Brass Cleaning

For those who like to roll their own.

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warnmar10
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#16

Post by warnmar10 »

Charles L. Cotton wrote:I have to admit that's impressive.

Chas.
Brass that clean and shiny is completely unnecessary but oh so gratifying.

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ET-Ret
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#17

Post by ET-Ret »

How often does the Walnut mix need to be changed out?

I really want to thank all the ans I got.

I bought some walnut mix and it seems to be a lot better. (RCBS Formula #1)

ET-ret

striker55
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#18

Post by striker55 »

I used Brasso in the 80's with a rag for stubborn stained brass.

pushpullpete
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#19

Post by pushpullpete »

Charles L Cotton wrote: All I've ever used is walnut hulls, so I have no experience with cord cob media. I've read that walnut is better for cleaning while corn cob is better for polishing after cleaning. I've never been willing to tumble brass twice, plus I can get a good shine with walnut. It just doesn't get the inside as clean as wet tumbling, but I don't care about the inside. I might feel differently if I decapped before tumbling, that that's never going to happen!
Charles, you don't need to tumble twice, try throwing in some corn cob w the walnut shell. It takes a little longer but
the mix does a nice job of cleaning & polishing. Maybe 20-30% corn cob. You can fine tune to your standards.
Personally, I am ocd anal. I deprime, drop in the Hornady ultrasonic & then the vibratory tumbler 70/30 corn cob to walnut.
YMMV

:txflag: :patriot:
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Charles L. Cotton
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#20

Post by Charles L. Cotton »

pushpullpete wrote:
Charles L Cotton wrote: All I've ever used is walnut hulls, so I have no experience with cord cob media. I've read that walnut is better for cleaning while corn cob is better for polishing after cleaning. I've never been willing to tumble brass twice, plus I can get a good shine with walnut. It just doesn't get the inside as clean as wet tumbling, but I don't care about the inside. I might feel differently if I decapped before tumbling, that that's never going to happen!
Charles, you don't need to tumble twice, try throwing in some corn cob w the walnut shell. It takes a little longer but
the mix does a nice job of cleaning & polishing. Maybe 20-30% corn cob. You can fine tune to your standards.
Personally, I am ocd anal. I deprime, drop in the Hornady ultrasonic & then the vibratory tumbler 70/30 corn cob to walnut.
YMMV

:txflag: :patriot:
I didn't realize you can combine walnut and corn cob effectively. I'll give that a try. I have to go to Clemtex and get a 40 lb bag of crushed walnut hulls, so I'll get some corn cob as well.

Thanks for the tip.
Chas.
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puma guy
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#21

Post by puma guy »

Charles L. Cotton wrote:
pushpullpete wrote:
Charles L Cotton wrote: All I've ever used is walnut hulls, so I have no experience with cord cob media. I've read that walnut is better for cleaning while corn cob is better for polishing after cleaning. I've never been willing to tumble brass twice, plus I can get a good shine with walnut. It just doesn't get the inside as clean as wet tumbling, but I don't care about the inside. I might feel differently if I decapped before tumbling, that that's never going to happen!
Charles, you don't need to tumble twice, try throwing in some corn cob w the walnut shell. It takes a little longer but
the mix does a nice job of cleaning & polishing. Maybe 20-30% corn cob. You can fine tune to your standards.
Personally, I am ocd anal. I deprime, drop in the Hornady ultrasonic & then the vibratory tumbler 70/30 corn cob to walnut.
YMMV

:txflag: :patriot:
I didn't realize you can combine walnut and corn cob effectively. I'll give that a try. I have to go to Clemtex and get a 40 lb bag of crushed walnut hulls, so I'll get some corn cob as well.

Thanks for the tip.
Chas.
What does Clemtex charge for Walnut shell. I've been buying it at Harbor Freight.
KAHR PM40/Hoffner IWB and S&W Mod 60/ Galco IWB
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flechero
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#22

Post by flechero »

puma guy wrote: What does Clemtex charge for Walnut shell. I've been buying it at Harbor Freight.

Lots of guys on the reloading forums buy lizard litter on line and claim it's the best deal... you can probably beat this but it was the first item in my search and seems WAY cheaper than anything I saw for reloading.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GGTWTC/_e ... Z9J38&th=1
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Charles L. Cotton
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#23

Post by Charles L. Cotton »

puma guy wrote:
Charles L. Cotton wrote:
pushpullpete wrote:
Charles L Cotton wrote: All I've ever used is walnut hulls, so I have no experience with cord cob media. I've read that walnut is better for cleaning while corn cob is better for polishing after cleaning. I've never been willing to tumble brass twice, plus I can get a good shine with walnut. It just doesn't get the inside as clean as wet tumbling, but I don't care about the inside. I might feel differently if I decapped before tumbling, that that's never going to happen!
Charles, you don't need to tumble twice, try throwing in some corn cob w the walnut shell. It takes a little longer but
the mix does a nice job of cleaning & polishing. Maybe 20-30% corn cob. You can fine tune to your standards.
Personally, I am ocd anal. I deprime, drop in the Hornady ultrasonic & then the vibratory tumbler 70/30 corn cob to walnut.
YMMV

:txflag: :patriot:
I didn't realize you can combine walnut and corn cob effectively. I'll give that a try. I have to go to Clemtex and get a 40 lb bag of crushed walnut hulls, so I'll get some corn cob as well.

