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Thread: lemi-shine ???

  1. #1
    Boolit Master XWrench3's Avatar
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    lemi-shine ???

    ok, i have read many posts about this here, so when i ran across it for the first time in the store yesterday, i was beside myself. but, then it hit me. i thought i had remembered it being a liquid. the store had 3 different varieties, and all of it is powder. i bought the one that said it was "The Original Lemi-shine" on the package, and hoped for the best. so, did i get the right stuff, and how do i mix it for best results?
    Silver and Gold are for rich men. Lead and Brass is MY silver and gold! And when push comes to shove, one of my silver and gold pieces will be more valuable than a big pile of actual silver and gold.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy

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    That's the stuff. Alternatively you can get citric acid at a health food store, in the canning aisle, on Amazon, etc...

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    You got the right stuff. I use 1/4-1/2 TEAspoon per 1/2 gallon. I've used too much before and the brass came out all orange

  4. #4
    Boolit Master zuke's Avatar
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    This is the correct stuff


  5. #5
    Boolit Master FLHTC's Avatar
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    i just bought this at the grocery store. It was marked down to less than $2 so i figured i'd give it a try. Good Chit for sure. I was using ISSO cleaner and that worked fine but it was $25 a gallon, as opposed to .10 a gallon for the Lemi-Shine. Thank you men!!

  6. #6
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by petroid View Post
    You got the right stuff. I use 1/4-1/2 TEAspoon per 1/2 gallon. I've used too much before and the brass came out all orange
    Might be what I did wrong I'll try your recipe next time.
    Lead bullets Matter

    There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves. - Will Rodgers

  7. #7
    Boolit Master

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    there are a few more recipes on ffrogs pad website (google it).

    One of the ones used salt, hot water, liquid laundry soap, and lemon juice iirc. It worked very well on very brown 556 Nato ammo that was left under the snow all winter at the range. it was simple, just mix the mix, pour over brass in a bucket and agitate it well every 10 minutes or so. IIRc the max time was 30 minutes and then you need to rinse it good. Any longer and the brass goes pink as the acid reacts with the copper on the surface. It worked very well without SS pins. Pins worked better inside and in the pockets of course. Also you MUST remove primers before or very soon after any wet method or you'll have corroded pockets or "welded" in dead primers. BTDT with some .30 carbine brass my friend got off a surplus board. PITA as I occasionally punched through the dead primers. Whoever had these before must have had them wet and let them air dry.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I am amazed that folks are using this on clean brass. It isn't really necessary unless there
    is brown tarnish that needs to be chemically reverted to metal. For shiny brass, use a tumbler
    and go on. For really dirty (not tarnished) brass, just a touch of any dish cleaner and wash
    it in a container you can shake.

    The chemical changes that citric acid provides is a reversion of brown tarnish to metallic brass,
    it is not a general purpose cleaner.

    Bill
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master


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    When I had a lot (over 50 pounds) of tarnished brass to clean I used citric acid in an enameled steel pot and kept it on a very low heat on an electric stove to speed up the chemical action. The brass was very dark but brightened in anywhere from a few seconds to 3-4 minutes. The citric acid solution was kept at 150-160 degrees F.

    David
    Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
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    When using black powder, a bit of water, dawn, lemi-shine and stainless steel media really does the trick.
    Ask an American Indian what uncontrolled immigration did for his lands and his way of life. Then, think about your children's and grandchildren's future.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    When using black powder, a bit of water, dawn, lemi-shine and stainless steel media really does the trick.
    Ask an American Indian what uncontrolled immigration did for his lands and his way of life. Then, think about your children's and grandchildren's future.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    And if you stir it with your hand,testing how fast it cleans,you will find any and all nicks and scratches.

    It does not take long!
    I know.

  13. #13
    In Remembrance


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    I found Lemi Shine at Target stores.Robert

  14. #14
    Boolit Master on Heavens Range
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    I have damaged brass before with too much Lemishine, the brass changed color. Now I add 3 tablespoons Dawn dish detergent, 1/4 teaspoon Lemishine and 15 pounds of brass to 2 gallons of water
    Shoot'em If You Got'em...

  15. #15
    Boolit Master

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    If wet tumbling, the Lemi-Shine is a RINSE AGENT, for water spots as in
    your dishwasher.
    Being an acid it can also cause ISSUES if you USE TOO MUCH.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
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    Citric acid from Amazon is 1/2 the cost of the local store. It is also pure citric acid, not cut with fillers.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master zuke's Avatar
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    Thumbler's tumbler model B only need's a 40 cal case full

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master

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    This is another case of "more is not better". Too long a soak, even in a weak solution, has the same effect. Just watch closely and thoroughly rinse as soon as the brass is cleaned of tarnish.
    If using a tumbler, check every few minutes. I have used a cement mixer with a plastic barrel to do huge batches, with excellent results.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master


    DRNurse1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by petroid View Post
    You got the right stuff. I use 1/4-1/2 TEAspoon per 1/2 gallon. I've used too much before and the brass came out all orange
    Who here measures powder that way??? One full 45ACP case (leave the spent primer in place or tape the primer hole. per 1/2 gallon. And now I know where the orange came from.
    _________________________

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check