I cleaned my brake with CLR and

[bobinpa]

it didn't go so well. A while back I saw a YouTube video from a well known shooter cleaning his brake with CLR. I thought, I'm going to give it a try someday.... Last week while I was under the weather I decided to clean a couple of guns and 1 of them had a brake. I put it in a clean container of CLR and forgot about it.... my mistake but I was sick.
The next day I took it out and found that the part of the brake that was submerged was badly discolored. Look at the picture and give me your thoughts as to why this happened. Did I do something wrong other than leaving it too long, possibly??? What caused this?? Has this ever happened to anyone else??

 

[moondog]

Wire wheel will bring it back. Bigger question, is it clean?

 

[ridgeway]

Use at your own risk. Take the u toob experts with a "grain of salt". Lol

 

[Sandstorm]

What type of material is the Brake made from.?

 

[1911nut]

It works great for my faucet aerators

 

[bobinpa]

Use at your own risk. Take the u toob experts with a "grain of salt". Lol

Understood, but I saw the video with my own 2 eyes and it worked for him... Must just be my luck.

 

[bobinpa]

The brake is stainless and it had a bead blasted finish. It did come out clean, but I don't want to have to get it bead blasted every time I clean it, lol.

 

[Stan Taylor]

The brake is stainless and it had a bead blasted finish. It did come out clean, but I don't want to have to get it bead blasted every time I clean it, lol.

I would bead blast it and take a little bore tech c4 in a small container leave it in overnight and rinse it off and go about your business no harm no foul.

 

[Deleted Dewey]

CLR contains two acids that are chelating agents, meaning that they dissolve metals. Use internet "hacks", especially those on U-toob, at your own risk.

Everybody on the interwebz wants to be the one to have the "inside track" or "hot tip" on something.

 

[Deleted Dewey]

There is nothing available that will dissolve carbon, it's an element. There are some things that will "break it free" from the surface and allow it to be carried away, but nothing that will chemically dissolve it.

 

[1911nut]

The brake is stainless and it had a bead blasted finish. It did come out clean, but I don't want to have to get it bead blasted every time I clean it, lol.

If a wire brush could get it back to stainless looking then a red scotchbrite can give a brushed finish.

 

[Bill Norris]

Don't know if the finish had something to do with the discoloration but I soak mine in CLR overnight and neither of my 3 tuner/brakes have shown any sign of it so far.

 

[Sandstorm]

I soak mine in CLR overnight

As have I Bill.....with no adverse effects...so im thinking its the composition on the metal
or Stainless as in this case.....perhaps not 100% Stainless..? who knows not I.

 

[BoydAllen]

it didn't go so well. A while back I saw a YouTube video from a well known shooter cleaning his brake with CLR. I thought, I'm going to give it a try someday.... Last week while I was under the weather I decided to clean a couple of guns and 1 of them had a brake. I put it in a clean container of CLR and forgot about it.... my mistake but I was sick.
The next day I took it out and found that the part of the brake that was submerged was badly discolored. Look at the picture and give me your thoughts as to why this happened. Did I do something wrong other than leaving it too long, possibly??? What caused this?? Has this ever happened to anyone else??View attachment 1294121

Is the brake stainless, and how long did you leave it in the CLR?

 

[dnellans]

I regularly leave APA little bastard breaks in clr overnight and haven’t seen anything similar. It’s got to be a metal composition issue. Def would be good to know what type yours is if you can find out.

Sucks however, sorry to see it.

 

[RICK SMITH]

It works great for my faucet aerators

Looks like he has a faucet aerator now

 

[ridgeway]

As have I Bill.....with no adverse effects...so im thinking its the composition on the metal
or Stainless as in this case.....perhaps not 100% Stainless..? who knows not I.

Stainless steel is composed of mixed bag of alloys. Almost need to alloy test to see what percentage of ingredients in each piece. There are many types of stainless...the application will determine what type to use. Most likely why you aren't seeing any etching it's a different type of stainless...304 maybe? 304 would be a terrible choice to make a rifled barrel out of. With 416...you take a gamble if CLR affects it like the original post brake.

 

[DGP4]

Some years ago, one of the armorers at Anschutz USA experimented on cleaning silencers. He used to have a website (RDDvegas I think) but it is no longer online. Anyway, what he did was coat his silencer components with silicone brake fluid and heat it in the oven at about 175-200 degrees. After that treatment, carbon deposits came off very easily with just soap and water. How long the treatment lasts was not clear but the results were impressive. I don't use a brake or silencer, but I was always very interested to try the experiment. Maybe one of you guys can try it and let us know if it works.

 

[CT10ring]

I recently cleaned my 3 suppressors in CLR and it worked like a charm. Took one apart and cleaned the baffles, etc. w/ steel wool and a stiff toothbrush type brush (w / rubber gloves).

Took 15 min to 100% clean for all 3.

I soaked the 2 suppressors that couldn't be taken apart in tubes of Schedule 40 pipe w/ a "bottom" cap glued on, standing upright to soak.

No issues. Afterwards, wash with hot water, dry ( toaster oven @ 250 deg or however )
spray with your favorite oil, and wipe.

CLR works great. I guess this is information on the internet, too

 

[DaWhit]

Cleaned a couple of my brakes, no issues.