What's the real advantages of different cleaning methods/media???

[Twicepop]

I started out with a hand me down dual small drum rock tumbler, then smoked a motor on a Lyman vibratory tumbler and for the past about 10 years with a Frankfort vibratory tumbler. Corn cob media as well. Thought about the wet SS pins but...like its been said "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Spend money on bullets and powder and shoot more. JMO

I'm on another forum also, I posted a question if a vibratory tumbler would work with the S/S pins or not. One of the regular members posted that he tried the S/S pins in a vibratory tumbler and said it did not work at all. He said the cases came out worse than they went in, and that he was hoping he'd be able to salvage them after that.

 

[Texan]

flitz has to be the most expensive option in brass polish.
switch to nufinish car polish and save some money.

I agree it's expensive, but it's the best brass polish I've ever tried.

I bought a gallon-sized container for around $90 that will last a lifetime.

 

[Hanbleceya]

With all due respect, if you've seen cases cleaned with SS pins, you wouldn't say corn cob media does "just as good a job". It does a fine and sufficient job, but you just can't clean brass as immaculately as pins do. In fact some people thinks it does too good a job by removing every trace of carbon from the inside of the neck.

I switched to pins because I got tired of digging media out of small cases with a paper clip. I may go back to corn cob for straight wall pistol cases.

Too clean using ultrasound as well.

 

[Hanbleceya]

I'm on another forum also, I posted a question if a vibratory tumbler would work with the S/S pins or not. One of the regular members posted that he tried the S/S pins in a vibratory tumbler and said it did not work at all. He said the cases came out worse than they went in, and that he was hoping he'd be able to salvage them after that.

Haven't used pins so no experience. It just seems that if SS polished brass, what does it do to plastic hopper over time? If it picks up plastic, seems like that would get incorporated into the pins. Don't know...just pondering

 

[retired]

nufinish is 7-8 bucks for a 16-20 oz bottle.
and it works...bright shiney brass that looks near new.
based on 12 years of selling 1x brass to the public.

I agree it's expensive, but it's the best brass polish I've ever tried.

I bought a gallon-sized container for around $90 that will last a lifetime.

 

[daniel brothers]

I've tried the lizard bedding in my vibrator... but can not get the brass to shine at all... what am I missing....?

 

[retired]

it is lizard bedding not brass polishing media.
buy fine ground corn cob aka blasting media.
go with some buddies at grainger or one 40 lb bag may last a life time.
i use to go thru a bag every month or two.

I've tried the lizard bedding in my vibrator... but can not get the brass to shine at all... what am I missing....?

 

[daniel brothers]

thanks retired, but I don't have enough friends to buy a 35.00 bag... so I'll need another option...LOL

 

[dreever]

Wondering why you never hear about people just using plain old corn cob media in a vibratory case cleaner anymore??? I've tried ultrasonic cleaning with all kinds of different solvents, vibratory tumbling with all kinds of different media.....Im sorry, but I just can't find anything that does much of a better job than good old fashioned corn cob media. Maybe I'm missing something, but I honestly don't see an advantage to other types of brass cleaning.

I have cleaned over 2000 cases with the same corn cob media in the photo below, it just keeps getting darker, but the cases always come out squeeky clean. Didn't even add a single drop of brass polish!
I will finally be changing this media out now, but I have no reason to change my method of cleaning. If it ain't broke, dont fix it


This media used to be completely light yellow in color. But look how clean the brass keeps coming out! These were VERY dirty and discolored once fired Lake City 223 cases I bought online to make 20 TAC brass. How do you beat that?
View attachment 1033186

I'm old school too. Corn cob media in a Lyman 1200 for years. Works for me.

Danny

 

[retired]

how old are you and when do think you will quite shooting ?
think of it as a long term investment..and it ain't expensive if you do local pickup...skip the shipping.

thanks retired, but I don't have enough friends to buy a 35.00 bag... so I'll need another option...LOL

 

[JeffG818]

Insteresting. Do you add anything to it? Or do you just tumble cases in it right out of the bag?

We have a local PetCo here. Looked up the crushed English walnut lizard bedding online. At only $16.89 for 25 quarts, that's pretty dang cheap. If it does work better than Lyman corn cob, 25 quarts might last me many years. Of course I would buy a small 5 quart bag to try it first.

Just as it comes from the bag. Everyone has their win path, try it if you like.

 

[retired]

in twelve years in the commercial/retail brass business NOT ONE COMPANY i dealt with
used walnut, if they used media it was fine ground corn cob.

Just as it comes from the bag. Everyone has their win path, try it if you like.

 

[sbhooper]

I have used the corn cob for many years. When it gets too cruddy, just put it in a can and slosh it around with some Dawn and water. Rinse it through a small-screened seine of some sort, dry it in the sun or oven and keep using it. It does not absorb the lube and dirt. It is on the surface. It virtually never wears out and keeps on shinin'!

 

[Hanbleceya]

I've tried the lizard bedding in my vibrator... but can not get the brass to shine at all... what am I missing....?

Used corn cob with polishing compound?
I spread it evenly, then run for 5 minutes before brass so media less likely to stick in cases.

 

[daniel brothers]

I'm going to buy some Lemi Shine tomorrow and add it to my Mr. Lizard to see how it does, but after watching guys on Youtube clean their brass with water, dawn, and lemi shine, in bucket... with no pins... for an hour or so... all I can say is...WOW... I gotta try that as well.

 

[dttheliman]

The only real pain with ss pin media in wet tumbling is small caliber casings like <6.5 mm and pins getting caught in the neck of the case - you have to inspect every one and have a small punch ready to nudge the offending pin sideways .... there must be a way

 

[R.Morehouse]

If you really want to shine them up a bit with out screwing up the nice carbon coating in your neck go on Amazon and order.....As Seen On T.V......Krazy Kloth. It is really cheap and works great......I got this tip from Joe Salt......

Best Regards
Rick

 

[Hanbleceya]

This is the Lyman brand corn cob media. They may add something to it. Not sure.

I hate the walnut media because it takes twice as long to do half as good a job as corn cob. I personally will never use walnut again.[/QUOTE]

Ditto

 

[Hanbleceya]

I can never get the black carbon off of the outside of the necks with corn cob. Do not leave them in long enough? I pre wipe the outside with Barkeeper's friend.

Tough carbon on outside of neck? Cases too short, not optimal load for proper combustion? For it to bake on to the point of resisting removal...dunno.

 

[Hanbleceya]

I've tried the lizard bedding in my vibrator... but can not get the brass to shine at all... what am I missing....?

Did you say in an earlier post whether or not you are using a liquid polish?
More often than not I only tumble about an hour. However, I have let it run for three hours and they came out better than new without scuffs from making/shipping.

just sayin'