using Brasso with walnut shells in tumbler

[seez52]

I've used Nu finish car polish, has anyone tried Brasso brand brass polish in their tumber? Actually mine is a vibrator style. I've got some tarnished cases and while the car polish does clean them up they are still tarnished. Course I've been shootin' tarnished reloads for years, just wondered if the Brasso might clean them up.

 

[Ron Padilla]

I tried and it didn't work, the best results I have had is with stainless media in a rotary tumbler using a very small amount of soap solution and the powder that came with stainless media.   I have used the brasso on cases once cleaned and ready for loading, but will hold off now until the case has been loaded to try and polish.  I don't want to take the chance of getting any of that solution inside the brass that is why I will hold off until done with reloading.

[Dolomite_supafly]

You could also try an acidic mixture. Something like Lemishine, vinegar or lemon juice. I know it brightens brass that is pretty clean already. I am not sure it if will remove serious tarnish but it will turn most brass pink.

I have actually started using acetone to clean my brass. Seems to work as well as a tumbler.

Something else that helped my vibratory tumbler work better was airsoft pellets. I added some once to bulk up the media when I was running low and was pretty surprised at how well it worked. Now sure if the acetone will melt the plastic BBs and ruin your brass so I would check first. I know it worked great with Katee lizard litter walnut media, NuFinish and Flitz.

[Jonnin]

it is my understanding that brasso will reduce case life due to the ammonia in it reacting with the brass which makes it become more brittle.  I have no personal experience here, though. 

 

From the wiki on the chemistry FWIW:

 

Brass is susceptible to stress corrosion cracking, especially from ammonia or substances containing or releasing ammonia. The problem is sometimes known as season cracking after it was first discovered in brass cartridge cases used for rifle ammunition during the 1920s in the Indian Army. The problem was caused by high residual stresses from cold forming of the cases during manufacture, together with chemical attack from traces of ammonia in the atmosphere. The cartridges were stored in stables and the ammonia concentration rose during the hot summer months, thus initiating brittle cracks. The problem was resolved by annealing the cases, and storing the cartridges elsewhere.

Edited February 20, 2014 by Jonnin

[Hozzie]

Yes, ammonia is bad.  I prefer Flitz if I tumble.

[roverboy]

How about a little mineral spirits?

[Jonnin]

mineral spirits is an oil based solvent.  It is likely to have negative impact on a plastic tumbler body, esp over a long time frame.  It should not harm the brass. 

 

 

Guys, I have not looked at *serious* chemistry in decades, so these are just "warnings" based off a rather hazy memory.  Nothing I have said is wrong, but the actual effects could be so minor as to be ignored --- it could take 300 years for spirits to mess up a plastic bowl.  Or 10 min.  I just don't know.  

 

Same for brass and ammonia.... it wont hurt it right off, in a wipe down or something, but you were warned: prolonged exposure = brittle eventually, whether that is decades or hours, I dunno.

Edited February 20, 2014 by Jonnin

[Dolomite_supafly]

When I was in the military I had a buddy who would brasso his duty rounds. I always wondered if they would go off.