Easy Way For An Amateur To Determine Metal Composition?

[Charmonium]

if you have a nearby metal distributor or scrap yard, ask if they have an XRF or LIBS gun and if they can give you a quick analysis. these tools will give you composition with an error of like 0.1 wt% (1 part in 1000)

edit: also, polish the surface. even 400 grit on steel, cast iron, and aluminum will look different on the surface, and the finer the polish the better the differentiation. a fresh surface will also help with the above-mentioned XRF/LIBS analysis

Cool. Anyone who watches The Curse of Oak Island knows what an XRF is but LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) was new to me.