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Thread: Cleaning Brass Nails

  1. #21
    Blind Shooter velcrobomb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    I ended up borrowing a vibrating polisher, but before I found the one I could borrow, I was thinking about calling my local gun/ammo shop and ask them if they have a polisher you can rent or if they can polish the nails for me. Offer them up 10 bucks or something reasonable.

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    Sandwich Shooter scottie banks's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    EXCELLENT idea
    i have used them in the passed and there great for copper,brass,s/s any metal and they come out perfect with NO scratches........if you find a used one at a good price ...grab it....
    scottie
    SCOTTIE

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    Pachi Puro Moparformances's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    Quote Originally Posted by velcrobomb View Post
    I ended up borrowing a vibrating polisher, but before I found the one I could borrow, I was thinking about calling my local gun/ammo shop and ask them if they have a polisher you can rent or if they can polish the nails for me. Offer them up 10 bucks or something reasonable.
    where ya located?? i currently have two dry tumblers.. one wet.. wonder how they would work in a wet unit??
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    Sandwich Shooter jasonlujan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    hate to necro an old thread but didn't want to start a new one:
    i have two machines whose nails are not polishing to brass.

    one machine i used vinegar soak and walnut shells in a tumbler and they came out looking like copper.
    next machine i used a sock of brasso to apply and then walnut shells in a tumbler and they came out dull with black marking that doesnt want to buff out.
    IMG_7579.jpg
    any ideas what's going on here? my previous two machines i just dropped the nails into the tumbler with walnut (no soak prep) and those came out shiny.

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    Fever Hunter MagicDan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    Not sure what is happening as you've had varying results with the same process. I soak the nails in "Cleaning Vinegar" by Awesome for about 1/2 hour or so. I then rinse them with clean water and let them dry a bit. I use crushed walnut shells that I buy at a pet store. They call it "Lizard Litter". I fill the tumbler about 3/4 with the shells and them put the nails in. I add just a couple of sprinkles of Comet Cleanser (dry powder) to give just a bit more grit to the mix. This gives me nice shiny nails after about 4 hours of tumbling.
    Hope that helps.

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  7. #26
    Sandwich Shooter scottie banks's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    Might be different metal.or one set was coated....cleaning using a tumbler is excellent it works well
    Scotti
    SCOTTIE

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    Pachi Puro lotsoballs's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    Quote Originally Posted by jasonlujan View Post
    hate to necro an old thread but didn't want to start a new one:
    i have two machines whose nails are not polishing to brass.

    one machine i used vinegar soak and walnut shells in a tumbler and they came out looking like copper.
    next machine i used a sock of brasso to apply and then walnut shells in a tumbler and they came out dull with black marking that doesnt want to buff out.
    IMG_7579.jpg
    any ideas what's going on here? my previous two machines i just dropped the nails into the tumbler with walnut (no soak prep) and those came out shiny.
    How long are you tumbling them for? Did you dry them after the vinegar soak?

    I’m also into the rock tumbling hobby so also a rock tumbler nerd with multiple rock tumblers.

    Standard Rotary tumblers would need at least a day or better yet a couple days to see excellent results. Wouldn’t hurt to leave them in even longer if it’s a child’s toy tumbler.

    Vibratory tumblers are next level and do the job in a matter of hours. I recommend a Raytech Ultra-Vibe tumbler; use it for rocks, small metal parts, ammo, the list goes on and on!

    Are you using Blue Magic??? It’s all about the Magic!

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  10. #28
    Kungishi Tink's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    Yes....blue magic with walnut shells, 24 hrs. Then another 24 with just walnut shells.

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  12. #29
    Sandwich Shooter jasonlujan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    okay thanks for the suggestions. i'll switch to a fresh walnut shells batch and do another overnight...

  13. #30
    Sandwich Shooter jasonlujan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    hate to necro an old thread but:
    im trying to polish some nails from a really old an abused 1950s machine. i massaged them with brasso then ran overnight in my case tumbler w walnut shells and they are still dirty and cloudy.

    what's the next step?

  14. #31
    Kungishi sparky kilowatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    Quote Originally Posted by jasonlujan View Post
    hate to necro an old thread but:
    im trying to polish some nails from a really old an abused 1950s machine. i massaged them with brasso then ran overnight in my case tumbler w walnut shells and they are still dirty and cloudy.

    what's the next step?
    I'm not sure if this would help, but the last batch I did I soaked in white vinegar for about an hour before I put them in my walnut shell brass tumbler, seemed to remove some of the dark oxidization which sped up the tumbling.

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    Sandwich Shooter jasonlujan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    related: i'm also cleaning a 1950 single shot with all metal mechanics. what is Pachitalk's advice on clean bare metal vs. priming the parts, like i've seen on some restoration jobs

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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    Quote Originally Posted by jasonlujan View Post
    hate to necro an old thread but:
    im trying to polish some nails from a really old an abused 1950s machine. i massaged them with brasso then ran overnight in my case tumbler w walnut shells and they are still dirty and cloudy.

    what's the next step?

    To clean and shine the nails, I use Bar Keepers Friend to clean, and Lemi Shine to shine. I no longer use any type of media, just water.

    My tumbler container is about quart size, I fill it about 3/4ths full of water and a teaspoon of Bar Keepers Friend and tumble for 1 hour.

    Empty and rinse.

    To shine them, I use Lemi Shine. Fill the container about 3/4ths full of water and a teaspoon of Lemi Shine and tumble for 8 hours.

    Here's a picture of some I did today.




    20230706_231232.jpg



    barkeepersfriend11_a054d_071618115103_11584_115_863__1.jpglemishine.png
    What if...​the ​HOKEY POKEY, is what it's all about?

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    Sandwich Shooter SibSr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cleaning Brass Nails

    Quote Originally Posted by sparky kilowatt View Post
    I'm not sure if this would help, but the last batch I did I soaked in white vinegar for about an hour before I put them in my walnut shell brass tumbler, seemed to remove some of the dark oxidization which sped up the tumbling.
    I found pre-soaking them in CLR, like the white vinegar, takes the heaviest stuff off and makes tumbling with dry media more effective.

    That said, I think Wayne-Ooo's method sounds like a better and faster way to go. The results sure look good.

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