Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Added to Media?

[6pakzak]

You're probably right, seems that it's the citric acid that does the cleaning from what I'm seeing

Anybody try Comet?

 

[MLN1963]

Is like to coat some media with rouge like Lyman does. I wish I had a clue about how they do it.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

OK Boys, I tried it. It did not work for me at all. I put in 18, 270 Weatherby Mag cases in the vibrator with fresh new media, and Arm and hammer backing soda , for about 12 hours. The cases were " Less Shinny" than when I did not use the Arm and Hammer backing soda. After Bullet seating , I polished each one by hand with Flitz Metal, Plastic and Fiberglass polish. They look and perfect!!!!

 

[emp1953]

Maybe no issue on large heavy fittings but ammonia is well documented in affecting cartridge brass.

The following is a standard statement from many different gun forums on using Brasso in cleaning:

Ammonia based polishes like Brasso will result in the nitrogen embrittlement of brass. After several months of using Brasso for keeping brass cartridges from tarnishing, you will start to see the neck of your brass case cracking due to the stress of the pressure exerted by the bullet. Ammonia will also cause the brass to lose its ductility causing the case to split upon firing. Be wary.

This is one of those YMMV in using ammonia based brass cleaners. Brass is hard enough to find so I take conservative position and not use ammonia based brass cleaners.

Always used Brasso on my uniform buttons as well

 

[Pa Grizz]

What about BonAmi, Comet or Barkeepers Friend? Note…Barkeepers Friend is not made with or for Bourbon!

I have a friend that uses Comet on brass that is really tarnished Works good

 

[6pakzak]

OK Boys, I tried it. It did not work for me at all. I put in 18, 270 Weatherby Mag cases in the vibrator with fresh new media, and Arm and hammer backing soda , for about 12 hours. The cases were " Less Shinny" than when I did not use the Arm and Hammer backing soda. After Bullet seating , I polished each one by hand with Flitz Metal, Plastic and Fiberglass polish. They look and perfect!!!!

I had pretty much same results, didn't notice them being less shiny, just seemed no different except dust mushroom cloud I only did them for 3 hours though.

 

[6pakzak]

Brandon is my daughter's husband's name, and I want him to do well, in case you're wondering.

Zilla crushed walnut shells is on sale at chewy.com, 5qt bag is 6.99, from what I see on Amazon it weighs 7.5 pounds, free shipping on orders over 49.99, so if you get 7 bags for 56.00 it will be 52.5 pounds, so far cheapest for the media.

 

[chindits]

I guess I am an under achiever. I'm happy with the results I get after only a half hour in the same media I've used for years. I didn't know evidence of annealing is so bad.

 

[Veteran]

I guess I am an under achiever. I'm happy with the results I get after only a half hour in the same media I've used for years. I didn't know evidence of annealing is so bad.

My brass dont have to shine.....it just needs to shoot well.

Shiny brass will get you killed in a war zone.....These sniper types I will wager are more interested in dull brass. No brasso, baking soda, nu finish, or jewelry polish for them.

 

[6pakzak]

I guess I am an under achiever. I'm happy with the results I get after only a half hour in the same media I've used for years. I didn't know evidence of annealing is so bad.

It's not, just gave a good baseline for how good the media is working, I anneal after I clean the brass so I always see it.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

I like shinney brass at the range, but I am not one of these guys that has 8 rounds on the butt stock of the rifle brightly gleaming in the sun. Ha ha ha . I have three rounds in the rifle, and two rounds, in an elastic shell holder in my Pants cargo pocket. That is my usual amount, when I go to the blind.

 

[SSgt G Cody]

My nephew has an auto bodyshop, and specializes in body prep and paint. He uses soda in his mild sandblasting often. He also uses tubs of fine media in his polishing: 1000 grit on hand pads, and 2000 grit on power polishers. I tried a Level Teaspoon of 1000 grit in my large vibro-polisher mix on 200 pieces of range brass, and it did a pretty good job. Next I tried the 2000 grit on a similar batch of brass, with a bit more polish evident. After a wet bath cleaning, the 2000 grit polish looks a bit better to me, so I'll be adding that to my walnut mix from now on.