Lemi-shine and nickel plated brass

[btroj]

So, I used some Lemishine and boiling water to clean some 45-70 cases. A few were nickel plated all others were brass. The nickel plates ones are now very difficult to tell from the brass ones. Seems I may have plates some copper onto my nickel cases? I used a stainless steel pot for soaking them.

Anyone else has a similar situation? They were soaked for only a few minutes so I don't think the cases were harmed.

Brad

[cajun shooter]

I bought some Lemi-Shine and put about a teaspoon in my Thumblers model B with ceramic and enough water to cover it about 1/2 inch deep. I had about 75 44-40 cases that had been fired that morning with black powder in a a cowboy match. Maybe about half were Starline nickel cases. I had the same results as you. Most of my nickel cases were over 50% stripped of the nickel coating. The brass was very clean but also had a odd hue to it from my normal results. The ceramic and a squirt or two of Dawn/Oxy would always clean my cases inside and out including primer pockets to a like new look. I added the Lemi Shine to try it out and will not do that again. I might try using less and with some brass that I don't care about.

[376Steyr]

Mixing nickel and brass cases in an acidic cleaning solution turns the cleaning process into an electro-plating process. Running nickel cases alone might be okay.

[WildmanJack]

Hey Dave,
I'm starting to use a smaller Thumbler the 3 pound one. I don't have any of that stainless steel stuff I've been reading about but I do have some ceramic media. I didn't think tht it would clean as well. Thanks for that post. I'm trying some right now so we'll see how it does... I was completely amazed at how well the stainless steel pins clean the primer pockets on small caliber shells. They looked like they wre brand new inside and out...
Take care of yourself up there and try to stay cool!!
Your buddy in Florida,
Jack

[btroj]

Mixing nickel and brass cases in an acidic cleaning solution turns the cleaning process into an electro-plating process. Running nickel cases alone might be okay.

Sounds about right. My nickel cases have a distinctly more brass hue now. I was just wondering if it was from gaining brass or losing nickel. I thunk I was gaining brass.

[joatmon]

I missed two blazer aluminum cases one time and turned several cases black (atleast they were 38spl and not many) so I just check better now. I love the nice clean cases I get with the lemi shine bath so I still use it.

Aaron