epj Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I have read on this forum and others that the conventional wisdom concerning brass damage from using a small quantity of Brasso along with polishing media just ain't so. What's the real scoop here? My cases are coming out clean and reasonably shiney, but some are still a bit more tarnished than I'd like. I have tried rice, walnut and corn. If I tumble it for a long time, like overnight, I can get that last 5% cleaner, but it seems like there is a real diminishing return after an hour or so. I have tried automotive polish, but it doesn't seem to help all that much. Despite being in a large metropolitan area, there don't seem to be any good sources of reloading supplies to be had locally, so if there is a common household polish that would work well, that would be preferable to polishes sold by the reloading manufacturers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caspian_45 Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 NO NO NO. STOP. Brasso softens brass. You never want to use Brasso on your amo cases. Use Dillons Rapid Polish. I'm sure Brian can set you up with a bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck-IL Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 A couple of teaspoons of mineral spirits work well...allow to mix a few minutes before adding brass. /Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 My purpose for tumbling brass is to get them clean enough to show obvious imperfections and to keep grit out of my reloading dies/guns. If I wanted a presentation grade case I'd chuck it in a drill and polish it with Flitz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epj Posted January 15, 2006 Author Share Posted January 15, 2006 My purpose for tumbling brass is to get them clean enough to show obvious imperfections and to keep grit out of my reloading dies/guns. If I wanted a presentation grade case I'd chuck it in a drill and polish it with Flitz. I'm no doubt being overly anal. Maybe I should just leave it in the tumbler for another hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I'm no doubt being overly anal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anachronism Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I'm no doubt being overly anal. I just moved, or I'd send you some pictures of Brasso damaged brass. This was revolver brass, I only kept a couple of pieces to show people, but I've lost count of how many cases I've thrown out that were cracked in this manner. It wasn't the case mouth cracking, the brass actually cracked in the web area, the thickest part of the brass. The cracks extend up to just below the case mouth. The case mouth itself is perfect, without any cracks or blemishes. I still have the revolvers involved in this problem, and as soon as I replaced the brass, and quit using Brasso to polish cases, the problem went away, so it wasn't oversized chambers that caused it. I'll have to see if I can dig them up for a few pics... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSEMARTIN Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 You can order some corncob media from Powder Valley. For polishing, I've starting useing Meguiar's car polish or wax. It's about five bucks for a 16 ounce bottle. You can get it at AutoZone or Wal-Mart. You'll be happy with the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epj Posted January 16, 2006 Author Share Posted January 16, 2006 I'm no doubt being overly anal. I just moved, or I'd send you some pictures of Brasso damaged brass. This was revolver brass, I only kept a couple of pieces to show people, but I've lost count of how many cases I've thrown out that were cracked in this manner. It wasn't the case mouth cracking, the brass actually cracked in the web area, the thickest part of the brass. The cracks extend up to just below the case mouth. The case mouth itself is perfect, without any cracks or blemishes. I still have the revolvers involved in this problem, and as soon as I replaced the brass, and quit using Brasso to polish cases, the problem went away, so it wasn't oversized chambers that caused it. I'll have to see if I can dig them up for a few pics... I don't doubt in the least that the problem can occur. However, there are those on this forum who claim to have used small amounts of Brasso for years with no problems. Hence, I asked the question. There is obviously safer stuff available, but will probably have to be ordered rather than locally available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 Were I you... I would use Brasso to my hearts content - What the hell that everyone else feels it is not a wise course of action! I'll bet they are all wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 I have good luck with the auto polish (whatever in the orange bottle), plus some mineral spirits and pet-store walnut. Gets my brass as shiny as new in a couple hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2ipsc Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Were I you... I would use Brasso to my hearts content - What the hell that everyone else feels it is not a wise course of action! I'll bet they are all wrong. The problem is that cold-working brass (oh, say, drawing cases from a blank) leaves residual tensile stresses. Even in very low concentrations of ammonia, brass that is stressed can crack along crystalline boundaries, with potential interesting results on firing. Short version - Brass + Brasso/NH3 + stress (residual or from firing) = Badda-boom. YMMV, but I personally wouldn't risk it...there's safer ways to pimp your cases... