Any 'homebrew' brass polish recipes?

[Tristan]

I've been using something recommended to me a while back, and it seems to work great.

It's Nu Finish auto polish/wax with a small addition of a small amount of mineral spirits. The measurements are critical - basically a couple good glops of the new finish in new tumbling media, and a capfull of mineral spirits; tumble a while to evenly distribute and then add the brass.

On average tarnish/grimy cases, it can get them looking like new in 2-3 hours.

When the mix gets 'dry' - add a little more spirits and polish and tumble to distribute.

After the media starts getting old, I add cut up t-shirt material, couple patches or so, to help gather up the grime and dust. Discard the patches when they get filthy.

What's your recipes?

[ErikT]

I use an old rock polishing tumbler to wet polish my brass, so I use 1/4 cup lemon juice, 3 or 4 drops of liquid dish soap, and enough water to cover the brass. Tumble for an hour or two, and they look like new. My only complaint is I have to wait for the brass to dry.

Erik.

[zomby woof]

I believe Nu-finish should be avoided. It is a wax. I have tried it. it makes the brass too slippery. It does make it look and feel nice. You want the brass to grab the chamber.

I like my brass clean and shiny, not clean, shiny and slippery.

[GeneT]

I like Nu-Finish and I use it without the addition of mineral spirits. It is no more lubricious than sizing lube.

I disagree that you want the brass to grab the chamber - and a better explanation than I'm willing to type is here: http://varmintal.com/a243z.htm.

GsT

[waksupi]

I like Nu-Finish and I use it without the addition of mineral spirits. It is no more lubricious than sizing lube.

I disagree that you want the brass to grab the chamber - and a better explanation than I'm willing to type is here: http://varmintal.com/a243z.htm.

GsT

You may want to go back and re-assess that article. I gather apparently just opposite of what you do from it.

[Adam10mm]

I believe Nu-finish should be avoided. It is a wax.
There is also NuFinish polish. Use the polish, not the wax. We are polishing the brass, not waxing it.:D

[johnlaw484]

Soak tarnished brass in Cider Vinegar, then tumble as before.

[HeavyMetal]

Depends on how "dirrty" the brass is and it's size.

For some real bad 308 case's I used rice and a cup of comet then ran them through some walut shell with Turtle wax rubbing compound mixed in.

Rice is a very aggressive cleaner but doesn't do well with smaller case's like 222 or 223. 30 call or bigger it just pours out the case mouth.

I have also used Birchwod casey's brass cleaner. This is a concentrated liquid you mix up and then drop the brass in for 5 minutes. The down side of this stuff is to long a bath leaves a strange color to the case.

Have not tried the Lemon juice trick yet, next tough batch of brass I will give that a try.

[Hondo Lane]

I use an old rock polishing tumbler to wet polish my brass, so I use 1/4 cup lemon juice, 3 or 4 drops of liquid dish soap, and enough water to cover the brass. Tumble for an hour or two, and they look like new. My only complaint is I have to wait for the brass to dry.

Erik.

Do you use real squeezed lemon or the stuff in the plastic lemon container?

[Wally]

I use crushed walnut shells and add paint thinner, Charcoal strater, or Naptha--about 1/2 an ounce--it will shine up your brass beautifully. I also add 1/2 of a paper towel that I pour the fluid on then cut into two---it will absorb the dust. You replace it with every other batch. You can also use used color catchers one uses when washing clothes...it works even better.

[ErikT]

Do you use real squeezed lemon or the stuff in the plastic lemon container?

Just the store-bought container juice works fine. My only complaint is that it doesn't clean the inside of the brass, but really, who cares? It's just going to be fired again. An interesting development, though, has been with my black powder cartridges. The black powder fouling seems to react with the lemon juice, and my brass has been coming out black. Nice and shiny, but black (if that makes any sense!) At least it makes it easier for me to sort my brass. Looks cool in my shell belt, too.

Erik.

[mold maker]

The amount of wax left on polished brass, when using Nu Finish, is not nearly enough to cause a problem in the chamber.
Another benefit is the brass wont tarnish from finger prints nearly as soon.

[DLCTEX]

Ok guys, check out the thread on citric acid case cleaning in the Shooting part of the forum. Cleans inside and out, stops tarnishing, and then tumble with corn cob with Nu Finish polish added. Easiest case cleaning I've ever done and very satisfactory results.

