreaded pre-packed bits and bobs are 'brass looking' but are in fact very poor quality steel with a thin yellow plating.

 

[Seascaper]

I have a massive collection of old English screws,Gkn, Nettlefolds, what size do you want
Regards

 

[John Hall]

The fault many people have with brass screws is treating them like steel screws..
a good pilot hole is required, and a really good fitting screwdriver head especially with slotted head screws…A much more gentle approach is needed
Brass screws are often used for their appearance as apposed to their fastening strength. When screwing into really hard woods, it’s sometimes better to use a steel screw first and then replace with a brass one, but a good pilot hole usual does the trick.

 

[rogxwhit]

I also keep an old candle stub in my drill tin and rub it on the threads before driving ... vaseline works too but is a bit more messy ...

 

[Phill05]

I have a massive collection of old English screws,Gkn, Nettlefolds, what size do you want
Regards

Looking for old brass 1 1/4" 12G, 25 message me price please.
Phill

 

[TheTiddles]

That size is sold many places, like Screwfix etc… gimlet your holes and add wax. If you keep breaking them, you are probably doing it wrong

 

[Phil Pascoe]

... it’s sometimes better to use a steel screw first and then replace with a brass one, but a good pilot hole usual does the trick.

I wonder now whether this is really worthwhile - it worked with old mild steel slotted screws - the threads were identical. I suspect a pilot hole, some lube and a suitable screwdriver is as good.

 

[rogxwhit]

Yes threads can be different - but I've often used a modern pozi screw taken in and out with a power driver to forge a path for a slotted brass screw put in finally with a hand screwdriver. It seems to work - my feeling is that it's near enough. Afterwards, you stress the work by hand, and if it seems good ...

No doubt there are those amongst us who would want to measure & tabulate the relative withdrawal strengths of different methods, but life is oh so short ...

Not that I'm advocating carelessness. But if it seems to work, maybe it actually does?

 

[mikej460]

+1 for the above initial use of a good steel pozi

 

[rogxwhit]

I might add that I always drill a depth-stopped bore for the brass screw's plain shank ... the depth stop being either guesswork by eye or a bit of masking tape round the twist drill - let's not be anal about anything - if it works, it works. If you're working just with metals, tolerances are necessarily tighter. In some ways with wood, you can play a bit loose ...

 

[thetyreman]

I get mine from ebay, kayfast1 is the seller.

 

[D_W]

That size is sold many places, like Screwfix etc… gimlet your holes and add wax. If you keep breaking them, you are probably doing it wrong

Someone used to quality brass screws made from rod will probably break a lot of the cheap cast screws before they'd agree with that.

No suggestion for the original poster as I've never seen older cut brass screws sold except in liquidation of old stock (and then only by the pallet).

Every steel screw I've broken aside from very soft stainless has had really coarse grain. It seems like a case of companies assuming you'll pay 10 cents each for a crappy screw, but not 12 for a good one. And maybe that's what they usually find.

 

[Jacob]

I've often hung doors etc with posidrive screws and when all is set, working well and adjusted, replaced them with brass of same nominal size

 

[Spectric]

A lot of screws that are supplied with fittings are really shiete, they know this and supply a steel screw to use first to give the soft screw a chance. Quality brass screws used to take a lot more abuse than these modern ones and DW has given a reason, cast and not from solid bar.

 

[TheTiddles]

Cast brass wood screws… that’d be quite the process