Old brass screws, what should I do?

[Just1moredave]

Though my OT HW was built in 1944, some fasteners were brass, including 60ish #8 x 1 1/2 gunwale screws. I assumed that I would either strip or snap a few of these if I tried to use them, so I ordered some nice new silicon bronze screws from Jamestown Distributors. New slots and threads made installing them very easy.

Now I have a bag of old screws in pretty good shape, except with scratches where I chiseled the fiberglass resin out of the slot. Are these super valuable or rare in some way, or just old screws? Should I reject my historically incorrect new screws and use the old ones? Is someone out there looking for screws like this? The only thing I know is that since it was a wartime canoe, the screws were scrounged from somewhere and may be quite a bit older than the canoe.

When I say valuable, I'm thinking in historical or functional terms, not money. I might give them away if there is a compelling reason to do so.

 

[mccloud]

I salvage, polish and re-use all the brass whenever possible, and avoid mixing old with new brass. So I would save all your old brass screws until a sufficient number had been accumulated to do an entire canoe - like maybe you come across a 12 footer which does not require as many gunwale screws. If the brass has de-zincified, it is weak and not worth saving. But if you are really worried about snapping off screws, drill the hole, go in the first time with a steel screw, back it out, wax your brass screw and drive it home. It's rare that I've had a problem. Tom McCloud..

 

[MGC]

I do not mix sil bronze and brass. I either replace it all or I go to my vault and haul out my saved brass.
If I am unable to come up with adequate old brass to finish a job I will replace the old with new and save the old in my stash. I will use old an new in that case...say all new for the gunwales but the old in the seats, keel where ever. I would not have a mix old old and new to attach the rails...all old or all new. I do replace the steel that was used to secure the decks...and since they are buried I do sometimes use bronze silicon for these.
But...for a truly nice old boat I will make every effort to try and use all vintage and correct hardware, not "improving it" with the modern stuff except as a last resort. The challenge is that not all old brass sizes are currently available and that modern screws are not an exact replacement for old ones. I've spent quite a bit of time sorting and measuring with my verniers to get close to old hardware sizes.
Tom hit's the nail on the head for how you successfully re-use old brass. If it is going into new holes (like in a keel or rail) then pre-drill and use steel to start the hole and once the fit is made, replace the screws with brass.
I've had pretty good luck buying some brass screws here:https://www.boltdepot.com/Wood_screws_Slotted_flat_head_Brass.aspx