Metals - Tin, Aluminum and Chrome

Tin is a silvery, malleable metal that does not easily oxidize, so it is commonly used to coat other metals to prevent corrosion. Because tin is corrosion-resistant, it is used in food packaging to plate steel cans, which become our ubiquitous “tin cans.”

The word “tin” is often improperly used as a generic term for any silvery metal that comes in sheets. Most everyday materials that are commonly called “tin”, such as aluminum foil, beverage cans, corrugated building sheathing and tin cans, are actually made of steel or aluminum (although tin cans do contain a thin coating of tin to inhibit rust.)


Aluminum is a soft, durable, lightweight, malleable metal with appearance ranging from silvery to dull grey, depending on the surface roughness. Aluminum is remarkable for its ability to resist corrosion and for the metal's low density.

At Tidal Pulls, we appreciate the fact that aluminum is 100 percent recyclable without any loss of its natural qualities, but because it is such a lightweight metal and can detract from that feeling of quality, we do not use it in the manufacturing of our pulls.




Chrome, or chrome plating, is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of chromium onto a metal object. The chromed layer can be decorative, provide corrosion resistance, ease cleaning procedures, or increase surface hardness. It is most often seen in cars and motorcycles.

Metals - Nickel and Pewter

Nickel is a silvery-white metal with a slight golden tinge that can be highly polished. Nickel is corrosion resistant and is hard and brittle, so it is commonly used for plating metals such as iron and brass.

Most of the kitchen and bath items you see that are described as brushed nickel or polished nickel are not pure nickel. They are usually made from a brass base and then plated.
Because of the limitations of nickel, and the similar look to stainless steel, Tidal Pulls does not make cabinet pulls with a nickel finish.

Pewter is a malleable metal, usually between 85 and 99 percent tin, with the remainder commonly consisting of copper, antimony or lead. Copper and antimony act as hardeners while lead is common in the lower grades of pewter, which have a bluish tint. Pewter has a low melting point, around 170–230 °C, depending on the exact mixture of metals, and is commonly used as a casting metal. Articles made of pewter need to be handled carefully, since it is a soft alloy that can dent easily. Tidal Pulls does not make cabinet pulls with pewter.

Metals - Copper

Copper is one of the few metals to occur naturally in pure form. Pure copper is rather soft and malleable, and a freshly exposed surface has a pinkish or peachy color.


Copper does not react with water, but the oxygen of the air will slowly at room temperature form a layer of brown-black copper oxide. This has a protective effect against further corrosion. On old copper roofs, a green layer of copper carbonate, called verdigris, can often be seen.



Tidal Pulls can be made from copper, however, we recommend a hammered surface rather than a smooth surface, so that scratches and dents resulting from a demanding kitchen environment are not as visible.

Metals - Bronze and Brass

Bronze is a combination of copper and tin, usually 88 percent copper and 12 percent tin. Commercial bronze, or brass, is generally 90 percent copper and 10 percent zinc. Bronze only oxidizes on its surface, and once the surface oxidizes, the thin oxide layer protects the underlying metal from further corrosion.

Bronze is generally 10 percent heavier than steel while being softer and weaker. It better resists corrosion and metal fatigue than steel, and also conducts heat and electricity better. Oil rubbed bronze features a surface that was chemically darkened to simulate aging bronze. This finish is very dark and can vary from a deep chocolate brown to a dark gray, and it usually has copper undertones.

There is a wide variety of coloration of the oil rubbed bronze finish. To ensure the bronze cabinet pulls Tidal Pulls delivers are right for you, please send us a color sample so that it can be matched.

Metals - Stainless Steel

Growing up amid a family of sailors, I have always been aware of the benefits of marine-grade stainless steel - a higher quality alloy that is much more resistant to the pitting corrosion of salt water than household stainless steels and aluminum. As a result, I chose to design and make Tidal Pulls using marine-grade stainless. During my research for Tidal Pulls, I have learned more about many other metals in our environment, both those occurring as basic elements (e.g. nickel) and those that are combined together (alloys) to form other commonly known metals, and I wanted to share that information with my customers.

Stainless steel differs from carbon steel by the amount of chromium present. Carbon steel rusts when exposed to air and moisture. This iron oxide film (the rust) is active and accelerates corrosion by forming more iron oxide. Stainless steels have at least 11 percent of chromium present so that a passive film of chromium oxide forms to prevent further surface corrosion and block corrosion from spreading into the metal's internal structure.

Stainless steel’s resistance to corrosion and staining, low maintenance, relatively low cost and familiar luster make it an ideal base material for many applications. The alloy is formed into coils, sheets, plates, bars, wire and tubing to be used in such things as cookware, cutlery, hardware, jewelry, watches, surgical instruments, appliances, industrial equipment and construction material in large buildings, such as the Chrysler building shown here.

Storage tanks and tankers used to transport orange juice and other food are often made of stainless steel, due to its corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties. This also influences its use in commercial kitchens, food processing plants, and hospitals as it can be steam cleaned, sterilized and does not need painting or application of other surface finishes.

Commonly, there are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the environment to which the material will be subjected. Grade 304 is the most versatile and commonly used stainless steel. It offers good corrosion resistance while still maintaining its form. Typical applications include tanks and containers for a large variety of liquids and solids in the food and brewing industries. It is also used for sinks, coffee urns, stoves, refrigerators and milk and cream dispensers.

Grade 316 is the second most common grade. It is also known as marine-grade stainless steel due to its increased resistance to harsh environments. It is commonly used for marine applications, pumps, valves and chemical equipment. Tidal Pulls uses grade 316 in the manufacture of its pulls.

Grade 410 is more wear resistant than the 304 and 316 but does not offer as good corrosion resistance. It is commonly used in cutlery.

For a more detailed description of the different metal grades, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_steel_grades

Another quality of stainless steel is its thickness or gauge. The gauge of sheet metal ranges from 30 to about 8 gauge. The higher the gauge, the thinner the metal. Tidal Pulls uses 16 gauge metal for its pulls, which translates into a thickness of .0625 inches. The pulls can be made with a different gauge upon request.

As consumption in developing countries increases, supplies of most metals are becoming scarcer and prices continue to climb. Stainless steel is 100 percent recyclable, and we at Tidal Pulls encourage the use of stainless, not only to help you make a positive economic choice, but also to help reduce the impact on our environment.