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Brasso and Walnut Media
- Thread starter KJr
- Start date
Sidewinder72
New member
I wouldn't use brasso on shells. The ammonia will shorten case life.
Any time you use acids (vinegar), bases (ammonia/Brasso), or salt on cartridge brass, you can get chemical reactions that alter the brass. The key element is time, how long is the substance in contact with the brass.
The scientific reason WHY NOT TO OVER USE any compounds with these substances is:
Cartridge brass is 70% copper and 30% zinc. Chemicals and resulting voltaic cells leeches the zinc from the brass at a rapid rate, the longer the contact time, the more that is leeched (key words). A small reduction in the % zinc will cause the brass to be brittle and can cause catastrophic rupture of the case.---Try this experiment: put a dab of Brasso on a case that is trashed. let it sit for an hour, then remove the Brasso. You will see the brass is now redish. This is the copper showing on the brass that has lost zinc.
You would be better off using a tablespoon or two of Mineral Spirits (also packaged as Paint Thinner and Stoddard Solvent) in the media. Does cleaning wonders, does not react with the brass.
If you use a little Brasso in the tumbler, it is diluted thru the media, and the ammonia is probably dissipated by evaporation, causing little damage to the brass. Compare the color of the well Brasso'ed brass with new. I would wager that it will be a slight bit on the coppery side compared to new.
Over long use of chemicals is spinning the roulette wheel. And with continued over long exposure, it's only a matter of time before a case ruptures.
The scientific reason WHY NOT TO OVER USE any compounds with these substances is:
Cartridge brass is 70% copper and 30% zinc. Chemicals and resulting voltaic cells leeches the zinc from the brass at a rapid rate, the longer the contact time, the more that is leeched (key words). A small reduction in the % zinc will cause the brass to be brittle and can cause catastrophic rupture of the case.---Try this experiment: put a dab of Brasso on a case that is trashed. let it sit for an hour, then remove the Brasso. You will see the brass is now redish. This is the copper showing on the brass that has lost zinc.
You would be better off using a tablespoon or two of Mineral Spirits (also packaged as Paint Thinner and Stoddard Solvent) in the media. Does cleaning wonders, does not react with the brass.
If you use a little Brasso in the tumbler, it is diluted thru the media, and the ammonia is probably dissipated by evaporation, causing little damage to the brass. Compare the color of the well Brasso'ed brass with new. I would wager that it will be a slight bit on the coppery side compared to new.
Over long use of chemicals is spinning the roulette wheel. And with continued over long exposure, it's only a matter of time before a case ruptures.
Last edited:
Shane Tuttle
Staff
It will help emmensely with the cleaning process...
It will also help in degrading the quality of your brass. There's so many good quality brass cleaners/polishes out there that Brasso shouldn't even be considered.
It will also help in degrading the quality of your brass. There's so many good quality brass cleaners/polishes out there that Brasso shouldn't even be considered.
Uncle Chan
New member
I use a capful of NuFinish car polish from Wal-Mart about every other load. Works well.
Inspector3711
New member
+1 on the nu finish polish. Make sure you get the liquid kind in the tall bottle. Works like a champ and a bottle will last for years.