Polishing dies

[mag_01]

Would like to polish some of my dies and decapper pin---What would be a good way of accomplishing such a task.---Mag


Stuck in the conn. woods but I heard somewhere spring is coming

[Buckshot]

..............Polish dies, ya mean like a case size die? It would depend upon how much polishing would be needed and how much size alteration you could stand. So wassup with the dies they need polishing?

...............Buckshot

[fourarmed]

It's hard to beat crocus cloth for polishing. Either spin the item (lathe, drill press, hand drill) and hold the crocus cloth on it, or put a crocus cloth strip in a split rod in the drill and run that in the die.

[mag_01]

Some of the sizing dies leave lines in the cases probably my fault but the older I get I seem to be doing things as they should be like lube the cases. would just like to clean them up a Little --- limited to a hand drill------ Mag

[fourarmed]

I know exactly what you mean. Some smaller cases can be sized without lube, but what happens is bits of brass are deposited in the die. These build up until they produce scratches on the cases. When it reaches this point, crocus cloth is not aggressive enough to remove it. I have used 400 grit emery cloth on a split rod in a drill chuck to remove it. Follow up with crocus cloth when all traces of the brass deposits are gone. Sounds horrendous, but the brass is enough softer that it comes out before catastrophic damage is done to the die.

[lar45]

You could get a brass bristle bore brush and some valve lapping compound. I went to a car parts store and found some lapping compound in 200 and 350 grit. I would take a patch and wrap around the bore brush, then coat it with the lapping compound, you might try some WD-40 squirted on to get some small slurry action going on, then run it up into the size die with your drill. Be sure and work it in and out like you would with a hone. If it stayed in one position it might work some small grooves or low spots?

It would be nice if you could have a piece of brass turned to just fit inside the die body and put the lapping compound on it. It seems like I read somewhere about useing a brass lap with slits cut lengthwise to hold the lapping compound. I don't remember all the details, but it seems like a good idea.

[Dale53]

Years ago, a friend and I bought a bunch of once fired brass by mail order. I did the job and when it arrived it was "mixed" brass. I decided to sort it and it came out pretty nearly even (plated Remington and plated Winchester). I arbitrarily picked the Winchester brass (I really didn't care which, just figured we would both be better off with one brand of cases. I have NEVER had (with the exception of the first Federal .32 mag brass) a worse bunch of brass. These were all .44 magnum brass and everytime I loaded a box I lost a few cases to side splits. It was just bad brass. MY buddy, in contrast, never lost a case.

The story doesn't end there. The dern brass plating (nickeled) would deposit on my carbide insert die and then start scratching cases. Loaded rounds looked TERRIBLE! I would then get my split dowel, load up some crocus cloth and polish it off. It never quit until I finally had enough a pitched the brass. I am still prejudiced against plated brass...:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Dale53

[carpetman]

Dale53---You bought a bunch of once fired brass by mail order and it didnt work out. Fired by mail order brass conforms to an envelope and doesn't work out. Get once fired in a gun and you should be ok.

[Calamity Jake]

Hoppies or Sweets desolves brass just like it does copper. Thats what I use most of the time.
Don't leave the Sweets in to long just like the directions says.
But the Hoppies I have left in for days if needed.

[Dale53]

Carpetman;
I needed that LOL (most won't understand your post, but I do:mrgreen:).

Dale53

[Firebird]

Completely clean the die first with a heavy ammonia bore cleaner like Sweets first, then use a wool bore mop and the finest rubbing compound from the local auto body & paint store to polish the inside of the die. Preferably chuck the bore mop in a drill press with the die body centered and lots of in & out motion with a fairly slow rotational speed; this should prevent getting an egg-shape in the die or annular rings that will grab onto the brass cases.

[mag_01]

Thanks guys for the Ideas and carpet-man love your post and its play on words----Mag