Anybody ever used liquid brass cleaners?

Tex S · November 24, 2008, 06:41 PM

I'm talking about Iosso. Saw it at Cabela's and it got me curious.

In another post somebody said they use lemon juice, vinegar, and salt.

Does anyone prefer or disaprove of this stuff? Why?

rn22723 · November 24, 2008, 07:26 PM

Do some more searching. There aer people have no qualms with the home made brew as you have listed. Just that the logistics of things can be cumbersome.

Shoney · November 24, 2008, 07:40 PM

What chemicals are listed on the label of the Iosso?

Any time you use acids (vinegar), bases (ammonia), or salt on cartridge brass, you can get chemical reactions that alter the brass. The key element is time, how long is the substance in contact with the brass.

The scientific reason WHY NOT TO OVER USE any compounds with these substances is:

Cartridge brass is 70% copper and 30% zinc. Chemicals and resulting voltaic cells leeches the zinc from the brass at a rapid rate, the longer the contact, the more that is leeched (key words). A small reduction in the % zinc will cause the brass to be brittle and can cause catastrophic rupture of the case.---Try this experiment: put a dab of Brasso on a case that is trashed. let it sit for an hour, then remove the Brasso. You will see the brass is now reddish. This is the copper showing on the brass that has lost zinc.

If you use a little Brasso in the tumbler, it is diluted thru the media, and the ammonia is probably dissipated by evaporation, causing little damage to the brass. Compare the color of the well Brasso'ed brass with new. I would wager that it will be a slight bit on the coppery side compared to new.

Over long use of chemicals is spinning the roulette wheel. And with continued over long exposure, it's only a matter of time before a case ruptures.

Loader9 · November 24, 2008, 08:11 PM

I have used RCBS liquid case cleaner, Iosso, and vinegar for decades and have never had a problem. If I'm in a hurry with a project, I use the liquid media instead of hard media like corn cob, walnut, etc. The liquid is far,far faster and easier to use but it costs more. For what it takes a vibratory type tumbler to do in 4 hours I can do in 20 minutes using liquid. A simple rinse in the sink with hot water and into the oven at 175F for 30 minutes and you have squeeky clean brass that shines like a diamond in a goats but. It's not for everybody and I don't use it near as often as I used to but it works better than a vibrating tumbler and is far quicker. I'm using 2oz RCBS liquid cleaner, 1/2 cup Iosso, and 2 cups of 9% acid vinegar in a one gallon bottle of water. Where a tumbler may not bring black military brass back to new, this will. If you have fairly clean brass and just want to brighten it, just use a cup of vinegar in a gallon of water. Rinse the brass in it, rinse with hot water and let 'em dry- they'll look like new and squeeky clean.

**Shane Tuttle** · November 24, 2008, 08:30 PM

Iosso works well if you follow the directions. Don't go crazy with it.

Midway's brass polish is what I use in corn media after tumbling brass in walnut. Iosso isn't my cup of tea and I can't remember if it has ammonia or not.

Stay the heck away from products containing ammonia...especially Brasso.

Slamfire · November 24, 2008, 09:38 PM

Stay away from ammonia.

Ammonia, evaporating from the soil of hot humid India caused Martini Henry brass cases to crack. The British were real puzzled because cases cracked seasonally. When they figured it out, the term "season cracking" stuck.

I have read case studies in destructive analysis books where bird poop caused brass prop blades to fall off boats.

Never, ever, allow an ammonia based brass cleaner near your brass.

50 shooter · November 24, 2008, 09:57 PM

I mostly like to use Iosso on surplus brass as Loader9 said, regular media usually won't clean it as well as Iosso. Iosso will also remove any polish that was on your brass from being run thru a tumbler.

If you want brass clean in a hurry then Iosso is good for that, if you really don't care then run it thru a tumbler for a couple hours. Brass doesn't have to shine to reload it, all it needs to be is clean.

Wildalaska · November 24, 2008, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Brass doesn't have to shine to reload it, all it needs to be is clean.

Philistine

WilditmustgleamlikeadiamondAlaska TM

amamnn · November 25, 2008, 01:31 PM

The only time any liquid ever touches my brass is if I drop a case off the shooting bench into a puddle or if I am annealing small cases and I quench them. For cleaning I use walnut media with a spoonful of scouring powder added every 4th or 5th time I use the tumbler. The media will last years that way and the brass is clean enough that it will not gunk up the follower on the concentricity gauge.

November 24, 2008, 06:41 PM	#1
Tex S Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2008 Location: Fort Worth, TEXAS Posts: 909	Anybody ever used liquid brass cleaners? I'm talking about Iosso. Saw it at Cabela's and it got me curious. In another post somebody said they use lemon juice, vinegar, and salt. Does anyone prefer or disaprove of this stuff? Why?

