Brass cleaner ingredients

[bdarin]

I've been cleaning my brass with that Iosso stuff. Question: what's in it? Can I make a brass cleaner in my own "kitchen laboratory" with common houshold chemicals?

[Nortonics]

Good question!

I tried to figure out exactly what was in the Birchwood Casey's Brass Cartridge Case Cleaner in the past too:

Brass Cartridge Case Cleaner
Super concentrate – this one bottle makes over two gallons of reusable cleaning solution and will clean 8,000 medium sized cases. Easily removes resizing lubricant, oils, grime and stains from brass cartridge cases. Restores them to original finish for reliable operation. Helps remove powder residue. Brass Cartridge Case Cleaner is a safe, non-fuming, non-etching solution that won't weaken cases. Reusable – store solution in a plastic or glass container (not metal) and use when needed.

This is awesome stuff that works incredibly well too. For a liquid only case cleaner that requires no scrubbing this stuff is just amazing. I never did find what I was looking for, including a Material Data Safety Sheet (or whatever that's called) for this product. I did learn that there is some form of acid that's the main active ingredient, but that's about as far as I got...

[maggys drawers]

http://www.birchwoodcasey.com/sport/msds.asp

Item # 33845-CCI Adobe PDF file.

[Nortonics]

Son of a gun - and right from their web site too! How did I miss that...

Man, there is some rather interesting chemical makeup to that stuff! I think I'll stick to just buying it after seeing this:

2. COMPOSITION / INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
DESCRIPTION CAS NUMBER WEIGHT PERCENT EXPOSURE LIMITS

Phosphoric Acid – H3PO4 7664-38-2 <20 1 mg/m3
Hydroxyacetic Acid – C2H4O3 79-14-1 <7 3 ppmb
Dipropyleneglycol Monomethyl Ether 34590-94-8 <7 100 ppm a,d C7H16O3
Benzotriazole – C6H5N3 95-14-7 <1 N/Ec
Dodecylbenzenesulfonic Acid 27176-87-0 <24 N/Ec C18H30SO3
Water – H2O 7732-18-5 >41 N/Ec

[bdarin]

Iosso says their stuff is environmentally friendly, unlike the Birchwood-Casey stuff. This makes me think there is a non-nasty-chemical way to clean brass with a liquid.

[Nortonics]

After posting those ingredients above I went and checked on those three acids that make up the majority of that solution and amazingly they really aren't that bad, certainly nothing to fear. One of 'em is similar to citric acid for instance. Still, I don't think I'm gonna' start stockpiling chemicals at the ol' homestead though...

[silicon wolverine]

Actually what works better is a 3% hydrocholoic/muriatic acid mix. This can be Bought in home centers as concrete floor clenaer.

SW

[dfaugh]

I think you'll find the ingredient that "does the most" is the Phosphoric Acid. Available at Auto Paint stores for aluminum in prep for paint. Not very expensive (although I've not bought it in a long time), and goes a long way (dilute it). It's a BIT nasty in concentrated form (wear gloves, and eye protection), but nowhere near as nasty as Nitric or Muriatic (Sulpheric) Acids. I'd try a 10:1 solution, and I suspect it would clean well in a matter of minutes.

[brickeyee]

"Muriatic (Sulpheric) Acids"

Muriatic Acid is Hydrochloric Acid (HCl), a long shot from Sulphuric Acid (H2SO4).

[Sport45]

"Muriatic (Sulpheric) Acids"

Muriatic Acid is Hydrochloric Acid (HCl), a long shot from Sulphuric Acid (H2SO4).

Yes, Sulphuric acid is "Oil of Vitriol" or something like that.

I think there's a mix of white vinegar, salt, and hot water that folks use for cleaning brass but I don't know the proportions.

[Ausserordeutlich]

NuFinish works great!

[Jseime]

I have a set of Cragar SS mag wheels on my truck and when they get a little tarnished or some small rust spots develop i use a solution of vinegar and water on them and they shine like new again.

I use an old windex bottle of the stuff with about a cup of vinegar in it, next time i go out and shoot some reloads im gonna take an ice cream pail and put some in just to see if the vinegar will shine the rounds up because it should.