[mike in co]

I believe Nu-finish should be avoided. It is a wax. I have tried it. it makes the brass too slippery. It does make it look and feel nice. You want the brass to grab the chamber.

I like my brass clean and shiny, not clean, shiny and slippery.

right!


lol

sorry it is not an issue........

mike in co

[Hondo Lane]

Just the store-bought container juice works fine. My only complaint is that it doesn't clean the inside of the brass, but really, who cares? It's just going to be fired again. An interesting development, though, has been with my black powder cartridges. The black powder fouling seems to react with the lemon juice, and my brass has been coming out black. Nice and shiny, but black (if that makes any sense!) At least it makes it easier for me to sort my brass. Looks cool in my shell belt, too.

Erik.

Just like the good old days. I don't think buffaloe hunters polished their brass. It too had to turn black over time.

[mike in co]

Just like the good old days. I don't think buffaloe hunters polished their brass. It too had to turn black over time.

right...and they did not have scopes........computers .....load programs....nice primers and powder we have today....i guess i will just have to suffer with my polished brass.....

[Hondo Lane]

right...and they did not have scopes........computers .....load programs....nice primers and powder we have today....i guess i will just have to suffer with my polished brass.....

Surprising what a man will put up with in this day and time...

[Yellowhouse]

Ah, but a good many Sharps were fitted with telescopic sights. And the Conrad & Rath records at Ft Griffin show many a gallon of vinegar being part of the staples. Cider vinegar had medicinal purposes for sure but I'm betting that a diluted solution was used to help clean up brass and remove verdigris.

[Gelandangan]

Pop em brass into citric acid solution.. a couple of minutes later they all came out shiny regardless of the prior condition.

no need to polish :)

[excavman]

Gelandangan,
I've been to Oz, but that was a long time ago, 1968 R&R. My citric acid powder musta' come from a different kind of lemon, it doesn't work quite that good.
Larry

[shooting on a shoestring]

For you guys using wet techniques, I suggest you get a toaster oven to do your drying. I got one a couple of years ago used at GoodWill. Think I gave $7 for it. I dry cases and boolits that have been water quenched. Set it for 250 to 300 degrees F and give it 10 to 15 minutes. Works great.

[mold maker]

I built a 3'x3'x3/8" hardware cloth screen with wooden 4" frame on legs to dry and sort brass on. A couple hrs in the sun with an ocassional stiring will remove range dirt or water. If no sun I use a fan to blow across the screen.
Since I get to scrounge a outdoor range for both brass and lead the screen is a very speedy accessory to all of it.
A like sized 1/4" screen allows fast work of sorting rocks and trash from the berm collection. Much of the NC red dirt can be washed from the range lead with a hose, at home, to avoid wasting heat and time smelting. The screens than dry it to safely smelt. It also eliminates some of the highly oxidized lead fragments that contribute little to the smelt except dross.

[mdi]

Way back when, I was polishing my brass (individually on a home meade mandrel w/ the wadding type cleaner/polisher) to a really glossy mirror finish. There was some wax/conditioner left on the cases; .44 Mag. When I shot some heavy loads in my S&W 629 I was getting some odd results, like way bad accuracy of a previously good load. I asked a lot of questions around the reloading store (pre on line forums) and determined my problem was "set back". The cases were not grabbing the cylinder walls and some would slam against the recoil shield and some held tight. Differrent primer appearences, some flattened, some sticking out. I cleaned all my brass, no wax or anything slippery on them and the probs went away. My polished cases were less slippery/oily than a case lubed for sizing. Bottlenecked cases and tapered cases easier to have setback (see S&W .22 Rem Jet.). Jes my .02...

[Tristan]

This has been a fascinating read...

I've been using the Nu-Finish, but hadn't given consideration to the issue of being too slippery. The processed cases don't feel as slippery as after using case lube... but I haven't been using the rifle cases cleaned in this way yet.

I'll have to keep an eye out for any issues.

Thanks for the info, everybody.

[mike in co]

This has been a fascinating read...

I've been using the Nu-Finish, but hadn't given consideration to the issue of being too slippery. The processed cases don't feel as slippery as after using case lube... but I haven't been using the rifle cases cleaned in this way yet.

I'll have to keep an eye out for any issues.

Thanks for the info, everybody.

keep an eye out for WHAT issue ??

( there is none.....)
nothing to look out for......i have nearly 100 guns....rearly all brass is cleaned this way....shooting and reloading since 1970.......its not an issue...move on...( well actually shooting since 1957 or so).



mike in co

[mdi]

keep an eye out for WHAT issue ??

