Posted by Chuck on August 20, 1999 at 23:56:10:
In Reply to: Stuff that I've Wondered About posted by Joe S. on August 20, 1999 at 20:57:08:
I've got a 1925 Holton DB euph with copper-plated pistons.
Actually, copper makes some sense. Copper's softer than brass, so a copper plated piston going to wear faster than the brass cylinder wall. And copper plating is an order of magnitude easier to do right than nickel. So maybe you replate the pistons more often, but the valve cylinder lasts longer.
Come to think of it, why aren't valve cylinders made of (or at least plated with) nickel or stainless?
FWIW, there's no silver in nickel-silver--it's an alloy of nickel, copper and zinc and is what used to be called "German Silver". It used to be used to make budget flatware for the table. Also used by crooks to make slugs for coin-op vending machines.