This is a brass bar as described. It is rectangular and "half hard" which means it is pretty stiff in terms of bendability. It cuts and drills a bit harder than aluminum but easier than steel. It comes unfinished - meaning like in the picture it isn't shiny when it arrives. However it can be shined nicely with a buffing wheel and buffing compound. If you drill and/or tap I reccomend using WD-40 while drilling or taping - it makes the work go better.