Tombac, or tombak, is a brass alloy with high copper content and 5–20% zinc content. Tin, lead or arsenic may be added for colouration. It is a cheap malleable alloy mainly used for medals, ornament, decoration and some munitions. In older use, the term may apply to brass alloy with a zinc content as high as 28–35%. Etymology The term tombak is derived from tembaga, an Indonesian/Malay word of Javanese origin meaning copper. Tembaga entered Dutch usage concurrent with their colonisation of Indonesia. Likely, the term was used generically to describe Indonesian high-copper brass items, including gamelan gongs. It is one of the very few Indonesian loan words used in English or German. Common types Modern CuZn15 (DIN: CuZn15 ; UNS: C23000 ; BS: CW 502L (CZ 102) ; ISO: CuZn15) - tombak with a gold colour, very good for cold forming, suitable for pressing, hammering, or embossing modern CuZn12 (not standardized) - same characteristics and applications as CuZn15, slightly different colour modern CuZn10 (DIN: CuZn10; UNS: C22000; BS: CW 501L (CZ 101); ISO: CuZn10) - similar characteristics and applications as CuZn15 und CuZn12, noticeable reddish colour modern white tombac - CuZn10 that is zinc content 10%, with trace arsenic modern enamel tombac or emailler tombak - an alloy of 95% copper and 5% zinc, suitable for enamelling, therefore the name. Ure notes the following forms of tombak in widespread use during the time the text was published (1856): "Gilting tombac": Copper 82%, zinc 18%, lead 1.5%, tin 3% Copper 82%, zinc 18%, lead 3%, tin 1% Copper 82%, zinc 18%, lead, tin 0.2% "French tombac for sword handles", pommels and fittings: copper 80%, zinc 17%, 3% tin "Yellow tombac of Paris" for gilt ornaments: copper 85%, zinc 15%, trace% tin "Hanover tombac": copper 85.3%, zinc 14.7% Chrysochalk: copper 86%, zinc 14% "Red tombac of Paris": copper 90%, zinc 7.9%, 1.5% lead "Red tombac of Vienna": copper 97.8%, zinc 2.2% Piggot states the brass used for machinery and locomotives in England was composed of copper 74.5%, zinc 25%, and lead 0.5%, which would make it a tombac according to Ure. Piggot's own definition of tombak is problematic at best: "red brass, or tombak, as it is called by some, has a great preponderance of copper, from 5 ounces of zinc down to 1/4 ounce of zinc to the pound [of copper]." Tempers Typical tempers are soft annealed and rolled hard.