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gelandangan Super Member
Joined: May 07, 2006 Posts: 6400 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 4:06 pm Post subject: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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I read on CastBoolits that using Citric Acid you can rejuvenate old tarnished brass cartridges.
So, I was walking on the supermarket aisle doing my weekly impersonation of shopping trolley mobilator for SWMBO,
bored right out of my sock, when I walk pass the spices rack.. and there it is..
A resealable pack of 100 grams citric acid powder for $2.00
What do I got to lose? 2 lousy buck.. so I pick that up..
Back at home (after the shopping safely tucked away in the peculiar way SWMBO preferred)
I then mix up a spoonful of the Citric Acid powder with a cup of water in a paper cup (disposable.. just in case SWMBO object)
then I fish out some old tarnished cartridge and dump them into the clear liquid..
30 seconds later, the brass all look brand new !!!!!
Shiny golden!!! even the old ones that I fished out of the back of the drawer (buried for who know how many years)
Encouraged by the result, I cut off the top of a 2 liter plastic soft drink bottle and mix 2 spoon of the powder with water
and cleaned ALL my free (unloaded and unprimed) brass..
Now ALL my brass look new!!
The only regret I have is that I did not take any before and after picture of the brass to post the picture here..
If you are cleaning your brass, try using citric acid and you will be pleasantly surprised..
_________________ A straight line is the shortest distance between two points.
A smile is the shortest distance between two people.
Do - Not try!
gelandangan.weebly.com/
Last edited by gelandangan on Mon May 31, 2010 4:20 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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slimjim Super Member
Joined: May 16, 2009 Posts: 8316 Location: Fort Worth TX
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 5:08 pm Post subject: Re: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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gelandangan wrote: |
The only regret I have is that I did not take any before and after picture of the brass to post the picture here. |
Mine, too. I'm a doubting Thomas.
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Vince Site Admin
Joined: May 25, 2005 Posts: 15723 Location: Brisbane AUSTRALIA
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Aloysius Super Member
Joined: Nov 03, 2009 Posts: 2440 Location: B., Belgium
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 11:34 pm Post subject: Re: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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Which one did you buy? The anhydrat or the monohydrat form? When it dissolves well in water it might be the monohydrat...
And I never used citric acid for cleaning brass. I did use acetic (sure when you use blackpowder in brass cartridges) and even formic acid (which is eating too much of the brass while cleaning IMHO), but when you are pleased with citric acid I think oxalic acid will be better (now don't you all go out and kill the rubarb )
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wncchester Member
Joined: Apr 08, 2006 Posts: 160
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 5:31 am Post subject: Re: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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I may try the citric acid but I'm quite happy with white vinegar.
Vinegar is quite cheap by the gallon, works great to remove case tarnish and really loosens the internal carbon layer too.
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Bushmaster Super Member
Joined: Jun 12, 2005 Posts: 11394 Location: Ava, Missouri
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 8:41 am Post subject: Re: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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Remember if the color "pink" is on the brass you are leaching the zinc out of the brass and that's not good...
_________________ I have one nerve left and yer standin' on it...
DEMOCRACY Two wolves and one sheep voting on what to have for lunch...
LIBERTY A well armed sheep contesting the outcome of the vote... |
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slimjim Super Member
Joined: May 16, 2009 Posts: 8316 Location: Fort Worth TX
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 1:46 pm Post subject: Re: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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Besides looking nice, what is the advantage of shiny brass? I have never cleaned mine.
_________________ "To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth." - Theodore Roosevelt
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein |
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Aloysius Super Member
Joined: Nov 03, 2009 Posts: 2440 Location: B., Belgium
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 2:01 pm Post subject: Re: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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In blackpowder cartridges the salts will destroy your brass real soon when you don't neutralize them. With modern propellants I think you're right, but some people like shiny boots while others just use neatfoothoil...
and I didn't make any remark on shiny boots and pink colours!
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Bushmaster Super Member
Joined: Jun 12, 2005 Posts: 11394 Location: Ava, Missouri
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 2:03 pm Post subject: Re: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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One: Insures that brass will not harm (scratch) the dies.
Two: Makes inspection for splits and cracks easier to see.
Three: It's a "Pride in craftmanship" thing...
Four: I just plain like (love) shinny things...
Who, on here, wears pink boots??
My riding and everyday boots are black and neetsfoot oiled. My dress boots are black and "spit shined"...Soooo...
_________________ I have one nerve left and yer standin' on it...
DEMOCRACY Two wolves and one sheep voting on what to have for lunch...
LIBERTY A well armed sheep contesting the outcome of the vote... |
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slimjim Super Member
Joined: May 16, 2009 Posts: 8316 Location: Fort Worth TX
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 2:44 pm Post subject: Re: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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Watch it Aloys, he'll be bringing out his pistols again!!
_________________ "To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth." - Theodore Roosevelt
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein |
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gelandangan Super Member
Joined: May 07, 2006 Posts: 6400 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 4:14 pm Post subject: Re: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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Ok for you Doubting Thomases..
Last night I turn my loading room apart to search for some tarnished brass..
I found a few..
here is what I have start with
then I mix a little amount of Citric Acid in a plastic cup
and place the tarnished brass in the mixture like this
I do not do all the cases so there is some side/side image
I also deliberately do only part of the case and on the 300 Whisper test cartridge, I do a diagonal immersion from the projectile end..
and It ended up like this
and here is a before and after
BEFORE
AFTER
Any questions?
_________________ A straight line is the shortest distance between two points.
A smile is the shortest distance between two people.
Do - Not try!
gelandangan.weebly.com/ |
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chambered221 Super Member
Joined: Aug 17, 2007 Posts: 3455 Location: Lost for good !!!
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Vince Site Admin
Joined: May 25, 2005 Posts: 15723 Location: Brisbane AUSTRALIA
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Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 3:28 am Post subject: Re: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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_________________ Cheers, Vince
Illegitimi non carborundum
(Never let the bastards grind you down)
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
"Nulla Si Fa Senza Volonta."
(Without Commitment, Nothing Gets Done) |
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tikkat3 Super Member
Joined: Jul 30, 2006 Posts: 800
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Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 6:17 am Post subject: Re: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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I agree, it just doesn't look right.
But the 303 look the goods,
a 215grner in the 3 0 would be nice though
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Bushmaster Super Member
Joined: Jun 12, 2005 Posts: 11394 Location: Ava, Missouri
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Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 6:37 am Post subject: Re: Citric Acid - WOW!! |
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Aah Gelandangan. They got side tracked again. You may need a base ball bat to keep them on topic.
I take it that the solution did not cause the zinc to leach. How long did you let them soak?
_________________ I have one nerve left and yer standin' on it...
DEMOCRACY Two wolves and one sheep voting on what to have for lunch...
LIBERTY A well armed sheep contesting the outcome of the vote... |
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