( there is none.....)
nothing to look out for......i have nearly 100 guns....rearly all brass is cleaned this way....shooting and reloading since 1970.......its not an issue...move on...( well actually shooting since 1957 or so).



mike in co

Setback is real. It can be an issue. Just because one person hasn't experienced it or can't recognise it, doesn't mean it isn't real. If your case doesn't grab the chamber walls tight enough, it doesn't have anywhere to go but back, either against the bolt or recoil shield. Why doesn't S&W sell the Model 53 anymore? Case setback...

[mike in co]

Setback is real. It can be an issue. Just because one person hasn't experienced it or can't recognise it, doesn't mean it isn't real. If your case doesn't grab the chamber walls tight enough, it doesn't have anywhere to go but back, either against the bolt or recoil shield. Why doesn't S&W sell the Model 53 anymore? Case setback...

you missed the point...entirely

someone"says" brass polished with nufinish is a issue.........

there is no fact in this statement....

there is no issue to watch for


( no one said set back wasnt an issue, the question was about waxed brass from nufinish polishing)

[mdi]

Any substance on a case that lessens friction, be it Nufinish, WD40, or monkey snot, has the potential of allowing setback. I didn't miss the point, I just don't have tunnel vision...

[mike in co]

Any substance on a case that lessens friction, be it Nufinish, WD40, or monkey snot, has the potential of allowing setback. I didn't miss the point, I just don't have tunnel vision...

well here is where you are wrong...a cleaned and polished case with corn cob or corn cob and nufinish is no different that new brass from the maker...how do you think they polish thier new brass and keep it from tarnishing ??

[Hafast]

A good source is unsweetened Kool Aid. I use the store brands and catch it on sale for less than a nickle a package. Agitate the brass in the liquid every 10 minutes or so. It really cleans stains off brass that has been on the ground for a while.

[Doby45]

I just used for the first time lastnight that Lemi-Shine from the dishwasher area of the grocery story and let me tell you that stuff is CRAZY... I just boiled osme water in my tea pot on the stove, poured it into a plastic bowl and dropped about 2 teaspoons of the stuff in the water and stirred. I dropped 100rds of 223 brass in the bowl and literally it was clean in about 20 seconds. It looked like a bunch of shiny pieces of money in the bottom of a well. Amazing stuff..

[mdi]

well here is where you are wrong...a cleaned and polished case with corn cob or corn cob and nufinish is no different that new brass from the maker...how do you think they polish thier new brass and keep it from tarnishing ??

You are assuming way too much. Yes, factory brass is polished and some substance is used to retard tarnish. No one is saying different. Too much wax/polish/oil on a case will prevent it from gripping the cylinder/chamber walls, and result in set back. Are you saying this is not possible? In your most infinate wisdom is this a fallicy?

[mike in co]

You are assuming way too much. Yes, factory brass is polished and some substance is used to retard tarnish. No one is saying different. Too much wax/polish/oil on a case will prevent it from gripping the cylinder/chamber walls, and result in set back. Are you saying this is not possible? In your most infinate wisdom is this a fallicy?

NO...
now you are assuming too much..but we maybe close.
the original comment was the cleaning and polishing in corn cob wiht nufinish car polish was a potential hazard.
i said then and i say now , the the process talked about on this site is completely safe. there is no issue with the process as listed.

you do something stupid...not as described...dont call me

( for the record, in a large tumble, 5 lbs of corn cob, and one cap full of nufinish car polish per load)

we good ??
mike in co

[mdi]

Nope.
I can't understand your logic. I'm talking about a phenomenon that occurs from too slick cases, you're talking about sompin' else, and throw in "as listed" which wasn't the side topic I described. I'm Outta here...

[No_1]

Mdi,
I see your point, some time in the past you used a product that was not nu-finish and it gave you problems because it left your cases too slick to grip the chamber so now you believe that nu-finish will do the same thing.

Mike, I see your point that in your experience nu-finish does not create the same problem.

Me, I have been using nu-finish for years and have yet to have the problems that have been discribed here, in fact there are many members that use nu-finish without problems.

Mdi, have you tried nu-finish and if so do the problems you indicate happened years ago with the other stuff happen with nu-finish? If you have not tried it are you willing to try it and find out? I am willing to bet that if you did you would get different results than you have predicted.

R.

