German-silver
An alloy deriving its name from the circumstance of its being first made at Hildesheim, Germany. It is a useful silver-like alloy, composed generally of copper, nickel, and zinc. It resembles the Tutenag of the Chinese, and is used principally for table articles, and in electro-plating. Copper 3, zinc 1, and nickel 1 is perhaps the most silver-like alloy. Tiers-argent, an alloy of German with real silver, has come into use of late. It consists of copper 59.0, nickel 3.4, zinc 9.6, silver 27.6. This alloy is prepared either by fusing the copper and nickel together in a crucible and introducing heated zinc piece, or by finely dividing the metal, and melting in an air-furnace under a good layer of charcoal. These mixtures should be well stirred to promote a thorough solution of the nickel. The crystalline structure of German-silver is destroyed by heating to a dull red and allowing to cool slowly; this renders it more suitable for working. The alloy is harder than silver, resembles the latter in color, tarnishes yellow in the air, and melts at a bright heat, losing its zinc by oxidation if exposed to the atmosphere. German-silver is exceedingly brittle at a heat just above a dull red. The ordinary composition for knives and forks is copper 4, nickel 2, zinc 2. That for handles for spoons and forks is copper 5, nickel 2, zinc 2. Metal for rolling is composed generally of copper 3, nickel 1, zinc 1. Candlesticks, bells, spurs, and similar articles that are cast are simply the German silver alloyed with from 2 to 3 per cent of lead. When iron is added to the German-silver composition, it is best to use tin-plate iron, which must be first melted along with part of the copper. If from 2 to 2 1/2 per cent of iron be added to German-silver, after the manner as above described, the metal will be much whiter, but harder also, and more brittle.
Park's German-silver contains: copper 91.0, nickel 45.5, zinc 21.0, iron 45.6. An English patent has: copper 5, nickel 4, zinc, tin, lead, and antimony 1 of each. A very malleable German-silver is made from: copper 5, nickel and zinc 7 each. Very many silver imitations are described in their proper order throughout this work. See PACK-FONG; PARISIAN WHITE METAL; GERMAN TUTANIA; TOMBAC; BRITANNIA METAL; WHITE ALLOYS.