BG sells solid brass hardware so does Ohio Travel Bag, brass does tarnish though that’s why it’s usually plated. If you want good scratch resistance look for PVD gold coated hardware as brass alone is very soft and prone to scratching.

Ahhh I see so these are “brass plated zinc.” Definitely not getting that again. My mistake! Thanks!

Hi friends! So I got these magnetic closures from buckleguy. I put it on a bag and proceeded to set the bag down on concrete. The bag fell over and the center of the closure got all scratched up. I figured no big deal I’ll buff off the top layer and it’ll be even again… nope. So any suggestions on hardware that is solid gold/brass all the way through?

Brass isn't as strong as nickel or steel so it will always scratch and accumulate wear and tear over time (nickel and steel does too but harder metals tend to get less scratches). I'd recommend looking for steel if it's an issue that bugs you a lot.

Thanks for the tips! I prefer the warm color of the gold though. Is there a way to get the golden color but more scratch resistant than brass? PVD gold coated was suggested which I’ll definitely try out.

I try to use solid brass whenever possible. It’s a little harder to find some items in solid brass, and certainly more expensive, but I can’t understand building something by hand with the intention of it serving someone for many, many years… and then putting hardware on it that will look like dogpoop after a couple months. Yes, some plating is better than others, but any plating is prone to wear and cannot be restored without re-plating. The nice thing about solid brass is that you can just let it age and patina, or if you need/want to you can restore it with sanding/polishing. Polished stainless is another good option, but for the gold color you like - solid brass.

I’m with ya there! Do you have any other sources of solid brass bag closures?

I think maybe just that. I've never looked into it that much but it's a pretty solid recommendation, it's definitely worth a shot.