[riverwalker76]

I know Nu-Finish if popular, but it's not good for brass since it has a petroleum base. Also, it will actually ATTRACT debris to your cases. If you tumble some brass ... let it sit out for a couple of weeks ... and you will notice light orange halos forming around the brass from the oils in the Nu-Finish.

I made up my own recipe not too long ago, and I like it better than any wax based formula.

So far I've left mine out in this same box for 3 weeks in a humid garage, and it still hasn't tarnished or discolored in any way.

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/AntlerandStone/milsurp223.jpg

Here's the recipe .....


Note: I use a 16 oz. plastic cup for my measurements.

~3 scoops of fine corncob media

~1 scoop walnut media (lizard litter from Petsmart)

~ Small ribbon of Flitz Media / Tumbler additive

~ 1 Tsp of Lemishine in granular form

I let all of this tumble in my Thumbler's Tumbler Industrial Vibratory Tumbler for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, and it goes from dirty milsurp brass to the above.

[Doby45]

I got all that but the Flitz, need to get me some anyway. I will be trying your "recipe"..

[riverwalker76]

I got all that but the Flitz, need to get me some anyway. I will be trying your "recipe"..

Be certain that it's the Flitz Tumbler / Media Additive and NOT the Flitz paste polish. The paste polish has ammonia additives, and it will attack the copper in the brass. This is the stuff I use because it's ammonia free .... http://www.flitz.com/p-26-tumblermedia-additive.aspx

Midway carried it last I checked.

[Wayne Smith]

[QUOTE=riverwalker76;929559]I know Nu-Finish if popular, but it's not good for brass since it has a petroleum base. QUOTE]

HUH?? so does Alox. So do most of your cleaning materials. That's the first time I've heard that. With the execption of with BP, of course.

[GT27]

A good source is unsweetened Kool Aid. I use the store brands and catch it on sale for less than a nickle a package. Agitate the brass in the liquid every 10 minutes or so. It really cleans stains off brass that has been on the ground for a while.

Best stuff to clean the inside of a dishwasher that I have ever seen,just dont put your brass in there or, the ole lady will have a conniption fit big time...:shock:

[BoolitBill]

I use a rock polisher (wet tumbler) and Cream of Tartar works great at polishing the brass. About a teaspoon per load.

[No_1]

WOW! That is good stuff if it does that in 1 1/4 hours. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

On another note, I have been using the nu-finish for a long time and have not had the light orange halo's that you have mentioned. I will have to look carefully at the stuff I have laying around and see what I find.

Robert


I know Nu-Finish if popular, but it's not good for brass since it has a petroleum base. Also, it will actually ATTRACT debris to your cases. If you tumble some brass ... let it sit out for a couple of weeks ... and you will notice light orange halos forming around the brass from the oils in the Nu-Finish.

I made up my own recipe not too long ago, and I like it better than any wax based formula.

So far I've left mine out in this same box for 3 weeks in a humid garage, and it still hasn't tarnished or discolored in any way.

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/AntlerandStone/milsurp223.jpg

Here's the recipe .....


Note: I use a 16 oz. plastic cup for my measurements.

~3 scoops of fine corncob media

~1 scoop walnut media (lizard litter from Petsmart)

~ Small ribbon of Flitz Media / Tumbler additive

~ 1 Tsp of Lemishine in granular form

I let all of this tumble in my Thumbler's Tumbler Industrial Vibratory Tumbler for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, and it goes from dirty milsurp brass to the above.

[mike in co]

I know Nu-Finish if popular, but it's not good for brass since it has a petroleum base. Also, it will actually ATTRACT debris to your cases. If you tumble some brass ... let it sit out for a couple of weeks ... and you will notice light orange halos forming around the brass from the oils in the Nu-Finish.

I made up my own recipe not too long ago, and I like it better than any wax based formula.

So far I've left mine out in this same box for 3 weeks in a humid garage, and it still hasn't tarnished or discolored in any way.

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/AntlerandStone/milsurp223.jpg

Here's the recipe .....


Note: I use a 16 oz. plastic cup for my measurements.

