Corn cob vs Walnut - pride vs price conundrum?

harbl_the_cat

harbl_the_cat

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I've hit a bit of a conundrum and I could really use some advice.

When I started reloading, probably for the first 3 years, I used nothing but corncob media. The green Lyman stuff. A 10 lbs box lasted me about 2 years, or about 10,000's worth of casings.

Recently, I switched over to walnut - the red Lyman tuf-nut - and I wasn't entirely won over. It seems I don't need to clean the casings as long, but the finish on the casings doesn't come out as bright as with corn cob.

I tried using lizard bedding walnut shells from the pet store mixed with Nu-finish, and I found the results weren't much better than the red tuf-nut, but it certainly was a lot cheaper.

So here's the conundrum. I don't think the lack-lustre finish from walnut shell media has an impact on the end product HOWEVER, I do miss having brilliant, bright and shiny looking brass.

What are your thoughts on media?
 
I use the crushed walnut that would normally be used with a sandblaster .. just the right size to wedge into the flash hole (it's rather course). Bought a 50lb bag of it years ago and between using it and giving away ice cream buckets of it .. I still have lots of it left. I think I paid around $75 for the bag.

Any way, you're bang on, the cleaning time is less but you don't get the "shine". This is not a problem, don't worry about shine, just clean is all that is required.

I would use the walnut for most everything but when you want a shine on the brass use the corncob .. so use both!
 
One point I missed - I'm raised with Asian-Canadian values - so I'm very cheap (I like "frugal"). That said, I still also have some of the "Canadian military garrison" value of liking things that look nice, clean and shiny.

That's the real conundrum.
 
I really didn't like the red residue left on the brass from the Lyman tuf nut. It got on everything and was just a big mess. I only use the green corn cob now and tumble for 1-3 hours depending on how dirty the brass is. Haven't had an issue since.
 
I didn't like the red lyman walnut product much either. The red stuff is like chalk powder that gets into everything, especially good at gumming up resizing dies.

But at the end of the day, it's your call. I'm like you, I like my brass to look nice. Maybe it's a personality flaw but it's MY flaw and anyone doesn't like it is welcome to kiss my keister (if they brush their teeth first, no reason to be unhygenic).
 
LUTNIT said:
I really didn't like the red residue left on the brass from the Lyman tuf nut. It got on everything and was just a big mess. I only use the green corn cob now and tumble for 1-3 hours depending on how dirty the brass is. Haven't had an issue since.
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I found adding a dryer sheets help cut down on the residue - but that's also a good point.
 
harbl_the_cat said:
One point I missed - I'm raised with Asian-Canadian values - so I'm very cheap (I like "frugal"). That said, I still also have some of the "Canadian military garrison" value of liking things that look nice, clean and shiny.

That's the real conundrum.
Click to expand...

50lbs of Walnut blasting media at Princess Auto $15. 1 can of Brasso metal polish at Canadian Tire 5$. Enough to keep you going for 10s of thousands of rounds. How much more money do you want to skimp out on??
 
Lately, I have been using Peek metal polish along with a used dryer sheet or paper towel soaked in mineral spirits. It doesn't take much Peek; just squirt a bead of it from the tube across the width of the barrel of your filled tumbler and stir it into the media. This will get you a shiny a finish with any walnut shell or corncob media.
 
luresaregood said:
50lbs of Walnut blasting media at Princess Auto $15. 1 can of Brasso metal polish at Canadian Tire 5$. Enough to keep you going for 10s of thousands of rounds. How much more money do you want to skimp out on??
Click to expand...

Is the blasting media better than lizard bedding?

Also I thought brasso contains ammonia and can weaken the brass over long periods of times. I plan on eventually building up a 5-10 year cycle worth of ammo (as in, ammo I shoot today may be 5-10 years old).
 
The amount of ammonia in Brasso or any other similar metal polish is too small relative to the amount of brass to do any real damage.
 
I'm going to try a 50/50 mixture of corncob/walnut mixed with Nu-finish and paint thinner to see if I get some better results.
 
I use walnut with mothers liquid polish and my cases come out looking nice and shiny. after I finish with that I throw in some used drier sheets and some clean walnut shell for the finishing touch.

Just one question? What's with the dancing ponies?:p
 
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