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajarrel Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I have good luck with the auto polish (whatever in the orange bottle), plus some mineral spirits and pet-store walnut. Gets my brass as shiny as new in a couple hours. I think it is called "Nu-Finish" What I have noticed is that the newer (cleaner) the corn-cob media you use, the shinier your brass will be in a shorter time. dj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggorloader Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Crap as in Holy Crap I don't think I've seen any reloading forum go more than 3 months without an argument about whether Brasso is deadly or "I've used it for years without blowing myself up". It's like the aligator repeller in Vermont and how do you know it works until something bad happens. Four out of five of my reloading books say not to use it as ammonia doesn't do brass cartridges any good at all. The fifth doesn't talk about it. They also say not to use H4350 data with IMR4350 powder and I believe what they say or I wouldn't have bought the books. There are a number of specific products available including Dillon that work great and others mentioned from WalMart to maybe save some cash. Why use something that could do nothing but hurt? Leave the Brasso to the kids still in ROTC to polish their buckles which is what it's good for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCK Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 I second the mineral spirits combined with some Dillon Rapid polish. Why risk damaging something or yourself to save a few buck? One botle of polish will last you a year or more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dream Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 I have used brasso for years, If you let brass soak in brasso it might hurt it??? if you use a couple of tlb spoons each time you tumble your brass, it comes out clean and ready to reload. I have had no problems, with 38 super or .40 brass cleaned this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chad s Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 (edited) I'm a guy that likes to save a couple of bucks,, does anyone have anything bad to say about the wal-mart car polish trick? I currently use dillon polish, but i'm always up to trying new things. Have a friend that uses brasso, but I haven't heard of any case splitting problems from him. I do believe that the ammonia could damage brass though. Just look at what the amonia in barnes, or sweets, etc.. does to copper, or the shaft of your cleaning brush if it is made of brass, rather than steel. Edited January 29, 2006 by chad s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
all for fun Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 I have good luck with the auto polish (whatever in the orange bottle), plus some mineral spirits and pet-store walnut. Gets my brass as shiny as new in a couple hours. Think what you will,I have been using kit 's scratch out made by johnson wax Wal-mart automotive section. If it doesn't harm the clear coat on your car, your brassis safe. I've been using it for a few years and really like the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sendf1 Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 I believe that if you leave the lid off of the tumbler while integrating the brasso most of the amonia with evaporate... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkatz44 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Some people say to use Car wax. Do you think turtle wax would work to polish brass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whoops! Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 Here's my thing . . . Brasso MUST soften cases because it contains ammonia. It cannot be good for brass. Here's the thing though, I want to know how much it softens each minute. Lets be realistic, almost everything we do to brass for reloading weakens it. How much is my brass weakened with two minutes of shaking it around in Brasso compared to say . . . shooting it with a standard load. One things for sure though, I sure as heck wouldn't trust leaving it on the brass overnight in the tumbler. I don't even use a tumbler. That being said, how much more likely is my once fired brass to crack under stress than the next guy who uses a tumbler and citric acid overnight? Also, how much does repeated application of Brassos influence the process as opposed to one quick application and then throwing away the brass (yes, that is what I do with my major 9mm)? To the guy with the revolver, how long was the Brasso on the cases that cracked? I think we need to gather some facts and put them together with regards to about how much it weakens the brass, as opposed to just if it does or doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calishootr Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 I've run brasso for yrs, with no ill effects thus far, a tablespoon or so(light drizzle) in the media while its running empty with the lid off for a half an hr to mix it, then in goes the brass.... typically ill run em for 4 or 6 hrs, ive shot 38 supers till you couldnt read the headstamps, but have had no cracks due to weakened brass, im even runnin em thru a case pro case roller prior to being reloaded so they are gettin the full monty before they get shot, its like anything else people have an opinion on???? dressing on the salad or on the side??? personal preference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Here's my thing . . . Brasso MUST soften cases because it contains ammonia. It cannot be good for brass. Here's the thing though, I want to know how much it softens each minute. Lets be realistic, almost everything we do to brass for reloading weakens it. How much is my brass weakened with two minutes of shaking it around in Brasso compared to say . . . shooting it with a standard load. One things for sure though, I sure as heck wouldn't trust leaving it on the brass overnight in the tumbler. I don't even use a tumbler. That being said, how much more likely is my once fired brass to crack under stress than the next guy who uses a tumbler and citric acid overnight? Also, how much does repeated application of Brassos influence the process as opposed to one quick application and then throwing away the brass (yes, that is what I do with my major 9mm)? To the guy with the revolver, how long was the Brasso on the cases that cracked? I think we need to gather some facts and put them together with regards to about how much it weakens the brass, as opposed to just if it does or doesn't. WHAT??? Brasso weakens brass? use it once and throw it away? Sent it to me! I'll use it in my major 9 until I loose it, like I do all my major 9 brass...I use Brasso too... jj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whoops! Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Lol, I don't throw it away because I used Brasso on it. I throw it away because I used 9.0 grains of HS 6 in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Lol, I don't throw it away because I used Brasso on it. I throw it away because I used 9.0 grains of HS 6 in it. same load I use, and it doesn't damage my brass... jj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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