~3 scoops of fine corncob media

~1 scoop walnut media (lizard litter from Petsmart)

~ Small ribbon of Flitz Media / Tumbler additive

~ 1 Tsp of Lemishine in granular form

I let all of this tumble in my Thumbler's Tumbler Industrial Vibratory Tumbler for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, and it goes from dirty milsurp brass to the above.

sorry, i just dont buy it.....
i sell brass for a living.....i dont sell krappy looking brass. most of my once fired brass looks like new...i get that question all the time.

i got no orange on my brass.........

since when do "petroleum products"...thats pretty genreral...affect brass........
specically what in nufinish that affect the brass in a way negative to shooting ??

tell that to dillon, tell it to midway ........


sorry it just aint so...........

[mike in co]

[QUOTE=riverwalker76;929559]I know Nu-Finish if popular, but it's not good for brass since it has a petroleum base. Also, it will actually ATTRACT debris to your cases. If you tumble some brass ... let it sit out for a couple of weeks ... and you will notice light orange halos forming around the brass from the oils in the Nu-Finish.

I made up my own recipe not too long ago, and I like it better than any wax based formula.

So far I've left mine out in this same box for 3 weeks in a humid garage, and it still hasn't tarnished or discolored in any way.

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/AntlerandStone/milsurp223.jpg

QUOTE]

sorry, i just dont buy it.....
i sell brass for a living.....i dont sell krappy looking brass. most of my once fired brass looks like new...i get that question all the time.

i got no orange on my brass.........

since when do "petroleum products"...thats pretty genreral...affect brass........
specically what in nufinish that affect the brass in a way negative to shooting ??

tell that to dillon, tell it to midway ........
and as far as "WAX BASED"
READ THIS FROM NUFINSH'S SITE


"Only product in the market that contains no wax. "
Conventional waxes don't last long because the common ingredient in these products, carnauba wax, breaks down quickly from everyday conditions. Neither Nu Finish Liquid nor Nu Finish Paste Car Polish contain carnauba waxes. No other liquid or paste products can make that claim!

Nu Finish is made up of a series of zinc cross-linking polymer emulsions that help Nu Finish last longer than any other polish on the market. This is why Nu Finish is called "The-Once-A-Year Car Polish." Watch how Nu Finish makes water bead month after month.

sounds like something wrong in YOUR PROCESS.



sorry it just aint so...........

[mike in co]

Nope.
I can't understand your logic. I'm talking about a phenomenon that occurs from too slick cases, you're talking about sompin' else, and throw in "as listed" which wasn't the side topic I described. I'm Outta here...

your opening statement" too slick" is why we are talking two differnt things here....

nu finish, as discussed on these boards, DOES NOT PROVIDE TOO SLICK OF A FINISH.


you have changed the topic is mid stream.

the topic was" nufinish cause too slick of brass" it was not that "too slick of brass may cause an issue......"

you have gone out of context, not me...

what the other guy said.....

mike in co

[riverwalker76]

Talk about being attacked on your own topic. WOW! /\/\/\/\

Try the Flitz Media / Tumbler additive sold at Midway everyone.


You won't be disappointed. ;-)


Like I said in my previous post ....

I stand behind the Nu-Finish comments I made above. I don't like it, but a lot of people do. When I get home I can take some pics of some orange rings for you that were caused by Nu-Finish car wax.

[mike in co]

Talk about being attacked on your own topic. WOW! /\/\/\/\

Try the Flitz Media / Tumbler additive sold at Midway everyone.


You won't be disappointed. ;-)


Like I said in my previous post ....

I stand behind the Nu-Finish comments I made above. I don't like it, but a lot of people do. When I get home I can take some pics of some orange rings for you that were caused by Nu-Finish car wax.

talk about people that cannot read.
first it is not YOUR OWN TOPIC...it was started by tristan.

and then you "stand behind" your statements even tho the maker clearly states you are wrong,
AND
THEN YOU AGAIN USE THE WORD WAX....when nufinsh clearly states there is no WAX in the product.

when you used nufinsh, did you use your mix of corn and walnut ??


you were not attacked...you made statements that were not correct, and they were corrected.

and yes your brass looks good.


mike in co

[johnlaw484]

Nobody has mentioned jeweler's rouge added to the media. Works extremely well as a dry polish when mineral spirits are added to the mix.

[mike in co]

Nobody has mentioned jeweler's rouge added to the media. Works extremely well as a dry polish when mineral spirits are added to the mix.

esp if one want to polish his bbl with rouge........

i have seen brass polished with rouge...most i have seen have had a residue on the case. an obvious red dust....... it may be a fine polish, but that just means its a fine abrasive....mayeb going down my bbl.

did not say it does not work , just saying clean up well afterwards.

mike in co