SS pins or chips????

[abunaitoo]

Has someone done a side by side comparison of the two????
I would think the chips would clean better, and faster, being so small.
I use pins.

[ARKANSAS PACKRAT]

I have both, the chips seem to clean small cases (5.7X28, .222) better and quicker, clean pockets better, otherwise a tossup.

[StuBach]

I have done both as well but found chips clean nooks and crannies (primer pockets and grooves) better but SS pins leave a cleaner finish.

Chips, for me at least, gave a very smooth finish that almost had a bead blasted appearance as opposed to shiny. Chips have more of a shiny, polished look.

Both work great, just depends on how much you care about the end finish.

[rcslotcar]

I use pins,,has anyone mixed both???

[lightman]

I've only used the pins but the chips look like they should be more aggressive.

[Burnt Fingers]

I've used both.

Chips all the way!

[abunaitoo]

I use pins,,has anyone mixed both???

That is a great question.
Anyone try mixing????

[dougader]

Neither. Citric acid does all the work anyway. I don't use pins.

Shake n soak for 5 minutes. Rinse n Dry, then tumble with NuFinsh and corncob media for 20 minutes. Done.

[hollywood63]

Who has a source for chips?

[globaltjb]

I got mine from this lady southernshinemedia1@gmail.com

[Chill Wills]

Ceramic

[Walter Laich]

another for chips

https://www.facebook.com/southernshinemedia/

[hankgreen]

i just use copper plated BB's (20-30 per drum), Lemi Shine, soap & water in a HF rotary rock tumbler.
run thru GW toaster oven (after blowing out w/air gun).
leave primers in till after since the BB's get stuck in SM pistol & rifle pockets.
Replace BB's as needed when results go down.

[globaltjb]

another for chips

https://www.facebook.com/southernshinemedia/

thats the same person

[StuBach]

Pretty sure SouthernShine is only source for the chips.

[oley55]

Pretty sure SouthernShine is only source for the chips.

or here: https://www.sleepinggiantbrass.com/STAINLESS-TUMBLING-MEDIA at double the price it seems.

[Wasalmonslayer]

I mix the chips with pins and get the best of both worlds.
It works fantastic!!! :)

[Omega]

I got mine from this lady southernshinemedia1@gmail.com

Used the email to order, $27 for 5lbs shipped wasn't bad. Just received my order, well packaged in an SFRB and took a pic next to the MTM pins for reference. They smell a bit like oil of some sort, probably from the process that produces them so will wash them as per the included instructions and give them a try next time I have a decent batch to try them out on.
https://i.imgur.com/Gq92D1W.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6Ng83vd.jpg

[oley55]

did u check to see if a magnet will pick them up? I rely on a magnet to pick up the inevitable water surface tension floaters that seem to escape during rinsing

[Burnt Fingers]

They are magnetic.

The chips are a byproduct of making nails. I had a couple of nails in my chips.

[Omega]

did u check to see if a magnet will pick them up? I rely on a magnet to pick up the inevitable water surface tension floaters that seem to escape during rinsing
Yes, they are magnetic, I too rely on the magnet to get the pins out of the bottom of the media separator.


They are magnetic.

The chips are a byproduct of making nails. I had a couple of nails in my chips.I was wondering about this, I had thought maybe it was from millings, but they are very symmetrical so had my doubts.

[megasupermagnum]

Well you guys finally convinced me to give up my ultrasonic for a wet tumbler. The person who gifted me the ultrasonic is finally getting back into shooting, so I gave it back. I really liked the ultrasonic, but after looking at the prices of a good one, I am starting to realize there might be something to wet tumbling, especially when it comes to long term 20+ year durability. So I bought a Thumbler tumbler.

I bought pins. The thing that scares me about the chips, and I could be off base, is that they look like metal corn cob media. I gave up dry tumbling years ago because it is a PITA. Besides the dust, I hated having media stuck in the flash holes. As a result, I cleaned before I sized, so the pin would push any out. In the case of a wet tumbler, you are going to want to size first, so it cleans the primer pocket. I don't want to have to decap and then resize later in most cases. That's what I like about the steel pins, they are smaller than the flash hole, and long, so they will not get stuck without being noticeable.

