Citric acid brass cleaner

[WallyM3]

That's just sounds like aging. I've shot plenty of that with no worries.

[will52100]

Interesting reading, I use lemi shine and dawn dishwashing liquid in my thumbler's tumbler as my solution along with stainless steel media. I hand de prime each case before cleaning, and after 3 hours or so everything comes out like new. I use about 4 tbsp or so of lemi shine and a good squirt of dawn.

On a side note if I put in a case that's been left on the range for months, you know, black and full of dirt, after tumbling it is a copper pink color. Doesn't seem to hurt for pistol caliber, and on next tumbling it's bright brass again.

I'm wondering if anyone has used the citric acid on black powder rounds? I use my stainless media on black powder fired cases, but they come out clean but dull. If I want them shiny I have to use either ceramic media, which has a tendency to jam up in the cases being a PITA to get out, or wash media and cases and tumble again.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I've posted this before...but not for many months.
I bought 10lbs of bulk food grade citric acid from Dudadiesel for $26.99 >free ship.
http://www.dudadiesel.com/search.php?query=citric

[myg30]

I got the pink brass when using the ultra sonic cleaner with the vinergar,dawn mix BUT the rest of the process was to nutralize the acid with a baking soda,distilled water cycle. I had lots of pink brass and forgot if it was from to much baking soda or not enough to kill the vinigar ?
Google ultrasonic brass cleaning or the forum on 6mmbench rest and there was lots of info on it.
Now I guess there is a commercial mix to do wonders in cleaning brass now. I went back to tumbling with corncob as it was faster and less hassle fer me.

Mike

[rattletrap1970]

One word... Citranox. (Look it up)
We use it at work in ultrasonic cleaners for cleaning brass parts to braize into antenna parts.
It works fantastically in wet tumblers and it super concentrated. You use about 1/2 a capful to a tumbler drum.

[Wag]

Okay, I tried this (OP recipe) today. My wife has citric acid powder on hand to use in soap-making so I asked her nicely and she let me have a couple tablespoons. Seems to work very well, very fast. My new brass-cleaning method!

--Wag--

[Oddbod]

That pinkish color is leached copper. If it comes off in tumbling, it's a trifling matter. If not, it could indicate a weak spot in the brass.

The pink is due to the zinc in the surface layer of the brass being dissolved by the acid, leaving behind a very thin layer of copper. It's called dezincification. It shouldn't be an issue during the lifetime of cartridge brass.

[WallyM3]

Right.

[josper]

Have used citric acid solution for awhile. First read about it in the NRA "Handloading" manual that was first published in the 80's, Their info was from from Frankford Arsenal. The cases are clean but not shiny bright. Interestingly they also mention a sulfuric acid dip, no thanks, and vinegar and salt solution. Have seen citric acid also at stores that sell wine making supplies.

I used the vinegar water solution ,4cups of water 1 cup vinegar tbs salt tbs of Dawn dish soap. It worked so well in my Lyman 2500 sonic cleaner it ate a hole right through the tub. On the box it says the tub is stainless steel. The tub looks like nickel plated steel. Be ware of using these recipes from the web.

[trixter]

For the past 4 years, I have used a Lyman vibratory tumbler, walnut (lizard litter), and New-Finish auto polish and strips of used dryer sheets. I usually let it go for at least 4-5 hours and sometimes I let it go overnight. I just like shiny brass. I have been very happy with this method of brass cleaning, one of the problems I have seen is that the media gets dirty, I am pretty sure from powder residue on the cases, and dirt form the floor after sweeping them up. So I have read most of the replies and enjoyed them thoroughly. I always try to work within the parameters of the "KISS" principle. So I am thinking that if I get the 'dirty' stuff off, then I can just throw them in the tumbler and see how long it takes to get them shiny. I put 1 heaping tablespoon of Lemishine in a Costco nut jar full of HOT water and add empties and swirl, shake, rattle and roll. looking to see if they are clean, then onto a cookie sheet and into the oven at 170 deg for( I got busy doing other stuff ) and then into the tumbler for about 2 hours and voila. The overall time was about the same but the dirt in the dryer sheet strips was much less. To me I get cleaner empties going into the dies, and that is the overall goal.

[JWFilips]

trixter,

This is almost exactly what I do. When I amass a pile of brass I have shot I will citric acid clean them, dry them an give them a few hours in my vibrating case cleaner with lizard grit, a dash or two of nu-finish and a few dry sheet pieces I have been doing this for about 4 years now and the wash does save time in the vibrator and keeps the grit cleaner longer and cuts down the time in the grit. However sooner or later it will loose it's bit and also get dirty I change mine out every 4 months on average

[aa1911]

This is awesome, wife had some on hand for canning, soap making, etc; borrowed a few teaspoons and put it to work on some .45LC brass that was pretty fugly. works like a champ!!

