Recently I was clearing out a the garage of my father in law. Amongst the junk I came across a small bar of metal that felt a lot heavier than I would expect for the size.

On closer inspection it scrapes back to a light copper colour but appears to be denser than copper.

Dimensions are 6.4mm diameter and 48.25mm long. Weight is 22g on my kitchen scales. I calculate that as 14g/cm3.

So unless I have got me sums wrong it is denser than lead (11g/cm3) but the only stuff denser than lead that I can think of that is coppery coloured is gold but that is much denser at 19g/cm3.

Has anyone got any bright ideas or ways I could better identify it?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k62nu1pf4t4gsws/20180126_093459.jpg?dl=0

Edited By Toby on 26/01/2018 09:49:26

Edited By Toby on 26/01/2018 09:49:43

First, no the FIL was not in the nuclear business. He was a toolmaker.

I do know someone who is and I asked him if he could take it into work and get it checked. The answer was not printable

It doesn't oxidise, the scraping in that picture was done before christmas. It is also fairly soft – when scraped with a knife it feels as soft as copper although I haven't tried properly cutting it. I am pretty sure the colour is the base metal, not any form of plating.

It also looks like it has been cut from a longer rod, both ends sawn and the dark covering in the pictures is I think just general dirt from sitting in a box of rubbish for quite a few years.

So far I am liking Rod's suggestion. I gather copper tungsten is used for welding electrodes so that would fit with where the FIL worked.

Shame, I was trying to convince myself it was 18ct Gold although I knew that was a bit unlikely