brass changing color in ultrasonic cleaner

[poweredward]

I cleaned my first batch of brass in my ultrasonic cleaner and I used vinegar and water and a small amount of dish soap. All my brass became very very dull and some color change. Does anyone know if this is a bad thing or something I should worry about or do i just have to deal with dull brass?

 

[recce]

That is normal when you clean with vinegar, nothing to worry about.

 

[444shooter]

Had the same thing happen and just tossed them into my tumbler for a final polish.

 

[explorin2]

If you look back on the posts, their was a thread about this and some good info. I believe someone suggested using/adding a stainless cleaner they purchased at canadian tire which helped solve this problem to some extent.

No worries about the dull color ... and yes there are things you can do to get a nice shiny shell. Post tumbling may give the best results ... if I recall correctly.

 

[CanAm]

That is the etching affect of the acid on the brass. try vinegar on a shiny new penny.

FWIW citric acid (citrus drink mix) works well and is what the ammo makers use in cleaning brass.

 

[604shooter]

The other thing you can try is Lagostina steel and copper cleaner and water as suggested by other members on CGN. I've tried it myself and it works surprisingly well and doesn't discolour the brass. If you want really shiny brass stainless steel tumbling seems to be the way to go, but at a higher cost.

 

[ceriksson]

The other thing you can try is Lagostina steel and copper cleaner and water as suggested by other members on CGN. I've tried it myself and it works surprisingly well and doesn't discolour the brass. If you want really shiny brass, stainless steel tumbling seems to be the way to go, but at a higher cost.

X2

I got some after you guys recommended it and it works awesome. It is cheaper than vinegar in the long run as you use less of it per session.

5$ at Cdn Tire. It is found where the pots and pans are, not the cleaning supply section.

If we had a rotary tumbler vs a vibrating one I'd be using stainless media too.