Brass Cleaning....teach me the process...pro’s and can’s

[Savage 12BVSS]

99% of the time I just run a bronze brush in & out of the neck using a cordless screwdriver. This is only to remove excess crud if its there. Other than that, if the outside of the neck gets a little black I just clean it with with a quick twist of 000 steel wool.

Thats it! I use nylon brush twice in and out with a 0000 steel wool around the necks. The lube I use cleans the brass well other than that. Saw it in a long range shooting thread by Alex Wheeler and some bench shooter's, couldn't believe it was the way I was taught 20 years ago by a benchshooter.

 

[rsmithsr]

with 2 plus pages of "answers" maybe someone has it right.
lots of methods work, you have to decide what works for you.

 

[eshorebwhntr]

with 2 plus pages of "answers" maybe someone has it right.
lots of methods work, you have to decide what works for you.

Amen. That's the key in my opinion. Utilize the knowledge and experience of others to work out what is best for you.

 

[nksmfamjp]

I have to be honest...there are several ways to do this, but I think corn cob will continue to be the best....I may look up that walnut lizard bedding!

 

[rsmithsr]

do not use walnut, nor lizard bedding.
neither are as good as FINE GROUND CORN COB.
walnut is for excessively dirty like mud.
it does not clean nor polish like FINE GROUND CORN COB.
do not use rouge, do not buy " brass polish"
nufinish car POLISH is the best bang for the buck.

I have to be honest...there are several ways to do this, but I think corn cob will continue to be the best....I may look up that walnut lizard bedding!

 

[nksmfamjp]

do not use walnut, nor lizard bedding.
neither are as good as FINE GROUND CORN COB.
walnut is for excessively dirty like mud.
it does not clean nor polish like DINE GROUND CRON COB.
do not use rouge, do not buy " brass polish"
nufinish car POLISH is the best bang for the buck.

What mesh size do you use to minimize flash hole clogging?

 

[dartem]

What mesh size do you use to minimize flash hole clogging?

I have really good luck with the Frankford Armory corn cob Amazon sells in a 15lb. bag. Cheap too.

 

[dartem]

And I like the Dillon case polish...

 

[SteelBanger]

I've been working down a huge back of crushed Walnut shells I got at a pet store years ago and it has done a fine job, but yeah it doesn't really do a great polish job on the brass. I'm at the end of that bag so I may try the corn cob media next since it sounds like it may be superior.

 

[Barrelnut]

Imo tumbelers are a waste of time, with the exception of a SS pin tumbler if you want to make them shiny which is purely an aesthetic thing.

Using an ultra sonic you can have squeaky clean brass in 9 minutes with the right cleaning agent.

I only do small batches so just have a cheap ebay jewellery cleaner, I use citric acid with a few drops of detergent & with 3 x 3 minute cycles all the carbon is removed, rinse in a bath of water with a little bicarb soda to neutralise the acid & job done, 10 minutes tops, not hours in a tumbler!!

Would like to know a little more about this recipe. How much citric acid to how much water? Thanks!

 

[dartem]

See post #23. Have to be careful not to add too much of the citric (LemiShine) or it turns the brass pink...Maybe about 3 tablespoons max of the soap (I use the Armorall brand wash/wax) to maybe 3 qts-1 gal. water in the tumbler. Need to rinse really well also.

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

I use a mix of 50/50 corn cob media & walnut media with a 1oz of Brasso in an old 1292 Midway vibrator....4 hrs. the come out super shiny. then I run a bronze brush in the case neck. It's worked for me for 25yrs.
Maybe not the best way but, it works for me.

 

[rsmithsr]

I buy 40 lb bag/box from grainger.
it is listed as "blasting media"
I would go with the smaller. but in most cases I end up blowing my brass out with compressed air and then inspect the flash hole.
grainger is "business" only I think..so find a friend with a biz, open an account

What mesh size do you use to minimize flash hole clogging?

 

[rsmithsr]

cost too much..try nufinish car polish..about half the price.

And I like the Dillon case polish...