Brass and steel with the same buffing wheel?

[Hannibal]

I'm putting together my first muzzleloader kit and have some brass parts I want to buff a little bit. I've done this many times on steel parts so I have some buffing wheels and compound on hand but I'm not sure if it's a good idea to use the same wheels and compound on brass after it's been used on steel.

I've done an internet search and haven't been successful finding any information. Thanks for looking.

[Winger Ed.]

Not on a gun, but I've done both on the same wheel without any issues.
I figure the various compounds are like sand paper--- they don't know or care what they're used on.

If the wheel is suitable, I'd clean it real well, and use a compound that's right for brass.

[LAGS]

I rarely polish my brass parts with a buffing wheel.
But when I do.
I just use Brasso or Mother's Mag Polish.
I use it on the same wheel that I used to previously polished steel with using regular polishing compound .
I prefer not to use the buffing wheels because , You have a chance on rounding off edges on the parts.

[Hannibal]

Ok, good to know. I didn't think it would be a problem but it's a lot easier to ask a question than try to deal with a mistake later. The rounding of edges is a good point and especially with soft metals like brass. Takes a light touch and very frequent checks of how things are looking. I've buffed brass before just never with a buff that had been used on steel previously.

[country gent]

It can be done but you want to "rake" the wheel clean before starting with the new material. A rake will clean and dress the wheel down to a new clean surface. Old material in wheel can foul the surface of he new causing problems

[Hannibal]

It can be done but you want to "rake" the wheel clean before starting with the new material. A rake will clean and dress the wheel down to a new clean surface. Old material in wheel can foul the surface of he new causing problems

Ah. Probably better just order another buff and not risk it then. Thanks for your advice.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

The other way around is what you should worry about. If you buff brass and then steel, brass being softer and heat being involved, the brass particles in the buffing wheel will adhere to the steel and make it impossible to get a good blue job.

DG