November 24, 2008, 07:40 PM	#3
Shoney Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2002 Location: Transplanted from Montana Posts: 2,311	What chemicals are listed on the label of the Iosso? Any time you use acids (vinegar), bases (ammonia), or salt on cartridge brass, you can get chemical reactions that alter the brass. The key element is time, how long is the substance in contact with the brass. The scientific reason WHY NOT TO OVER USE any compounds with these substances is: Cartridge brass is 70% copper and 30% zinc. Chemicals and resulting voltaic cells leeches the zinc from the brass at a rapid rate, the longer the contact, the more that is leeched (key words). A small reduction in the % zinc will cause the brass to be brittle and can cause catastrophic rupture of the case.---Try this experiment: put a dab of Brasso on a case that is trashed. let it sit for an hour, then remove the Brasso. You will see the brass is now reddish. This is the copper showing on the brass that has lost zinc. If you use a little Brasso in the tumbler, it is diluted thru the media, and the ammonia is probably dissipated by evaporation, causing little damage to the brass. Compare the color of the well Brasso'ed brass with new. I would wager that it will be a slight bit on the coppery side compared to new. Over long use of chemicals is spinning the roulette wheel. And with continued over long exposure, it's only a matter of time before a case ruptures. __________________ I pledge allegiance to the Flag - - -, and to the Republic for which it stands….Our Forefathers were brilliant for giving us a Republic, not a democracy! Do you know the difference??? and WHY?http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissue...les.asp?id=111

November 24, 2008, 08:30 PM	#5
Shane Tuttle Staff Join Date: November 28, 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 9,443	Iosso works well if you follow the directions. Don't go crazy with it. Midway's brass polish is what I use in corn media after tumbling brass in walnut. Iosso isn't my cup of tea and I can't remember if it has ammonia or not. Stay the heck away from products containing ammonia...especially Brasso. __________________ If it were up to me, the word "got" would be deleted from the English language. Posting and YOU: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting

November 24, 2008, 09:57 PM	#7
50 shooter Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2002 Location: SoCal PRK Posts: 986	I mostly like to use Iosso on surplus brass as Loader9 said, regular media usually won't clean it as well as Iosso. Iosso will also remove any polish that was on your brass from being run thru a tumbler. If you want brass clean in a hurry then Iosso is good for that, if you really don't care then run it thru a tumbler for a couple hours. Brass doesn't have to shine to reload it, all it needs to be is clean. __________________ I see the world thru bloodshot eyes Streets filled with blood from distant lies The dogs of war never compromise, No time for rearranging.

November 25, 2008, 01:31 PM	#9
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	The only time any liquid ever touches my brass is if I drop a case off the shooting bench into a puddle or if I am annealing small cases and I quench them. For cleaning I use walnut media with a spoonful of scouring powder added every 4th or 5th time I use the tumbler. The media will last years that way and the brass is clean enough that it will not gunk up the follower on the concentricity gauge. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

November 24, 2008, 07:26 PM	#2
rn22723 Junior member Join Date: December 10, 2001 Location: Burbs of Minneapolis Posts: 676	Do some more searching. There aer people have no qualms with the home made brew as you have listed. Just that the logistics of things can be cumbersome.

November 24, 2008, 08:11 PM	#4
Loader9 Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2008 Posts: 949	I have used RCBS liquid case cleaner, Iosso, and vinegar for decades and have never had a problem. If I'm in a hurry with a project, I use the liquid media instead of hard media like corn cob, walnut, etc. The liquid is far,far faster and easier to use but it costs more. For what it takes a vibratory type tumbler to do in 4 hours I can do in 20 minutes using liquid. A simple rinse in the sink with hot water and into the oven at 175F for 30 minutes and you have squeeky clean brass that shines like a diamond in a goats but. It's not for everybody and I don't use it near as often as I used to but it works better than a vibrating tumbler and is far quicker. I'm using 2oz RCBS liquid cleaner, 1/2 cup Iosso, and 2 cups of 9% acid vinegar in a one gallon bottle of water. Where a tumbler may not bring black military brass back to new, this will. If you have fairly clean brass and just want to brighten it, just use a cup of vinegar in a gallon of water. Rinse the brass in it, rinse with hot water and let 'em dry- they'll look like new and squeeky clean.

November 24, 2008, 09:38 PM	#6
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	Stay away from ammonia. Ammonia, evaporating from the soil of hot humid India caused Martini Henry brass cases to crack. The British were real puzzled because cases cracked seasonally. When they figured it out, the term "season cracking" stuck. I have read case studies in destructive analysis books where bird poop caused brass prop blades to fall off boats. Never, ever, allow an ammonia based brass cleaner near your brass.