Is this a safe way to clean/polish brass?

[Z-Michigan]

While playing with the Lee case length gauges and trimmer tonight, I had dirty cases (.223 in this case) locked in the case holder and mounted in a drill, so I figured I would try polishing them while I was at it. I used a kitchen scouring pad (generic brand, green plastic type stuff that looks like vaguely steel wool, presumably covered with some minor abrasive) while rotating the cases at moderate speed. It worked terrific for cleaning the cases, leaving them shiny and new looking. However, it also left a small but visible amount of brass dust/brass discoloration on the green pad. I assume that is metal removed from the case. Should I be worrying that I'm removing enough metal to weaken the case, or is it likely too little to matter?

If you think it's a concern, should I be less concerned trying the same technique with super-fine steel wool?

 

[.38 Special]

Benchrest shooters often clean case necks with fine steel wool, and they usually use a matched set of cases for an entire season, reloading them 20 or more times. I have never heard of any problems resulting from the practice.

 

[FlyinBryan]

i use simple, inert metal polish, such as aluminum wheel polish sometimes on badly stained but otherwise good cases.

i put them in my zip trim and just put a little of the polish on a paper towel, give it a few spins and then buff it off with a few more.

they look like mirrors and are slicker than i can describe in just a few seconds.

no scratching. the papertowel just turns black.

i have also noticed that the cases i do this to clean up much better and quicker the next time they are fired and reloaded.

i make sure none gets inside the case though, most of these types of compounds are water based and you dont want even a trace of moisture in there.

 

[ants]

Of course you didn't hurt the cases doing it once. But I wouldn't advise losing more brass by doing it every time. Unless there is grit inside, you actually don't need to clean cases. But cleaner cases are more consistent, so soap/water or tumbling in soft media or a commercial case cleaning solution (like Birchwood Casey) are the best bet. Bryan sounds like he's got a system.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

you guys have more time to waste then i do. Midway sells tumblers for about 50 bucks.

 

[ar10]

Don't they just get dirty again after you shoot them?
I do have one of the HF ultrasonic cleaners that I use to clean my cases but I really don't spend time on polishing them. The ultrasonic get the primer pocket carbon and the lube I used on the cases but that's about it.

 

[scrat]

it will not hurt them at all. im sure it came out looking really good. It just easier to get a tumbler as this does take a long time to do. as tumber takes no time at all.

 

[Cacique500]

you guys have more time to waste then i do. Midway sells tumblers for about 50 bucks.

+1

Why handle each piece, one at a time, when you can dump 500 cases in a tumbler and do them all at once?

 

[.38 Special]

Depends on how many cases we're talking about. Again to cite the benchrest guys as an example, they'll usually have a matched set of 20 or so cases and they reload off the pick-up's tailgate between matches. Obviously a couple of hours in the tumbler is not practical for those guys, but they do need some way of removing grit from the cases before passing them through their expensive nitride sizing dies. So the steel wool works for them.

But yeah, if you've got a thousand .223 cases to fix up, it's a different story...

 

[Z-Michigan]

I appreciate all the advice/info. A couple comments:

-I'm currently loading with a single stage press in small quantities. I'm still fairly new to reloading and trying to avoid making any mistakes (especially the ones that go "kaboom")

-I already own all the other stuff, and while $50 isn't much, it's more money and another thing to store some place.

-I have read in Lee's book that tumblers, and especially the process of sifting cases from media, generate a huge amount of lead dust that is very hazardous. He reports how one of his friends had a blood lead-level problem, and they did a search around his reloading area for the source, thinking it would be from casting bullets. It wasn't, but was from tumbling cases and sifting them out of the tumbling media.

I reload in the basement and I have a family. I don't want to generate any lead dust. If I do go to greater quantities at some point I will probably get a tumbler but only use it in our detached garage, and do the case sifting completely outdoors. I don't want elevated lead levels in my blood, and I sure don't want that for my family!

 

[FlyinBryan]

Why handle each piece, one at a time?

because i dont have a trimmer that i can dump a coffee can full of rifle cases in.

it takes 5 or so seconds to trim a case. then i hit them with a polishing cloth, maybe 3 more seconds. its already in the trimmer. its no more handling of the cases.


EDIT i have a tumbler, but some cases need more to be better than new perfect.

 

[CRITGIT]

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=587176&t=11082005 HURRY! Expires 6-30-08
This with a "cap full" of product specific polish (non ammonia) or NuVinyl car polish/wax and you're jake!

CRITGIT

 

[Bboomer]

Ya gotta do whatcha gotta do, being innovative is part of it.

But I prefer the power tool methods.

I use dryer sheets in the tumbler to control dust

 

[R.W.Dale]

Here lately after using my Lee trimming apparatus I've been giving my cases a quick spin against a piece of cloth wetted with plain OL rubbing alcohol. Removes all the lube and cleans up the cases astoundingly well. Since discovering this I've been using my tumbler less and less. Plus it removes that hour break for tumbling in turning fired cases into reloaded ammo

 

[flashhole]

I've been using Scoth Brite pads for years doing exactly what you described and have never had a problem. It's very quick, especially in small to moderate batches and you don't spend time cleaning the tumbler media out of the brass.

Another thing you might consider while you have the case chucked up and spinning is running a brush inside the case neck. I wouldn't call it polishing but it sure slicks things up if you run your brass through a sizing die that pulls an expander ball up through the neck.

 

[Griz44]

Z, a paper towel and a capful of mineral spirits makes dust a thing of the past. The towel will absorb the dust and other particles and can be easily removed. I drop a torn up treated paper towel in and let it tumble with the brass for 3 or 4 minutes and then pick them out. They come out with black colrs, brass particles shining and gray primer dust in them. Media and tumbler stay clean and dust free. Good room ventilation is also a must and will help keep you and your family safe, whether you tumble or not.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Thanks Griz and everyone for the tips. For now this is a good method for me, with my low production rate. But I was looking at how much dirty once-fired brass I have this afternoon, and a tumbler may be in order in a couple months.

 

[kennedy]

I used the zip trimmer method at first with scotch brite pad, then bought a tumbler and have not gone back.

 

[moooose102]

i still do this on ocassion. normally, i just tumble them. but in some instances, either i want particularly polished brass (in which case i follow up using metal polishing paste) or if i have excessively filthy / stained cases that dont want to clean up (with the brass cleaning soloution found on this website), or tumbling. it works, it is slow, and no, you wont harm them unless you do it excessivly.

 

[SSN Vet]

I did it that way on a zip trim while trimming the cases.....

saw the light and bought a tumbler.

now and again, I come back with by own p/u brass that is to clean to bother tumbling, so after I re-size them, if I"m going to have to trim, I'll go back to that technique to clean the lube and burnt powder residue off with a cotton rag ..... two extra pulls.