Gonna buy a whole bunch to keep by the reloading bench, good stuff.

[OnceFired]

Did another couple rounds of brass in the mixer today. Boiled water and added to hot tap water - about 5-6 gallons in the cement mixer, with another 5 gallon bucket of brass, dish soap, and a fat dose of citric acid. Worked like a charm. Having hotter water definitely makes a difference.

Was doing a combo of air-drying on the drying table with a big fan on it + using the convection oven to finish the job since it's been so flippin cold here the past week. Worked beautifully. Love to use the advice I have been given from this forum - it's always spot-on.

[josper]

I just replaced my lyman 2500 sonic cleaner that I ruined with the vinegar formula with an RCBS sonic cleaner. Both models say their tanks are "sus 304 stainless steel" I intend to be more vigilant in what I'm putting into my tank for cleaner. I purchased the cleaner from RCBS and I noticed the key ingredient is citric acid.

[1950Hudson]

Well, I have now read this entire thread. Yes I have! Along the way I noticed several mentions of Ball Citric Acid. How does Ball Citric Acid differ from Flake, or Extruded Citric Acid? Do they have a different burn rate or does one just meter better than the other? JK JK I've been iced in for five days in Texas and having a bit of cabin fever. I suspect that Ball is the same name as the canning supply maker.

I can report, though, that Dudadiesel does ship 10lbs of Citric acid very promptly and well packaged.

That, at least, got here just before the storm. I'm busy acquiring supplies and unpacking casting/swaging/reloading gear/brass that has been in storage for ten years. Theoretically, the post office and various package delivery services will be bringing me some early Christmas presents BUT, I had a shipment that was supposed to get here last Friday, and when I checked the tracking page last it now said N/A.

I need to mix a batch of Ed's Red, but traffic has been too insane to venture out for ingredients. I've driven blizzards across Wyoming and mountain passes in Colorado and NM all through the winter, but a Texas ice storm is a thing all to itself.

Listening to the craziness on my little scanner radio, I heard one sand truck driver tell another sand truck driver he'd just seen a hungry squirrel and a hungry coyote out on the snow. The two critters had met and solved the problem for both of them...

[62chevy]

Well, I have now read this entire thread. Yes I have! Along the way I noticed several mentions of Ball Citric Acid. How does Ball Citric Acid differ from Flake, or Extruded Citric Acid? Do they have a different burn rate or does one just meter better than the other? JK JK I've been iced in for five days in Texas and having a bit of cabin fever. I suspect that Ball is the same name as the canning supply maker.

I can report, though, that Dudadiesel does ship 10lbs of Citric acid very promptly and well packaged.

That, at least, got here just before the storm. I'm busy acquiring supplies and unpacking casting/swaging/reloading gear/brass that has been in storage for ten years. Theoretically, the post office and various package delivery services will be bringing me some early Christmas presents BUT, I had a shipment that was supposed to get here last Friday, and when I checked the tracking page last it now said N/A.

I need to mix a batch of Ed's Red, but traffic has been too insane to venture out for ingredients. I've driven blizzards across Wyoming and mountain passes in Colorado and NM all through the winter, but a Texas ice storm is a thing all to itself.

Listening to the craziness on my little scanner radio, I heard one sand truck driver tell another sand truck driver he'd just seen a hungry squirrel and a hungry coyote out on the snow. The two critters had met and solved the problem for both of them...

You guessed right Ball citric acid is found in the canning section at Walmart right next to the Mason jars.

Darn Coyote isn't hungry anymore. lol

[Sasquatch-1]

It was probably Scrat from the kids dinosaur movie and he probably took out the coyote. You know how he was with that acorn.

[blueeyephil]

I bought a couple of the 5oz bottles sold for canning in the clearance rack at the local Tractor Supply for .99 each the other day was 3.99 getting ready to try on some kitchen hinges. Repainting the cabinets and got some real funky brass plated hinges. Hope it works.

[meshugunner]

I've been using it to clean take black burned residue off pots and burner rings. It's the only thing that works. Ammonia is very effective on stuff that hasn't been completely carbonized.

I use it to make lemonade in the summer and I put a little in my water bottle when I go hiking. Keeps it tasting fresh and suppresses bacterial growth.

[Sasquatch-1]

If the hinges had lacquer on them originally you may want to try burning it off with a torch first. I few light passes should be enough. Don't have to heat the metal much.

getting ready to try on some kitchen hinges. Repainting the cabinets and got some real funky brass plated hinges. Hope it works.