Thanks for the tip.
Chas.
What does Clemtex charge for Walnut shell. I've been buying it at Harbor Freight.
It's taken me years to go through the last two bags I bought (80 lbs) and I don't remember what I paid. I'll post the price when I go this week.

Chas.
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puma guy
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#24

Post by puma guy »

Charles L. Cotton wrote:
puma guy wrote:
Charles L. Cotton wrote:
pushpullpete wrote:
Charles L Cotton wrote: All I've ever used is walnut hulls, so I have no experience with cord cob media. I've read that walnut is better for cleaning while corn cob is better for polishing after cleaning. I've never been willing to tumble brass twice, plus I can get a good shine with walnut. It just doesn't get the inside as clean as wet tumbling, but I don't care about the inside. I might feel differently if I decapped before tumbling, that that's never going to happen!
Charles, you don't need to tumble twice, try throwing in some corn cob w the walnut shell. It takes a little longer but
the mix does a nice job of cleaning & polishing. Maybe 20-30% corn cob. You can fine tune to your standards.
Personally, I am ocd anal. I deprime, drop in the Hornady ultrasonic & then the vibratory tumbler 70/30 corn cob to walnut.
YMMV

:txflag: :patriot:
I didn't realize you can combine walnut and corn cob effectively. I'll give that a try. I have to go to Clemtex and get a 40 lb bag of crushed walnut hulls, so I'll get some corn cob as well.

Thanks for the tip.
Chas.
What does Clemtex charge for Walnut shell. I've been buying it at Harbor Freight.
It's taken me years to go through the last two bags I bought (80 lbs) and I don't remember what I paid. I'll post the price when I go this week.

Chas.
What grit do you use? I get the Coarse at Harbor Freight which they claim is 12 Grit. $24.99 for 25#.
KAHR PM40/Hoffner IWB and S&W Mod 60/ Galco IWB
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WTR
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#25

Post by WTR »

Wisk and a table spoon of cream of tat tar.
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warnmar10
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#26

Post by warnmar10 »

WTR wrote:Wisk and a table spoon of cream of tat tar.
Why did you discontinue Wisk?

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https://www.wisk.com/Default.aspx

The Wisk replacement: http://www.persilproclean.com/us/en.cky.html
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Charles L. Cotton
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#27

Post by Charles L. Cotton »

puma guy wrote:
Charles L. Cotton wrote:
puma guy wrote:
Charles L. Cotton wrote:
pushpullpete wrote:
Charles L Cotton wrote: All I've ever used is walnut hulls, so I have no experience with cord cob media. I've read that walnut is better for cleaning while corn cob is better for polishing after cleaning. I've never been willing to tumble brass twice, plus I can get a good shine with walnut. It just doesn't get the inside as clean as wet tumbling, but I don't care about the inside. I might feel differently if I decapped before tumbling, that that's never going to happen!
Charles, you don't need to tumble twice, try throwing in some corn cob w the walnut shell. It takes a little longer but
the mix does a nice job of cleaning & polishing. Maybe 20-30% corn cob. You can fine tune to your standards.
Personally, I am ocd anal. I deprime, drop in the Hornady ultrasonic & then the vibratory tumbler 70/30 corn cob to walnut.
YMMV

:txflag: :patriot:
I didn't realize you can combine walnut and corn cob effectively. I'll give that a try. I have to go to Clemtex and get a 40 lb bag of crushed walnut hulls, so I'll get some corn cob as well.

Thanks for the tip.
Chas.
What does Clemtex charge for Walnut shell. I've been buying it at Harbor Freight.
It's taken me years to go through the last two bags I bought (80 lbs) and I don't remember what I paid. I'll post the price when I go this week.

Chas.
What grit do you use? I get the Coarse at Harbor Freight which they claim is 12 Grit. $24.99 for 25#.
I think Clemtex has three grits and I get the medium grit. I don't know if it has a number.

Chas.

priusron
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#28

Post by priusron »

I too changed to SS in a Harbor Freight tumbler. It is so much quieter and looks so nice. There are two sizes of SS rods. The larger will not get stuck in the primer flash hole.

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ET-Ret
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#29

Post by ET-Ret »

Just a little info I called clemtex in Dallas
they have a 50# bag for 20 dollars and change said they have samples out to pick your grade.
They will come up on Google and have different locations.
I gave about $25 at Academy for 5# box of RCBS 12 with a package of wax to throw in the tumbler.
Dallas next week here i come.

Thanks Charles for it info.
ET-ret

Deitz83
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Re: Brass Cleaning

#30

Post by Deitz83 »

Went to Clemetex in Dallas today. A 50# bag of rushed walnut cost $21.xx with tax. They do not carry corn media any more. I mixed the corn media I had with the walnut, add a bit of polish and went to cleaning.
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