Brass vs Stainless Steel for Laser Engraving: Which One Should You Buy?

LaserEngraveHQ earns a commission from purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you. Read our affiliate disclosure.

Brass vs stainless steel for laser engraving: the verdict

The two sides answer different jobs. Brass brings the warm gold tone: the iteshuai sheets are stated H62 brass with 62% copper, and the Hicarer blanks come in gold, rose gold and silver finishes over brass. Stainless brings hardness and corrosion resistance: both stainless listings state 304 stainless, and the Yunsailing listing calls its cards solid and hard, not easy to bend or deform.

Size shapes the choice too. The brass sheets give you 6 x 6 in at 0.5 mm, the largest single area on this page. The stainless sheets are 4 x 4 in at 1 mm, thicker and smaller, while the card blanks are 86 x 54 mm, made for pocket-sized pieces. Neither side states laser settings, so plan a material calibration grid on a spare piece before the real run.

Side by side

Feature	Brass listings	Stainless steel listings	Notes
Listings on this page	iteshuai 6 x 6 in sheets; Hicarer 48-pc blank set	LepoHome 4 x 4 in sheets; Yunsailing card blanks	Each listing is tagged with its side
Sizes	6 x 6 in at 0.5 mm; blank set with size not stated	4 x 4 in at 1 mm; 86 x 54 mm cards	No listing states laser engraving settings
Alloy	H62 brass with 62% copper on iteshuai; Hicarer states brass only	304 stainless on both listings	Grades come from the listings only
Finish and film	Protective film on both sides; polished finish	Coated surface with film to remove; blank both sides	LepoHome says remove the film before use
Edge warnings	iteshuai warns the cut edges may be sharp	LepoHome warns the edges and corners are pointed	Handle both sides with care
Stated uses	Cutting, DIY, jewelry and crafts	DIY crafts, business cards and nameplates	Uses are the makers’ claims

Every figure above comes from the four listings on this page. Where listings disagree with themselves, the title and bullets win over the spec table.

Reading the listings before you buy

Two listings here contradict themselves, so read them closely. The Yunsailing title says 12 pieces of 0.5 mm cards while its bullets and spec table say 30 pieces, and the spec table names 0.4 mm as the size. The bullets state 86 x 54 mm cards while the spec table claims 5.04 x 3.94 in. The LepoHome title and bullets say 4 sheets of 4 x 4 x 0.04 in (19 gauge, 1 mm) while its spec table says 12. In both cases the title and bullets carry more weight than the spec table, but the Yunsailing count and thickness stay genuinely unclear: order only if you are comfortable with that ambiguity.

Thickness and size are the specs that shape the job. The iteshuai brass sheets are 6 x 6 in at 24 gauge (0.5 mm), the largest single blank here, in H62 brass with 62 percent copper content. The LepoHome stainless sheets are 4 x 4 in at 1 mm, thicker and smaller, in stated 304 stainless that the bullets say is non-magnetic. The Hicarer set states 48 blanks in 6 shapes and 3 colors but no thickness anywhere, and its bullets are empty, so it is the thinnest listing of the four. Match the blank to the piece: large tags and plates want the 6 x 6 in brass or the 4 x 4 in stainless, while pendants and charms fit the Hicarer blanks.

Handle the metal with care on arrival. The iteshuai listing warns the cut edges may be a little sharp since the sheets have been cut, and the LepoHome listing warns the edges and corners are pointed, so keep gloves nearby when unpacking. Remove the protective film before engraving: the iteshuai sheets carry a blue protective film on both sides, and the LepoHome sheets carry a transparent film the maker says to remove before use. The Yunsailing cards are blank on both sides, ready to mark, and the Hicarer blanks state a polished finish that is rust fade resistant.

Machines on the list

The four listings below are ranked by my scores, stainless first by a small margin because the LepoHome listing is the cleanest on alloy, size and thickness.

Choose brass if

• You want the warm gold tone for jewelry tags, pendants and gift pieces.
• You need the largest single work area: the iteshuai sheets are 6 x 6 in.
• You want many blanks to practice on: the Hicarer set states 48 pieces in 6 shapes.

Choose stainless steel if

• You want 304 stainless blanks that resist corrosion and daily handling.
• You are marking business cards or nameplates: the Yunsailing blanks are 86 x 54 mm.
• You want thicker stock: the LepoHome sheets state 1 mm with a coated surface.

FAQ: lasers and CNC

Do I need to remove the protective film before engraving?

The iteshuai brass sheets carry protective film on both sides, and the LepoHome stainless sheets carry a transparent film the maker says to remove before use. Engrave on the bare metal, not on the film.

Are the edges safe to handle?

Not without care. The iteshuai listing warns the cut edges may be a little sharp, and the LepoHome listing warns the edges and corners are pointed. Handle both sides by the filmed faces and wear gloves.

Which blanks suit business cards?

The Yunsailing listing states 86 x 54 mm cards, blank on both sides, with business cards and nameplates named among the uses. Note the listing contradicts itself on count and thickness, so check the count on arrival.

What do the Hicarer blanks include?

The listing states 48 brass blanks in 6 shapes and 3 colors: silver, rose gold and gold. It is a thin listing with empty bullets, aimed at jewelry and crafts rather than laser work.

Related: how to choose a laser engraver, best metal for laser engraving and laser accessories.