Brass

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,084
Location
NJ, USA.
What is a good product for cleaning brass by just dipping in a solution??? Not looking for a caustic acid. Something safe and does it need a neutralizer after dipped and what is it. I can not wipe with any kind of polish. Thanks in advance.

I was thinking something like jewelry cleaner.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

Skie_M

Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
2,737
Location
Lawton, Ok
Dip it in Brasso polish? I think there's a liquid version that would do it, but I'm pretty sure you still want to wipe or polish it, perhaps with a small buffing attachment on a dremel type tool?


Also, a fairly simple alcohol cleaning solution in an ultrasonic cleaner should work too, but it won't shine it up very much.
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
Easy Magic "No Mix" Solution Options:

Cover with ketchup for 20 to 30 minutes

or

Soak in coke for 2 to 3 hours

or

experiment with other acidic solutions (lemon juice, bar keepers friend, CLR).

A good rinse with clean water (and then hand drying (don't use heat to dry)) should be adequate after "cleaning" with any of the above.

If the magic solutions don't do it for you and the parts are small, consider investing in a cheap tumbler from HF and some crushed walnut shell. Let the machine do the work for you.

Ed
 

oldtoolsniper

Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
236
Location
Iowa.
Look up lemi shine. It's for dishwashers, reloaders use it to clean brass cartridge cases. I use a lot of it and rinse with dish soap and waterfront clean water. Gun powder is a chemical so you can't be adding other chemicals to the mix so to speak. I tumble my brass but many do not, they just use lemi shine. It's $3-4 a jar at the Walmart here.

Just google lemi shine brass clean up, polish, or whatever you want. It will take you to lots of discussions on it.

1d56e6940f5e2fd86268224777deea89.jpg



Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app
 
Joined
Sep 24, 2006
Messages
8,206
Location
Tellico Plains, Tennessee, USA.
When in the navy, and in a pinch, we use Tabasco sauce to shine brass... 'course it does require rubbing it on, rubbing the brass a bit and then wiping it off... you wanted a dip and now wipe, so guess Tabasco is actually out.
 

Terredax

Banned
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Messages
892
What's the reason you are unable to use polish?
The most effective method, is to use a jewelers or greaseless rouge with either a puff or string wheel, using no pressure on the wheel. Just lightly touch the ends of the strings and rotate toward the wheel. Using that motion, is less abrasive.
The other products made for dipping, don't give the bright appearance of the brass, but seems a little dull looking to me.
I hope you find a method that works for you.
 

frank123

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2012
Messages
613
Location
Colorado
I usually use citric acid -a is used in canning and such- for pistol and rifle brass cleaning in my ultrasonic cleaner.

Should also work for just dipping and soaking as well but agitation would probably be a good idea for uniformity.

Doesn't need to be a strong mixture.
 

Rockytime

Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2014
Messages
1,074
Location
Arvada, CO 80003
I use an amoniated solution every day to clean and polish brass clock movements. I have used ZEP orange degreaser with excellent results. It is available at most box stores. I use it in an ultrasonic.
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,084
Location
NJ, USA.
OK the reason I can not rub the parts is because they are old post office mail doors. I do not want to take them apart and all the nooks and crannies will not allow polish to get in and clean them even with a buffer. Tried all that. I will get some jewelry cleaner and see how that works. I thank everyone for the replys.
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,084
Location
NJ, USA.

Curly

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
4,828
Location
Saskatoon SK., Canada.
I'll take that any day John. In your parlance it's -6 and going down to -30 by morning plus a big wind chill on top. You'd freeze your tarnished brass off in minutes. ;)
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,084
Location
NJ, USA.
I'll take that any day John. In your parlance it's -6 and going down to -30 by morning plus a big wind chill on top. You'd freeze your tarnished brass off in minutes. ;)
The problem is 2 days ago it was 8 degrees. This is the weather you get sick in. Fridgid 3 to 4 days and then the next 3 to 4 days 50 to 60 degrees and then the swing again. The winter has been this way so far. Saturday, 5 inches of snow. Today raining and all snow is gone. Not complaining at all. :biggrin:
 

Skie_M

Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
2,737
Location
Lawton, Ok
Whoa, you put hot sauce on your hot dogs?


That's it, I'm planning a trip to New Jersey .... I gots to get in on this spicy dog action!
 

Smitty37

Passed Away Mar 29, 2018
In Memoriam
Joined
Nov 23, 2009
Messages
12,823
Location
Milford, Delaware 19963
I'll take that any day John. In your parlance it's -6 and going down to -30 by morning plus a big wind chill on top. You'd freeze your tarnished brass off in minutes. ;)
The problem is 2 days ago it was 8 degrees. This is the weather you get sick in. Fridgid 3 to 4 days and then the next 3 to 4 days 50 to 60 degrees and then the swing again. The winter has been this way so far. Saturday, 5 inches of snow. Today raining and all snow is gone. Not complaining at all. :biggrin:
Sounds exactly like what we've been having in Delaware.
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,084
Location
NJ, USA.
It is now 60 degrees here in NJ at 10:30 in the morning. The sun looks like it will be coming out as it is getting brighter. Rained all night so all snow is gone. Middle of January, have to love it. We may pay for this down the road but every day like this is one day closer to spring. Had the same last year and then got hit with a 30+" snow storm mid Feb. The flowers are starting to bloom. That could be a problem. This keeps up I will have to crank the grass cutter up. People are actually walking around in shorts. But then again the guy I saw looked like he wears them all year round anyway:eek:
 

