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JeepHammer · June 16, 2017, 08:19 AM

I never saw nitric acid used on brass here. Kind of threw me when someone suggested nitric acid, I had to ask for a source since I hadn't used it.

It's true the household chemicals take longer sometimes, but accomplish the same, or good results.
Sometimes the household stuff will introduce stuff you don't want, so it's trial & error...
I usually run with what the brass engineer recommended.

I also posted a misprint, I posted sodium hydroxide when I intended ammonium hydroxide.
Bleach will work, just crazy slow, but shows up some real colors.

This isn't gem stone or microscope lens polishing here, we aren't talking sub micron finishes,
We are talking 1,200 grit with a final finish buff, not 4,000 grit with a 0.2 micron fixed polish.
Some car finishes get 1,200 grit wet sand, so body shop equipment will get you there, with a final gem polish just to brighten things up a little...

I'm sure there will be people convincing themselves there is 'No Way!' the average guy can do this without years of training and $500,000 in scientific equipment,
They are talking themselves out of trying!

And, obviously, people are getting hold of metallurgy professionals and asking questions!
The replies a week or more later with specifics are proof of that.
Some say 'Right On! Good Idea!', others will have doubts, still others will crap on it outright...
It's the way of scientific progress to challenge everything, so I don't mind that.

Are you going to get top end results? NO.
Are you going to produce results a top end lab could get useful results from? YES.
I've done it with help from a brass engineer...

Like I said, you won't be doing 'No Fail' testing/inspection for NASA on a Mars mission, just seeing what's going on with your brass.
You are only looking with your own eyes in a visible light spectrum, this ain't rocket science!

Humans have been doing this since the 1870s, without highly refined chemicals, epoxy mounts, perfectly sized grit abrasives, and far worse magnification lenses...
And they produced useful results!

June 16, 2017, 08:19 AM	#19
JeepHammer Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2015 Posts: 1,768	I never saw nitric acid used on brass here. Kind of threw me when someone suggested nitric acid, I had to ask for a source since I hadn't used it. It's true the household chemicals take longer sometimes, but accomplish the same, or good results. Sometimes the household stuff will introduce stuff you don't want, so it's trial & error... I usually run with what the brass engineer recommended. I also posted a misprint, I posted sodium hydroxide when I intended ammonium hydroxide. Bleach will work, just crazy slow, but shows up some real colors. This isn't gem stone or microscope lens polishing here, we aren't talking sub micron finishes, We are talking 1,200 grit with a final finish buff, not 4,000 grit with a 0.2 micron fixed polish. Some car finishes get 1,200 grit wet sand, so body shop equipment will get you there, with a final gem polish just to brighten things up a little... I'm sure there will be people convincing themselves there is 'No Way!' the average guy can do this without years of training and $500,000 in scientific equipment, They are talking themselves out of trying! And, obviously, people are getting hold of metallurgy professionals and asking questions! The replies a week or more later with specifics are proof of that. Some say 'Right On! Good Idea!', others will have doubts, still others will crap on it outright... It's the way of scientific progress to challenge everything, so I don't mind that. Are you going to get top end results? NO. Are you going to produce results a top end lab could get useful results from? YES. I've done it with help from a brass engineer... Like I said, you won't be doing 'No Fail' testing/inspection for NASA on a Mars mission, just seeing what's going on with your brass. You are only looking with your own eyes in a visible light spectrum, this ain't rocket science! Humans have been doing this since the 1870s, without highly refined chemicals, epoxy mounts, perfectly sized grit abrasives, and far worse magnification lenses... And they produced useful results! Last edited by JeepHammer; June 16, 2017 at 08:53 AM.