Is brass safe in an oven?

[kebwi]

I'm only referring to bolts/nuts/screws used to hold custom peels to their handles or possibly to close and hold together a door. The peels and door will primarily be either steel or aluminum of course.

So the brass I'm referring to is small (just bolts) and in the case of peels (but not the door) won't be exposed for long durations.

Since brass is a zinc alloy, I'm unsure whether it is to be avoided for the standard no-zinc reasons.

Thoughts?

[egalecki]

Your peels shouldn't be in there long enough for it to be a problem. I wouldn't use them on the door, though. I'd go for stainless on the door.

[kebwi]

Ah, I just liked the look of the brass, but aesthetics are never worth a cost in safety. I'll look for stainless steel.

[metalmaster]

brass melts at about 1650 degrees , I think you will be fine using it.

[kebwi]

Well that's good, since upon closer inspection at HD, all the "standard" bolts and such are zinc anyway, probably worse than the brass w.r.t. my concern that brass contains zinc. What kind of bolt do you guys use for your doors? I didn't see anything nonzinc at HD in the bolt isle, not on the main display at any rate

[david s]

Yes brass does contain zinc, but it's probably safer than cooking stop signs.

[egalecki]

Lowe's has stainless bolts. I haven't looked at HD for that kind of thing.

[dmun]

Ordinary brass contains up to five percent lead to make it free cutting. This, and the thirty five percent zinc, would keep it out of my oven. Besides, it's going to quickly turn chocolate brown at oven temperatures, so the aesthetic argument doesn't really apply.

Stainless fasteners should be readily available. This is a place where an old-fashioned hardware store is useful. There's also this thing called the internet...

[kebwi]

Lead, huh. Didn't realize that. Wikipedia confirms it though. Well, guess I'll replace them then.

[Wiley]

"Since brass is a zinc alloy, I'm unsure whether it is to be avoided for the standard no-zinc reasons."


What's going on here? What is the problem with brass bolts? are you trying to vaporize the bolts and snorting the fumes? How long are your peels in the WFO and exposed to heat?

I think we have gone off the deep end here. Water has flowed thru galvanized pipes for years and it is not considered "deadly". Oh, and for those who don't know galvanized means coated in ZINC.

Please advise. Of and for those advocating stainless steel have you checked into the toxicity of chromium?

Wiley