I threw a bunch of very dark once-fired factory brass in my newly acquired tumbler, added walnut and let it rip. 2 hours later I had shiny, black brass. Actually it wasn't black, but it was very dark in places.

Yanked it out of the walnut and put batch #2 (same condition as #1) into rice for experimental purposes. It took a little longer, but ended up with shiny black brass again.

Refusing to give up the fight, I put batch 1 into the walnut for an all night ride. 7 hours later, it was REALLY shiny and still had a substantial amount of dark staining.

Sensing a fight on my hands, I made up a secret batch of Vinegar, salt, lemon juice (I was thinking citrus acid and that's all I had), Laundry detergent and Washing Soda. I don't know if all the ingredients really are needed, but the Washing Soda makes a fun chemical reaction with the Vinegar and adds an element of excitement to the deal.

30 minutes in the "Secret Sauce" and the shiny brass is dull, pink in places, but looks like the dark spots are thinner. I picked up a piece and the powder ring around the case neck wiped right off with my finger!! Rubbing the case loosened some of the "tarnish".

The sauce was the ticket. wiping it down with a rag yielded clean brass. Now into the tumbler for a shine and its done.

I searched the past threads here and got a bunch of thoughts on the matter. Thanks for the variety of ideas shared in past threads. I found what works for me.

did you have jewelers rougue in the walnut shells? The shells are just a media the rougue does the polishing

I had some mixed treated and untreated and I also ran some straight treated walnut just to see how things worked. The cases got polished to a high gloss, they just stayed tarnished in the walnut media. Polishing was not the problem, getting the dark stains off the brass was the problem. Maybe polishing is supposed to remove the tarnish, but it didn't work that way for me.

This works for me!

Walnut media, 5 or 6 squirts of Orange 409, About a heaping teaspoon of BON AMI, (no other cleanser will do) A napkin or paper towel cut 1 X 1/2" or close. Tumble out doors with lid off for about 3 hours. To get a good rolling action make sure you have a full load of walnut shells. I mean a LOT.

If you got a real dirty load use more 409. If you got a real big load use more BON AMI.

Getting all the dirt and grung out of the tumbler, strainer and bucket when you are done is important. A 2" paint brush comes in handy here. The napkin will trap most of the black stuff but not all. roger

quote:

Originally posted by Trouble:
...I don't know if all the ingredients really are needed, but the Washing Soda makes a fun chemical reaction with the Vinegar and adds an element of excitement to the deal....

Hey Trouble, You definitely had me choaking Tea back with that line.

Looks like an excellent Secret Mix!
---

Hey Roger, That Bon Ami sure is some fine stuff. Good for lots of things.

One of my buddies last name is Dechene. Apparently some of his family was of French heritage, but I try not to hold it against him.

Anyway, he wanted " me " to call it - bone aaME - or some such foolishness. Told him he would never get it bought in a store down here if he asked for it like that. Because they would have no idea at all what he was talking about.

Hot Core,
Yeah the washing soda (calcium carbonate) was just about like throwing a handful of alka seltzers in water. I felt like a kid with a chemistry set....

Dillon vibrator; corn cob; Dillon polishing liquid. Nothing but excellent results.

I'm right there with Billinthewild, ran out of Dillon polish though, and went with some flitz case polish, it ain't as good as the Dillon stuff.

Maybe I needed to Bon-Ami it, I do have some of the Orange 409 though, maybe a spritz or two tonight before tumbling the 375 cases--shot 100 this weekend---Forgot my Past recoil pad---DAMN

Hay Trouble how about some volume of your "MIX"????

I posted every ingredient in my "secret Sauce", except a little water. Its not rocket science, just get some vinegar and then add other junk to it using similar volumes to that posted by others here.

Lot of vinegar, a little salt, a bit of lemon juice, some detergent, and the some washing soda (about the same amount as the detergent).

Be sure to use a bowl larger at least 2 to 3 times bigger than the mix, because the washing soda goes crazy when it hits the mixture for a while. I also recommend you have the bowl in the sink or outside when you "supercharge it". I don't recommend you mix it up on Momma's suede sofa...

Trouble,

Next time you get dark spots rub them w/ some 0000 steal wool, it will take the marks right off. If the case is badly stained you can chuck the brass in a lee trimer on a drill and press the steel wool against it as it spins.

Good Luck

Reloader

I have added "Brasso" to my walnut shell media and it works well. I have heard that the high ammonia content can damage the brass but I've had no failures in several years of using it. A local commercial reloader uses it on his brass.

Although I haven't tried it a friend of mine swears by grape Koolaid. I guess it must be the citric acid that does it. I personally use corncob, dillons polish and a viberating tumbler. On some cases I use 0000 steel wool.
Larry