Tumbling brass with SS pins

[Allen]

Not wanting to rehash old threads or anything but I used to tumble my brass with corn cob and walnut shell media. The reason I stopped doing so was that I like to tumble the brass with the spent primers removed so the primer pocket gets cleaned as well. The mentioned media clogs the pockets where it doesn't get clean and has to be dug out. A real pain so I switched over to the SS pins and soapy water solution using a rotary tumbler, problem solved and the brass looks brand new, even the heavily tarnished brass.

OK, now to the issue. Using just a little detergent in the solution, the brass comes out clean enough but is kind of flat looking. Many of you have recommended using a product like "Lemi Shine", a dishwasher soap additive that prevents or reduces water spotting. It also makes the brass look shinny. I've heard that a little goes a long way. I added perhaps a half teaspoon to the solution before tumbling (no detergent) and the brass came out shinny and clean but were copper (practically pink) colored. I thought maybe I used too much of the Lemi Shine and acid or something made the copper in the brass show up. After rinsing I air dried the brass in the hot sunlight. After a couple of hours I checked on it and they had tarnished to all shades of purple, yellow, burgundy and grey.

I'm sure with enough experimenting and patience (which I'm short on) I'll find the problem and get the right ratio but for any of you who have been here before I'm asking "what I'm doing wrong", suggestions, or is there a better product to use other than the Lemi Shine or am I simply using too much?

Have any of you used something like a coffee grinder to grind the corn cob or walnut media fine enough to where it doesn't clog up the primer pocket?

[george r]

The pink color makes me think one of your ingredients is etching the zinc out of just the surface of the brass. that would happen anyway on any piece that had corrosion rather than just tarnish. I once tarnished a polished aluminum juicer using liquid cascade in the dishwasher (and had to rebuff it). Start at the weak end of detergents and such and see if only a very little does the trick. maybe all its providing is a wetting agent to break the surface tension. If I used soap at all maybe it would be baby shampoo. I use corn cob in a vibratory tumbler with just a little of Lyman's walnut added for shine.

[Allen]

Thanks. I tumbled the pink cases again with detergent plus the Lemi-Shine and it seems to have reversed everything. The Lemi-Shine will work by itself but apparently needs the caustic ph of the detergent to neutralize the effects on the brass.

[Major Tom]

I use the stuff Frankfort Arsenal sells for their wet rotary tumbler. Brass looks like new! I also use a Lee universal deprimer die to knock out the primers beforehand.

[Allen]

I also use a Lee universal deprimer die to knock out the primers beforehand.

I have one of those too and used it in the past. I still like to tumble the brass after sizing because the sizing die sometimes leaves scuff marks on the shinny brass and of course when you resize you deprime.

I wish I had taken a picture of those pink cases now. They were pretty, shinny, spotless and new looking---just pink.

[leftyo]

i use a couple drops of dawn with about a 38spcl case full of lemishine. after 1.5hrs or so i dump it put in fresh water and a few drops of armorall wash&wax, then run for 15-20 minutes. leaves cases looking great. you may have to adjust quantities depending on your water quality.

[Allen]

Thanks to all who responded. This turned out to be a thread on what NOT to do. I figured since my cases were fairly clean with no grease and the pins were doing the cleaning I didn't need any detergent. Using the Lemi-Shine alone, like George said, seemed to leech out the zinc leaving the copper. These bright pretty pink cases will tarnish as soon as they dry like this.

I'll have to try the Armorall Wash&Wax.

[hivelocity]

Allen-

Tumbling with SS pins; you can use almost any dishwashing/dishwasher additive with like results, depends on the amount.
I use "Lizard Bedding [ground walnut]" at about $9/8lb bag from the local pet supply house. I add a cap of "Nu-Finish" to the bedding;
brass comes out looking brighter than new. Just food for thought.

[Allen]

Thanks. I've been using the SS pins for years, just never had this happen before. Like I said I think it was a PH thing with the soap being left out. The reason I quit using my vibrator tumbler with the walnut and corn cob media is because I like to tumble brass after it is sized with the primer removed. The dry type media clogs the primer pocket and flash hole. I may buy a coffee grinder and grind the corn cob media to a fine mixture one day and try it again to see if it still clogs. I like using the Nu-Finish wax and I find it at discount stores.

[Former Cav]

leave em pink.
there will be no arguments at the range as to which brass is yours!