People have been using bronze fasteners as screws on the boats since the 15th century. According to available historical evidence during the Bronze Age, even Romans must have used bronze rivets for holding together parts of their large ships that they used in the ocean.
Bronze is known for its corrosion-resistant property that is perfectly suitable for any seagoing vessel, which has not changed even today.
Bronze is quite a sexy-looking metal whether you use it on a boat or any antique architectural hardware. They are often used on antique furniture, on your light switch plates, or anywhere you like.
You can get bronze hex bolts from Fair Wind Fasteners and this company is known for producing different kinds of fasteners for boat application.
Do you know what the exact color of bronze material is? You will find bronze in many different shades based on the environment to where it is subjected to. When you will get brand new parts made of bronze then you will find them beautiful and shiny with golden color.
You may say it is in between gold and copper. However, you buy any bronze statue and keep it on the shelf, then with time, it will slowly change to a deep brown and a little shine here and there.
Particularly on a boat, or in an environment where salt water is present, they will get a very beautiful green patina just within a few days. Therefore, if you ask what color is it then there will be a varied answer.
Can you match bronze with the color of other hardware?
If your hardware is actually bronze, it will change color over time through an oxidation process, even if it does not do so at first. With the correct length of time, gleaming new fasteners will resemble your older bronze hardware.
Fasteners that match the faux golden color of your hardware may appear to be near and better, but they will never truly match.
How to make bronze fasteners shiny?
If you want to give your bronze fasteners a little extra luster, a decent polish will do the trick. You can do it with a fabric wheel, a bench grinder, and some hard polish, however, you can also do it with polishing paste or by using a rag, though it would take considerably longer.
After you have finished polishing, a light coat of wax will help retain the shine, but some people may even prefer to coat it in clear polyurethane. However, the poly finish will need to be maintained over time as it can flake off, but some people prefer to have that deep shine!
Does color represent its quality?
When it comes to color, solid silicon bronze fasteners may come in a variety of colors. Garbage “bronze” fasteners are just as bad. A nut, bolt, or screw that appears to be made of high-quality bronze is not necessarily so.
Nonetheless, a distinct hue does not imply that the alloy is different. The only way to be sure is to submit your bronze to third-party chemical analysis testing, which may be required when selecting manufacturers for any bronze items.