Citric acid brass cleaner

[JesseCJC]

I let them sit overnight, maybe 6 hours or so. Shook it all up when I mixed it and once again before bed.

[Murphy]

I finally got all my stuff together tonight and did a batch with citric acid. Works excellent.

But now that I've seen the Lemishine post, looks like I'll be trying that as well.

I've always been plumb fool about 'shiney' brass to begin with.

This has been an EXCELLENT thread.

Murphy

[WallyM3]

sagatious: Please accept my apologies. I got pulled away from participation in the Forum just at the time I should have been back peddling.

I was having a hissy fit and being cranky at my own stupidity about not being more careful with an oil-depleting solution on skin. Years of using methylene chloride as a hand cleaner has resulted in a condition that gives me absolute fits in dry weather. I get those skin cracks on my hands that are both painful and frustrating, and actually openly bleed when aggravated. Hurts like he!!.

Anyway, anyone who is prone to this sort of thing should proceed full steam with this process. Just wear gloves. I received some "left outdoors" range brass that looked like it had been salvaged from the Titanic. I found that a 20 to 30 minute soak rendered them free of the black/gray stains completely.

I dried and tumbled the result and discarded anything that still showed significant copper "liver spots".

I, too, vote for this thread becoming a "Sticky".

[DLCTEX]

I mentioned to my wife about a thread concerning a cheap crock pot at WalMart and she said I could have her small one as it gets too hot. I was thinking about using it for heating boolit lube, but it may be used to heat citric acid solution, or both.

[sagacious]

Wally,
No worries at all bro! Sometimes things just get jumbled-up every now and then in written communication. Happens to the best of us.

Glad the brass wash went well. Sure is nice to make that dirty range brass shine again. Keep on keepin on!

[sagacious]

I mentioned to my wife about a thread concerning a cheap crock pot at WalMart and she said I could have her small one as it gets too hot. I was thinking about using it for heating boolit lube, but it may be used to heat citric acid solution, or both.

Great idea-- now that's genius. Used as a double-boiler with lube, and straight with citric acid, should work fantastic.

[WallyM3]

We need more Emoticons!

I wish I had the forethought to take some "before" photos. Out of context, the "after" photos would be meaningless. It's all just sparkly, clean brass.

[blackthorn]

I picked up a little cast iron pot at the local fleamarket. It holds 3 of the regularly available small cast iron lead pots full of water. It was very rusty with a lot of scaly rust. My (priceless) wife had four-4oz and one-2oz bottles of citric acid that has been sitting around the house since before she met me (1991). I put the pot in a plastic container, added enough really hot water to cover it, plus a bit, and mixed in the 2oz's of citric acid. I let it soak for two days and the pot came out looking almost like new (except for a few really deep pits). The liquid did not bother my hands at all, so I guess i'm not sensitive. Hmmmmm seems i've been told that a time or two! Anyway, great thread!!

[WallyM3]

You must not use paint stripper as a hand cleaner.

Thanks for that tip. I've got a cast Iron pot recently that must hold 40 to 50 lbs of metal, but looks like it may have been used as a boat anchor. I'll give it a try.

[WallyM3]

I must promulgate a "Duh-oh!" re: my last post.

Fishing chum called and said "Let's go." So I hastily dumped 2-3 oz of citric acid in a plastic bucket, filled it with hot water and left it outside to do its thing.

I forgot to take the "before" picture.

Eight hours later, the thing looks like it's down to bare metal. Amazing! I've let it continue to soak and will retrieve it tomorrow (if someone doesn't suggest another fishing trip).

[cheese1566]

Went an looked the health food store...$5 for only 4 ounces. I moved on...

I did however find the MSDS sheet for the Hornady Sonic Case Cleaner...citric acid!

http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/...se_Formula.pdf

[Doc_Stihl]

Has anyone tried the citric acid bath with ultrasonic cleaning?

[cheese1566]

Not me, but I am feeling an itch to buy one off Ebay or Harbor Freight.

The Ebay ones are a spitting image of the Hornady for about $65. The Harbor Freight is a little larger for $60.

[Doc_Stihl]

I noticed one of the ebay models included a heater, had a much more powerful motor, larger basket and was only a bit more money. I've been close to "pulling the trigger" on one....

[Fishslayer]

I've tried the Lemi Shine. I only give it a couple hours at most because the pinkish tinge it develops makes me a bit uncomfortable.

I get my pickups at an indoor range, tho so I don't really have to deal with heavy duty grunge.

[Doc_Stihl]

10 minutes in a 20% solution of lemon juice and hot tap water with a half a teaspon of salt in the ultrasonic made for startling results.

I just dropped in 5 pieces of 3x fired 45-70 that wasn't really terribly dingy, but the 45-70 would let me see inside easy. Well, I can see inside REALLY easy now cause the powder residue is completely gone. There are some streaks where lube was left and caked hard, but the inside is shiny and clean. I'm going to see what another 15 minutes will do. Pull another, then run it for another 15 minutes. I'll have pics up tonight when I get a chance.

And this was with brass that had already been through the tumbler and was "clean".

[NSP64]

I wonder if squeezed lemon or orange would work?

[WallyM3]

If life gives a reloader lemons, make citrus cleaner? I like that.

[Doc_Stihl]

Results from my first try at ultra-sonic cleaning.

45-70 Primer pockets.
1st - brass is tumbled
2nd - 10 Minutes
3rd - 20 Minutes
4th - 30 Minutes
5th - 30 Minutes and then back in the tumbler



Second 2 pics are the insides of the cases in the same order.





Last Pic is the inside 30 minutes and a tumble.



I'm going to try the same solution at about 10% and no salt and try.

Things that I noted; The brass seems "sticky". I saw the same result when I did vinegar rinses on really nasty brass. I'll try a baking soda bath for a minute after the lemon juice. I'm also going to pick up some citric acid ASAP.

[Doc Highwall]

Doc_Stihl, I just picked up the Lemi Shine at Walmart and tried that as I could not get the citric acid and it worked great. I used four table spoons in a gallon of water and soaked the cases for about four hours then tumbled them, and they looked like new cases.