BRASS CLEANING

[Louis Farrugia]

HI ANYONE CAN TELL ME HOW TO KEEP BRASS NICE AND BRIGHT AFTER I USE THE TUMBLER AND NOT GO ALL DUL.

LOUIS

[JPMorgan]

Consider a solution that I use in my walnut media. It does a super job inside and out on the brass. I recently purchased a Lee decapper die so the primmer pockets will get clean before I resize.

I got this solution from another well versed site that knows reloading.
6 ounces of De-Solv-it (citrus solution) mixed with a can of Bon ami
I keep mine in a glass jar and place a bullet in the solution to keep it mixed up. Just add the solution to your media like you do any other liquid cleaner, 2-3 tsp.

I usually tumble over night, turn it off just before leaving for work and then when I get back home that afternoon I sift out the brass. Beautiful, bright brass that stays bright.

regards,
Perry

[John Traveler]

The reason freshly tumbled brass quickly turns dull is because the metal is  exposed to the air and oxidizes easily.

I would avoid using any arasive materials like sink scouring cleanser to polish brass.  That would leave it frosty looking.

Don't use oven heat to dry cases.  The combustion gases include sulfur oxides that tarnish brash quickly.

A light wax like furniture polish is a good way to protect polished brass for display.  It will not interfere with chambering.

Don't use any ammonia-containing materials like Brasso Polish.  Amonnia attacks the copper and weakens brass.

HTH
John

[Louis Farrugia]

HI JOHN TRAVELER

I USE BRASSO POLISH TO CLEAN MY BRASS , WHAT SHELL I USE INSTED
OF BRASSO .
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP GUYS.

LOUIS

The reason freshly tumbled brass quickly turns dull is because the metal is  exposed to the air and oxidizes easily.

I would avoid using any arasive materials like sink scouring cleanser to polish brass.  That would leave it frosty looking.

Don't use oven heat to dry cases.  The combustion gases include sulfur oxides that tarnish brash quickly.

A light wax like furniture polish is a good way to protect polished brass for display.  It will not interfere with chambering.

Don't use any ammonia-containing materials like Brasso Polish.  Amonnia attacks the copper and weakens brass.

HTH
John

[John Traveler]

Louis,

Any cleaner containing ammonia (Brasso and most other brass polishes) will attack the copper and weaken the case.  That's why ammonia-based copper solvents work so well....they litterally dissolve copper!  Avoid pot and pan cleaning polishes for the same reason:  they use ammonia.

Polishing cloths like Flitz that contain a mild abrasive are okay.  Automotive finish polish is good too because some contain very fine abrasives.

I've found that the easiest way to keep display cartridges shiney is to use automotive or furniture WAX on them.  For ready-to-use ammo, I put them in sealed plastic freezer bags to keep the air out.

For longer term storage, keep your cases in an airtight container, like a metal ammunition can.  If you keep humidity and moist air away from your brass it will stay shiney!

HTH
John

[Castaway]

Dumb question.  What is the problem?

[Thomas Krupinski]

Nothing dumb about the question, only that reply to it.  The problem he appears to be having is that in the area where he resides his brass gets dull.  He wants to know how to prevent that.

As someone mentioned above, it is probably due to exposure to the air.  Sealing it in a plastic bag would probably prevent that.

[John Traveler]

Tom,

I guess those of us living in or on the fringes of the Great American Southwest Desert don't think too much about seaborn brass corrosion!

John

[The Shrink]

Gentlemen

It seems to me we have two questions being answered here - how to get brass shiny and how to keep it shiny.  Frankly, I didn't care that my brass was dull and dingy until I got some shiny, then I wanted it all shiny!  Shooting BP in them only makes the problem worse.  

So far I've been successful with dry walnut media in the Lyman vibrator after cleaning them in ceramic media and dish soap in the vibrator.  I'm new to this polishing bit, so I'll see how long the walnut media keeps working, but it's cheap.  I keep my brass in cartridge boxes in ammo cans for the most part, so they stay the way I loaded them.  

Wayne

[Louis Farrugia]

HI JOHN TRAVEELER

I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THAT LIVEING ON A SMALL ISLAND LIKE MALTA
HUMIDITY IS SOME TIMES AT 80% IT COULD BE THAT IS WAY BRASS GET DUL.
THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR INPUT .

FROM THE ISLAND OF SUNSHINE.

LOUIS

Louis,

Any cleaner containing ammonia (Brasso and most other brass polishes) will attack the copper and weaken the case.  That's why ammonia-based copper solvents work so well....they litterally dissolve copper!  Avoid pot and pan cleaning polishes for the same reason:  they use ammonia.

Polishing cloths like Flitz that contain a mild abrasive are okay.  Automotive finish polish is good too because some contain very fine abrasives.

I've found that the easiest way to keep display cartridges shiney is to use automotive or furniture WAX on them.  For ready-to-use ammo, I put them in sealed plastic freezer bags to keep the air out.

For longer term storage, keep your cases in an airtight container, like a metal ammunition can.  If you keep humidity and moist air away from your brass it will stay shiney!

HTH
John

[SingleShotShorty]

I use straight apple cider vinegar to clean my brass. I simply soak the brass in the vinegar for about 25 minutes stirring ever so often and then rinse in clean water. I then place them in an old roasting pan and place them in the oven for around twenty minutes to dry. (approx. 170 degrees)
After this I put them in my tumbler with Flitz treated corncob media and tumble for about three hours. The brass comes out so shiney you can almost see yourself in it. As for the oxidation, after I load my ammo I put them in twenty round groups and vacuum seal them with the wifes vaccuum sealer. I warn you some wives may resist this little own using thier vinegar. But the brass looks great