Cleaning brass?

Rob96 · March 22, 2009, 05:23 AM

I saw in the Midway catalog a kit of a liquid brass cleaner where you put your brass in the bucket, let sit for the prescribed time, take out rinse and let dry. Anyone have experience with this?

flashhole · March 22, 2009, 06:16 AM

I can personally attest to the poor performance of the Birchwood Casey line of chemical brass cleaners. Very disappointing. Don't waste your money. Maybe some of the othes work better than what I tried but I get good results using hot water and whatever brand of liquid dish washing detergent my wife keeps by the kitchen sink.

Dragon55 · March 22, 2009, 06:19 AM

A mixture of white vinegar and lots of table salt works pretty good. FWIW it wll shine up old coins also.

Alleykat · March 22, 2009, 08:56 AM

Always amused at folks' trying to make something complicated/tedious out of something simple/easy. Hard to argue with a $40 tumbler.

50 shooter · March 22, 2009, 11:47 AM

If it was Iosso it's good stuff, I use it on surplus brass to get all the crap off of it. 50 BMG surplus is usually pretty tarnished and Iosso will bring it around with about 1-2 minutes of soaking. From there you can rinse it and let it air dry or turn your oven on warm and dry them there.

Lyman also makes a pretty good liquid cleaner, not as agressive as Iosso but it gets the job done also. The thing to remember is that these cleaners remove everything and leave a satin type of shine. If you want them really shiney you'll need to drop them in a tumbler with corncob for about an hour with some good polish.

wncchester · March 22, 2009, 04:57 PM

"A mixture of white vinegar and lots of table salt works pretty good. FWIW it wll shine up old coins also."

A 50:50 mix of vinegar and water and a 2-3 hour soak will do fine, no salt needed. Slosh it around a couple of times for best results but even that isn't necessary. Afterwards, FLUSH it well and spread it out one layer deep. Let it dry a day or so to make sure the interiors are fully dry before loading or storing, moving air from a fan helps speed drying, a lot.

251120 · March 24, 2009, 01:17 PM

I find a ultra sonic cleaner does a good job inside and out 50/50 vinegar and warm water. cleans the primer pockets too. less than 10 mins. just depends if you are a hunter or what on how many you need to clean.

dlb435 · March 24, 2009, 03:25 PM

I use air conditioning coil cleaner. Works fast and does a good job. Leave the brass in too long and it will discolor. It's a good first step with really dirty or tarnished brass.

czfonz · May 1, 2009, 12:58 AM

soaked in vinegar/water solution for 1hr.
left= clean brass
right= dirty brass

impalacustom · May 1, 2009, 03:56 AM

Vineager is a no-no. Everyone says no about using Brasso as it is ammonia based, but guess what. Acids also leach out zinc and copper, which is the make up of your cartridge brass. Just tumble your brass with media and no other stuff and it will come clean.

Dingoboyx · May 1, 2009, 04:31 AM

Cleans coins really well

Imagine what it could do for your brass?

Then you projectiles will go better too.....

Didn't you know? Thinks go better with coke

If you don't know what I am talking about.... you're too young

Ask someone who was alive in the 70's

March 22, 2009, 05:23 AM	#1
Rob96 Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 1999 Location: Allentown,PA Posts: 1,969	Cleaning brass? I saw in the Midway catalog a kit of a liquid brass cleaner where you put your brass in the bucket, let sit for the prescribed time, take out rinse and let dry. Anyone have experience with this?

March 22, 2009, 06:16 AM	#2
flashhole Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2005 Location: Owego, NY Posts: 2,000	I can personally attest to the poor performance of the Birchwood Casey line of chemical brass cleaners. Very disappointing. Don't waste your money. Maybe some of the othes work better than what I tried but I get good results using hot water and whatever brand of liquid dish washing detergent my wife keeps by the kitchen sink. __________________ ,,, stupidity comes to some people very easily. 8/22/2017 my wife in a discussion about Liberals. Are you ready for civil war?

March 22, 2009, 06:19 AM	#3
Dragon55 Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2009 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 811	Surprisingly.... A mixture of white vinegar and lots of table salt works pretty good. FWIW it wll shine up old coins also. __________________ sailing ... A way to spend lots of money and go real S L O W

March 22, 2009, 11:47 AM	#5
50 shooter Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2002 Location: SoCal PRK Posts: 986	If it was Iosso it's good stuff, I use it on surplus brass to get all the crap off of it. 50 BMG surplus is usually pretty tarnished and Iosso will bring it around with about 1-2 minutes of soaking. From there you can rinse it and let it air dry or turn your oven on warm and dry them there. Lyman also makes a pretty good liquid cleaner, not as agressive as Iosso but it gets the job done also. The thing to remember is that these cleaners remove everything and leave a satin type of shine. If you want them really shiney you'll need to drop them in a tumbler with corncob for about an hour with some good polish. __________________ I see the world thru bloodshot eyes Streets filled with blood from distant lies The dogs of war never compromise, No time for rearranging.

March 22, 2009, 04:57 PM	#6
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"A mixture of white vinegar and lots of table salt works pretty good. FWIW it wll shine up old coins also." A 50:50 mix of vinegar and water and a 2-3 hour soak will do fine, no salt needed. Slosh it around a couple of times for best results but even that isn't necessary. Afterwards, FLUSH it well and spread it out one layer deep. Let it dry a day or so to make sure the interiors are fully dry before loading or storing, moving air from a fan helps speed drying, a lot. Last edited by wncchester; March 24, 2009 at 09:24 PM.

March 22, 2009, 08:56 AM	#4
Alleykat Junior member Join Date: July 26, 2007 Posts: 3,668	Always amused at folks' trying to make something complicated/tedious out of something simple/easy. Hard to argue with a $40 tumbler.

March 24, 2009, 01:17 PM	#7
251120 Junior Member Join Date: February 1, 2007 Posts: 2	case cleaning I find a ultra sonic cleaner does a good job inside and out 50/50 vinegar and warm water. cleans the primer pockets too. less than 10 mins. just depends if you are a hunter or what on how many you need to clean.

March 24, 2009, 03:25 PM	#8
dlb435 Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2009 Posts: 654	I use air conditioning coil cleaner. Works fast and does a good job. Leave the brass in too long and it will discolor. It's a good first step with really dirty or tarnished brass.

May 1, 2009, 03:56 AM	#10
impalacustom Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2009 Posts: 492	Vineager is a no-no. Everyone says no about using Brasso as it is ammonia based, but guess what. Acids also leach out zinc and copper, which is the make up of your cartridge brass. Just tumble your brass with media and no other stuff and it will come clean.

May 1, 2009, 04:31 AM	#11
Dingoboyx Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2009 Location: South East Queensland, Australia Posts: 1,513	CocaCola Cleans coins really well Imagine what it could do for your brass? Then you projectiles will go better too..... Didn't you know? Thinks go better with coke If you don't know what I am talking about.... you're too young Ask someone who was alive in the 70's __________________ Muzza If you cant blind them with brilliance, Baffle them with BS Be alert...... there is a shortage of LERTs