[Burnt Fingers]

Well you guys finally convinced me to give up my ultrasonic for a wet tumbler. The person who gifted me the ultrasonic is finally getting back into shooting, so I gave it back. I really liked the ultrasonic, but after looking at the prices of a good one, I am starting to realize there might be something to wet tumbling, especially when it comes to long term 20+ year durability. So I bought a Thumbler tumbler.

I bought pins. The thing that scares me about the chips, and I could be off base, is that they look like metal corn cob media. I gave up dry tumbling years ago because it is a PITA. Besides the dust, I hated having media stuck in the flash holes. As a result, I cleaned before I sized, so the pin would push any out. In the case of a wet tumbler, you are going to want to size first, so it cleans the primer pocket. I don't want to have to decap and then resize later in most cases. That's what I like about the steel pins, they are smaller than the flash hole, and long, so they will not get stuck without being noticeable.

Take a look at the picture in post #18.

The chips are a fraction of the size of the pins.

[megasupermagnum]

Take a look at the picture in post #18.

The chips are a fraction of the size of the pins.

Yes, they are small, but they are also irregular. Corn cob and walnut media is also small, and gets caught all the time in flash holes.

[StuBach]

Yes, they are small, but they are also irregular. Corn cob and walnut media is also small, and gets caught all the time in flash holes.

I have been using chips for several years now and never had any chips get stuck in flash holes or primer pockets. Only reason I switched over to pins was cause they provide a marginally smoother finish in my opinion. I haven’t had any pins stuck yet but have heard of it from others.

[Burnt Fingers]

Yes, they are small, but they are also irregular. Corn cob and walnut media is also small, and gets caught all the time in flash holes.

You're not seeing the forest for the trees.

Corn cob and walnut are roughly spherical in shape. The chips are basically flat. Compare it to a baseball vs a index card.

[onelight]

What people like may be influenced by what they clean .
There may be a bigger advantage to chips for cleaning small caliber bottle necked rifle cases .
I clean mostly straight wall cases and am totally satisfied with the cleaning of the pins , but if I was cleaning a lot of .223 I would be more interested in the chips.
I have a hard enough time seeing the pins on the floor and in the bottom of buckets to gather up the ones that escape not to mention that pound for pound you would have 3 or 4 times the number of the chips to keep track of.
It seems to me that the advantage of the chips is also the drawback of the chips.

[abunaitoo]

Used the email to order, $27 for 5lbs shipped wasn't bad. Just received my order, well packaged in an SFRB and took a pic next to the MTM pins for reference. They smell a bit like oil of some sort, probably from the process that produces them so will wash them as per the included instructions and give them a try next time I have a decent batch to try them out on.
https://i.imgur.com/Gq92D1W.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6Ng83vd.jpg

Looks like rice.

[abunaitoo]

I don't do facebook.
How do I order a bag????

[abunaitoo]

So I contacted Southern Shine Media to see if I could order a bag.
They do only on facebook, so I couldn't do it
I hate facebook and all the other antisocial sites.
Anyway, they suggested I go to one of their vendors.
T&B Bullets.
Cost $3 more, but I could order it from them on-line.
Looks like they will work well.
Just hope it's not to messy.

[high standard 40]

Given the pointed ends and smaller size of the chips, I would think the cleaning action would be more aggressive than pins. I've only ever used pins and am fully satisfied with them.

[oley55]

the more I see these chips the more I like the way they look. Unfortunately my tumbler is fairly large and I routinely use 10-15 pounds of pins. No way I could justify buying 15 pounds of chips with 15 pounds of pins just sitting around.

[blackthorn]

the more I see these chips the more I like the way they look. Unfortunately my tumbler is fairly large and I routinely use 10-15 pounds of pins. No way I could justify buying 15 pounds of chips with 15 pounds of pins just sitting around.

Just buy a second tumbler---problem solved!

[Omega]

I don't do facebook.
How do I order a bag????

I emailed and did it that way, I don't do book ok faces either.