Jgrden

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
6,287
Location
hOUSTON, Texas
It is not my intention to hi-jack the direction of this conversation but can anyone recommend a BRASS polishing compound that can smooth edges and grind out minor blemishes? Brasso is close to a finisher, 0000 steel wool, works fair but need something that can be used with a battery powered Dremel.

Aha! After doing some research found that a visit to the auto body or auto detailing shop would be beneficial. Still, if there is a recommendation, I'd like to read it.
 
Last edited:

Skie_M

Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
2,737
Location
Lawton, Ok
John ... hit that brass with some Plast-X ... also works on copper and aluminum, as well as softer kinds of rock... basically anything softer than glass. :)
 

Terredax

Banned
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Messages
892
Could you post a photo of one of the doors?

Doing a bit of research on them, I was unable to find any styles that couldn't be buffed. All of the nooks can be buffed from the images I found.
The largest benefit to string buffs, is they are very soft and loose. They can get into tight spaces without removing details. They even make string buffs for Dremel style rotary tools, so they are small and can also get into tight areas. There are different shapes as well.

Also, from the images I was able to find, I believe it will take a mechanical method rather than a dipping/liquid method. Most of them appear to have heavy patina.

Have you looked into soda blasting? It's also a gentle method that is used for many surfaces that would otherwise be damaged.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
 

Jgrden

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
6,287
Location
hOUSTON, Texas
Plast-X, okay, got it. Found out why we use a wire brush on fresh solder. Cleans up the residue, right?

Thank you SkieM.

Made by Mequires Auto Products. Probably get it at AutoZone ya'thibnk?
 
Last edited:

Skie_M

Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
2,737
Location
Lawton, Ok
Well, they probably carry it there ... I know that O'Reily carries it, but I always buy mine at Advance Auto Parts, since it's just up the street from me and I get an employee discount.


Another thing you can use to help clean up around solder joints ... rubbing alcohol or acetone to dissolve solidified resin and flux. Plus, one more quick electronics tip from an old electronics guru ... clean your copper and brass before soldering by hitting it with some rubber erasers - that's right, the back end of an ordinary pencil works great! Clean the rubber residue away with rubbing alcohol and then solder away!

I also get my Turtle Wax there too ... I get the Hard Surface stuff that's liquid rather than paste form. It just seems to go on easier for me.


Oh, as a quick aside ...

One-Step pen polish, sold by Penn State Industries ... happens to utilize a variable grit that breaks down during use, going from about 4000 grit all the way up to a 30,000 grit polish pretty quickly. I was surprised to find out that Meguair's also makes One-Step. They use the EXACT same grit formulation for Plast-X, but you get nearly twice as much in the bottle for less, getting the Plast-X, and you haven't got to worry about shipping either! :p
 
Last edited:

Jgrden

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
6,287
Location
hOUSTON, Texas
SkieM.:
The Plast-X is fantastic. The shine on this last pen was so bright that it hurt my eyes when brought close to a light to look at it.
Thank you.
John
Say: the news says you are getting ice storms. That is getting a little close to us. Any truth to this or is it just more media hype.?
 

Smitty37

Passed Away Mar 29, 2018
In Memoriam
Joined
Nov 23, 2009
Messages
12,823
Location
Milford, Delaware 19963
My wife has a rock tumbler with several types of rouge for polishing rock. I think I'd try that for a while a very fine rouge and water and let them tumble for awhile. I think that might work. Of course It would be too expensive to buy a tumbler just to try it.
 

Skie_M

Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
2,737
Location
Lawton, Ok
SkieM.:
The Plast-X is fantastic. The shine on this last pen was so bright that it hurt my eyes when brought close to a light to look at it.
Thank you.
John
Say: the news says you are getting ice storms. That is getting a little close to us. Any truth to this or is it just more media hype.?

Glad you liked the shine ... :biggrin:


Yes, we had freezing rain last night, but there was only a little bit on the cars ... the ground was too warm for it to stay frozen, thank God .... Might get to be a nasty winter again :frown:
 

Jgrden

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
6,287
Location
hOUSTON, Texas
Brass shine

My wife has a rock tumbler with several types of rouge for polishing rock. I think I'd try that for a while a very fine rouge and water and let them tumble for awhile. I think that might work. Of course It would be too expensive to buy a tumbler just to try it.

I have a rock tumbler that is used to shine spent shells. Now, this begs the question; is it water proof. Hmmmmmm, thanks Smitty. Perrhaps the walnut shells that it has inside are gentle enough to put an after glow on the Past-X shine. Hmmmmm, :biggrin:

Might be a good way to clean out the inside.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom