good morning . I have some 223 brass that I picked up where some people like to shoot . about 150 pieces . washed them out thoroughly to make sure crud was gone de primed wet tumble with ss pins lemi shine ,dawn dish soap 2hours tumble time.vibrate tumble 2hours with walnut media and nu finish car wax less than a cap full . let sit about three weeks last night went to resize and brass was turning pink . some of this brass was black from being out side for who knows how long. how do I get it back to a brilliant yellow luster and is it safe to use thank you for any help . bob v.
pink brass
- Thread starter robert j
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
Dr. Vette
Well-Known Member
I've occasionally seen the same. It seems to occur if I get the amount of soap or Lemi-Shine wrong. Nothing wrong with using it and shooting it. Next time through it will look great.
Yes, too much Lemi-Shine. Just yesterday I wet stainless pin tumbled 120 belted magnum cases with half teaspoon Lemi-Shine, squirt of Dawn. They came out best I've ever done. Dried without any spots and looking like new brass inside and out. Heavier doses of Lemi-Shine made brass spotted and way too much came out pink. Also add large amount of hot water, cover the brass pile by 50% or more if possible. The Lemi-Shine is recommended to treat the water not the brass and the pins do the cleaning.
Good luck
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
Why not? I've used range pickups that were turning black before cleaning and polishing them... They work fine.
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
Re: pink cartridge brass
Hell, I've had stressed, corroded, and cracked brass that wasn't turning black from corrosion...
Hell, I've had stressed, corroded, and cracked brass that wasn't turning black from corrosion...
MagnumManiac
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2008
- Messages
- 5,588
Re: pink cartridge brass
Black patina is oxidation of the brass surface, not de-zincification. That only occurs with heat, and a lot of it, or through chemicals, such as ammonia.
Green patina, or verdigris, is corrosion of the brass. Once removed, it will go black where the oxidation has effected the brass surface.
It is easy to see when zinc is being lost from brass as it is heated, the flame will get a pink tinge to it's edges.
Cheers.
gun)
Love to see your metallurgy degree.
Black patina is oxidation of the brass surface, not de-zincification. That only occurs with heat, and a lot of it, or through chemicals, such as ammonia.
Green patina, or verdigris, is corrosion of the brass. Once removed, it will go black where the oxidation has effected the brass surface.
It is easy to see when zinc is being lost from brass as it is heated, the flame will get a pink tinge to it's edges.
Cheers.
gun)
Predator 22
Well-Known Member
Re: pink cartridge brass
I agree, black brass is oxidized on the surface. I have read that pink brass is caused by the zinc being leached to the surface. Don't know 100% if that is the case but that is what I read after having some brass turn pink on me after soaking in ultra sonic fluid for a extended period of time. I reloaded it and ran it through my ar, Worked fine. I'd say run it.
thank you for all the posts . decided last night to tumble with ss pins again . 1/2 teaspoon of lemi shine and dawn dish soap. 2-1/2 hours over night and this morning still some pink could be seen. so I ran it for another 3 hours while I am at work see tonight what it really looks like when I dump them and really soak them to get all the soap and crud off them . oh and the water was really dirty again . thank you all again for the posts bob. V.
