Citric acid brass cleaner

[steveu]

I am dealing with an issue currently

I put in about 200 30-30 brass that was fairly clean, 1F, and dull colored, into my Lyman liquid tumbler, with 1 tsp citric acid + 1 tsp Nu Finish + 1/2 tsp dawn + hot water to cover by half, tumbled for a couple hours

now I have this BLACK GOO on EVERYTHING

it washes off my hands OK, but ALL the cases are BLACK like soot

So.... in the machine again, this time with more dawn, more CA, and no NF. SAME BLACK GOO on everything. stuck my hand in during the rinse, and my fingers came out totally BLACK

So.... in the machine again, this time with MORE dawn, MORE CA, and MORE NF.... set for 2 hours.... Ima hitting the sack. will check tomo!



anyone have an idea where that black goo is coming from? it is literally acting like soot, and the water is not black like it usually is.
Not enough soap?

Did you clean out the tumbler before trying something new? You may have residual goo in it. I also cleaned 200 30wcf cases in my tumbler. They were in for 2 hours with a quarter teaspoon of lemishine and FA cleaner, ceramic balls. Came out great. I have found that more cleaning agents is not better. I used to use a teaspoon of each and was disappointed with the result.

[archangel2003]

My wife scored a bunch of Emergen-C powdered Vitamin C and I used the less tasty flavor in the tumbler.
It foams up the dish soap and really does seem to help get the wet tumbled brass shiny.

[GrayTech]

My wife scored a bunch of Emergen-C powdered Vitamin C and I used the less tasty flavor in the tumbler.
It foams up the dish soap and really does seem to help get the wet tumbled brass shiny.

Vitamin c is ascorbic acid not citric acid. It won't have the surface treatment effect that citric acid does.

Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk

[atfsux]

I first got hooked on the idea of this after discovering Iosso case cleaner. It would take the blackest sun-tarnished brass I could find scrounging at desert shooting locations and turn it all shiny again. I mean, stuff that has been out in the weather for years and looked like wrought iron would brighten up, usually pink, because the zinc is what had turned black, and with the corroded zinc removed, the surface copper within the brass was more evident. A few hours in the walnut media and they polished up all yellowish again and ready to use.

But the Iosso stuff is kind of expensive, and degrades over time as you use and reuse it. But powdered citric acid in bulk is pretty cheap, so I tried that. I was very disappointed. The performance just didn't compare and the wait time for it to do it's limited results just took too damned long. So I gave away my stash of citric acid powder and returned to using the Iosso. Fortunately, it is rare to come across brass so badly corroded that it requires bathing in the Iosso product. But I keep it on hand specifically for brass like that.

[GaCop]

I've been using citric acid to clean brass for about a year now. I soak the cases in citric solution for 10 minutes then rinse. I lay the brass out in the sun on a towel to dry. I mix the CA in a strong solution hence the short soak time.

[TNsailorman]

I agree. Iosso is great stuff for cleaning heavily stained brass. I have been using it for many years and get it from Brownell's. Not cheap but really does a great job. james

[kevin c]

I use more citric acid than most: 2 teaspoons (10 ml) per load in my large FART, just over an ounce in a cement mixer that holds a five gallon bucket of brass. I also have started using stainless steel pins along with ArmorAll Wash n’ Wax. My brass looks basically factory new except for the fired primers that I’m too lazy to decap in another step before actually running them through my progressive press.

I’ve used Iosso before. It worked well, but, as pointed out, eventually needs replacing. I’ve heard the same with Brass Juice. CA and ArmorAll Wash ‘n Wax is a lot cheaper.

[kevin c]

I am dealing with an issue currently

I put in about 200 30-30 brass that was fairly clean, 1F, and dull colored, into my Lyman liquid tumbler, with 1 tsp citric acid + 1 tsp Nu Finish + 1/2 tsp dawn + hot water to cover by half, tumbled for a couple hours

now I have this BLACK GOO on EVERYTHING

it washes off my hands OK, but ALL the cases are BLACK like soot

So.... in the machine again, this time with more dawn, more CA, and no NF. SAME BLACK GOO on everything. stuck my hand in during the rinse, and my fingers came out totally BLACK

So.... in the machine again, this time with MORE dawn, MORE CA, and MORE NF.... set for 2 hours.... Ima hitting the sack. will check tomo!



anyone have an idea where that black goo is coming from? it is literally acting like soot, and the water is not black like it usually is.
Not enough soap?

By any chance did you have any of that Winchester purple lacquered training ammo brass in what you cleaned? It turns black with chemical tarnish removers, and leaves a residue in the tumbler.

[Charlie Horse]

I don’t tumble brass. I size and decap with a carbide die, then wash with lemon juice+water+dawn, let dry for 24 hours, then reload.
*
I only shoot pistols and I don’t compete. YMMV

I've done this for years, but added salt, also. It works instantly. Is there a reason people don't use salt?

[AnthonyB]

I am dealing with an issue currently

I put in about 200 30-30 brass that was fairly clean, 1F, and dull colored, into my Lyman liquid tumbler, with 1 tsp citric acid + 1 tsp Nu Finish + 1/2 tsp dawn + hot water to cover by half, tumbled for a couple hours

now I have this BLACK GOO on EVERYTHING

it washes off my hands OK, but ALL the cases are BLACK like soot

So.... in the machine again, this time with more dawn, more CA, and no NF. SAME BLACK GOO on everything. stuck my hand in during the rinse, and my fingers came out totally BLACK

So.... in the machine again, this time with MORE dawn, MORE CA, and MORE NF.... set for 2 hours.... Ima hitting the sack. will check tomo!



anyone have an idea where that black goo is coming from? it is literally acting like soot, and the water is not black like it usually is.
Not enough soap?

Are your SS pins dark colored as well? I have this problem with lanolin/alcohol spray case lubes. Running the pins with no brass and a good degreaser works for me. My next load of brass will be clean as expected.
Tony

[archangel2003]

I recently did a load of 5.56 and some .308 and some of the cases had areas where it was tarnished dark brown to purple-ish color, but only on a few cases, and some were just a spot or two.

[kevin c]

I have noticed that brass that’s been sitting with caked on mud or in puddles on our range (gravel base, sand berms) will often get purple areas in a pattern matching the mud covering or partial submersion after being tumbled two hours in SS pins, citric acid and ArmorAll wash’nwax. I’m guessing the rain leaches or dissolves something chemically active out of the minerals.

[nanuk]

To follow up a bit

I used less dawn, less CA and NO polish

After two more trips through, all look good

My tumbler is a Lyman, so I assume it is designed for this

I have several batches getting ready to go so we shall see

Ima try 1/2tsp CA and just a few drops of dawn with hot water
And hope for the best