Iron has magnetic properties and is stronger than bronze, but bronze is more corrosion-resistant and wear-resistant.

Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, is much stronger than either metal on their own. Due to the mixing of metals, bronze was superior in strength to pure iron until more sophisticated smelting techniques were developed in the Iron age and beyond.

Iron is a strong, durable metal that is easily worked and comes in a variety of grades, from soft, wrought iron to hard, cast iron. Bronze, on the other hand, is a harder, more brittle metal that is difficult to work with but has a lower melting point than iron.

Bronze is also more fusible (i.e., more readily melted) and is hence easier to cast. It is harder than pure iron and far more resistant to corrosion. The substitution of iron for bronze in tools and weapons from about 1000 bce was the result of the abundance of iron compared with copper and tin rather than any inherent advantages of iron.

Bronze is relatively brittle, but not as much as cast iron. The alloy has a lower melting point than iron or steel.