Are brass screws redundant?

[Rednadnerb]

I thought I would like to have a selection of brass screws handy for outside jobs, toilet pans etc but Screwfix have hardly any. Toolstation have more.

Does everyone use Stainless these days?

[Andy Burns]

eBay has lots ...

[Brian-Gaff]

I'm not sure,maybe stainless are cheaper just now. I always found brass screws liable to snap or chip and went green. Brian

[charles]

They'll snap if you haven't drilled a suitable pilot hole.

[Chris Hogg]

At one time B&Q had both brass and brass-coated steel screws, all mixed up in the same display. You had to take a little magnet in with you if you wanted to be sure you got brass.

I'd only ever use SS outside these days.

[Tricky Dicky]

The sheds and Screwfix et al do not seem to hold many solid brass screws ev en those often supplied with brass handles tend to be brass plated steel sc rews. The choice of heads is also becoming narrower with countersunk head p redominantly , raised head and round head becoming much rarer. Fortunately most fastener suppliers still stock a good range.

Richard

[John Rumm]

Genuine brass are far less common these days. Many are just plated steel.

Probably a side effect of traditional shape wood screws being out of favour, and brass being too soft to make a modern screw design from.

Personally I don't often use stainless - most of the ones I use are some form of galvanised or plated.

[newshound]

I do, if I really need corrosion resistance. The only place for brass screws is for fitting decorative brass plaques, which are going to be polished IMHO.

As others have said, brass is not so strong, some types are prone to attack by chlorides, not to mention this classic in the metallurgists' textbooks

[Dave Liquorice]

I use and prefer brass. Yes it's soft so you have to drill a pilot hole or use correct sized plug. But I have yet to have a brass screw snap in service, rather than when tightening, like I have with stainless. Only use stainless when I want a silver head.