Comet?

[DeanoBeanCounter]

:confused: I've seen a lot of things accepted and rejected as to what to put in your tumbling medium. Here's another idea. How about good ol' Comet or Ajax cleanser? Would this stuff polish or scratch brass? The worst chemical I can think of that's in it is bleach/chlorine. I have no idea what chlorine would do to brass.
Any thoughts?
Any ideas?
Any knowledge?
Any comments?
Any thing?
I think it would at least clean brass, but I don't know if it would do any damage. :twisted:
Dean

[HeavyMetal]

I have experimented with both Ajax and rice as a media to clean brass!

I have found that filling my Dillon tumbler with rice and adding a cup of Ajax works very well! At least on most calibers above .30 in rifle and 9 mm and larger in pistol cases.

I did a 1000 223's and spent most of a week end picking the rice out of the little 22 caliber neck!

The only time the chlorine is activated in the Ajax is if it gets wet! This rice / ajax combo cleans the inside of the case's very well! So much so I will suggest you wear a good mask when you open the tumbler to protect against airborne lead dust!

I then run them through some walnut or corn cob media for ten minutes to remove any residual Ajax and I'm good to load.

I will use this rice / ajax combo to clean range brass thats usually pretty grungy and it comes out nice clean and shiny!

[Kraschenbirn]

In the past, I've used "BarKeeper's Friend"...the compound for copper and brass NOT the one for stainless steel...as an additive for really old, badly tarnished brass with good results. However, I found that you need to tumble the cases a second time in clean media to preclude accelerated wear of your dies. Problem with the process is that the "clean" media used for the second tumbling becomes contaminated with the abrasive cleaner and can't be used for anything else.

Bill

[Boerrancher]

Back before my tumbler died I would toss a small amount of Comet in with my cob or walnut media when it would start getting dirty and not cleaning as well.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[C1PNR]

Has anyone tried Bon Ami? It's worked for me in some bore cleaning situations, but I've never tried it in the tumbler.

BTW, as for the lead staphnate dust from tumbling fired brass, I like to use the vibratory tumbler outdoors with the top off when there's a little breeze, or even a fan blowing across the top if there's no breeze.

Just be sure you are either upwind or otherwise out of the potential dust plume.

[buck1]

FWIW....I started throwing in some new cleaning patches, old dryer sheets and B.B.s with the meida. It lasts at least 10x longer than it used to, and cleans very well to boot. No dust eaither.....Buck

[13Echo]

There was a short article in the Dope Bag many years ago about using Bon Ami in a tumbler. They found it worked and it does not wear dies or barrels. It is such a fine abrasive it is used to clean glass. I use it in my tumbler with walnut, 3 or 4 capfuls of mineral spirits and a tablespoon or two of Bon Ami. Works well, cleaning even tarnished black powder cases.

Jerry Liles

[bruce drake]

I will +1 the Bon Ami powder. It really perks up the power of my lizard bedding (ground walnut shells at 9.99 per 20lbs from PETCO) when it comes to cleaning brass. I don't use the mineral spirits and it still works fine.

I've used dried rice before and it works well but breaks down quicker than corncob or walnut. Rice leaves the brass with a soft burnished look to it. I prefer Walnut though for the final appearance of the brass.

Bruce

[blackthorn]

+ 1 on the use of Bon Ami. Works well and has no chlorine!