Coarse vs Fine Walnut for cleaning media

[martyd]

Hi,
I recently started using Fine Walnut media to clean brass.
Has anyone tried and compared Coarse with Fine Walnut as to how fast or how well they clean compared to each other.
Especially with well oxidized cases.
Thanks,
Marty

 

[knockonit]

i started out with walnut, not sure if it was fine or coarse, but ended up with corn cob, seems to me it works much better, pending condition of cases, one must be aware of primer pockets, i used some crap one time that filled so many primer pockets and got stuck, i was poking them suckers for hours, until i offered the grandkids a nickel each to getr done. lol
good luck, cleaning brass is and can be a huge learning curve, your milelage will vary per comments.
Rj

 

[Flash]

I use a 50/50 mix of coarse walnut and corncob. Walnut cleans the cases and corncob polishes them.

 

[Remow2112]

I am with Flash. I use a mix.

 

[Manitu]

Walnuts and jewlers' rouge grated to a powder does a good job.

 

[Flash]

Walnuts and jewlers' rouge grated to a powder does a good job.

Yep, I throw a little jewelers' rouge in as well as a capful of NuFinish

 

[needsmostuff]

I use a somewhat fine screen to separate after cleaning. So the walnut also has to be somewhat fine.
I do it before depriming and avoid stuff stuck in pockets.
For a while I was on a kick of using bulk white rice from the grocery store. I remember it as doing a nice job.

 

[Old Jeff H]

When I was still using my vibratories for final cleaning, it was the same as Flash. 50/50 fine walnut and corncob and a capful of NuFinish.

I just straight corncob now and it's only for a preclean of really dirty brass, or to remove lanolin lube.

 

[martyd]

I would like to thank all of you for replying to my question regarding the grit of walnut to use.

I have some very dirty, oxidized, brass and want to clean it really well.
The fine walnut works fairly well but I want the brass to be cleaned better.
I have not deprimed my brass for cleaning but this is all going to change quickly, like right now.
I am going to size, deprime my brass then clean it.
I have also invested in a Wet Brass cleaning unit and will use stainless steel needles for cleaning.
If additional polishing is needed I will use corncob.

Thanks again for your reply's and support,
Marty

 

[Flash]

I would like to thank all of you for replying to my question regarding the grit of walnut to use.

I have some very dirty, oxidized, brass and want to clean it really well.
The fine walnut works fairly well but I want the brass to be cleaned better.
I have not deprimed my brass for cleaning but this is all going to change quickly, like right now.
I am going to size, deprime my brass then clean it.
I have also invested in a Wet Brass cleaning unit and will use stainless steel needles for cleaning.
If additional polishing is needed I will use corncob.

Thanks again for your reply's and support,
Marty

I'm curious. Why would you want to deprime your brass for cleaning?

 

[Old Jeff H]

I would like to thank all of you for replying to my question regarding the grit of walnut to use.

I have some very dirty, oxidized, brass and want to clean it really well.
The fine walnut works fairly well but I want the brass to be cleaned better.
I have not deprimed my brass for cleaning but this is all going to change quickly, like right now.
I am going to size, deprime my brass then clean it.
I have also invested in a Wet Brass cleaning unit and will use stainless steel needles for cleaning.
If additional polishing is needed I will use corncob.

Thanks again for your reply's and support,
Marty

Wet tumbling will get it as clean and bright as it's going to get. Removing the primers before wet tumbling is important because it prevents corrosion between the primer and the pocket, and also allow the pockets to get cleaned as well.

If your brass is really dirty, I'd advise running it through the vibratory for 30-60 minutes prior to decapping so you don't make a mess all over your press.

 

[martyd]

Good idea with vibrating before depriving!
Thanks, Marty

 

[Joelafives]

I use walnut fine - get it in 25lb from amazon (lizard litter) and use nufinish. Quite happy with results

 

[samnev]

I use Lizzard Litter and a capful of both Nu Finish and mineral spirits. Used both walnut and corn cob before but Lizzad Litter seems to work best for me.

 

[martyd]

Harbor Freight carries both Fine & Coarse Walnut Shells, usually both in stock at the store.
25 pound box = $24.99

 

[Dogslayer]

I use a Thumler's Tumbler with Stainless Steel pin media. The cases come out looking like Gold.

 

[Flash]

So only those who do wet cleaning take pride in our hobby?

 

[High Standard]

I use an ultrasonic cleaner and a dry vibratory tumbler. I use walnut shells which I think is medium in size. It might be considered coarse. If it is fine it gets stuck in the primer pockets where the medium to coarse does not.

 

[QuietM4]

I use a Thumler's Tumbler with Stainless Steel pin media. The cases come out looking like Gold.

Big fan of wet tumble.

I've been using the Harbor Freight rotary tumbler with a dash of Lemishine and Dawn dish soap in hot water, stainless steel media, tumble for 45 minutes.

I was using 1lb of the 0.047" stainless steel pins, but I recently switched to some 1/8" diagonal cut jeweler's shot...falls out of the empty cases easier for cleanup. Brass comes out looking the same as the pins...more shinny than brand new brass!

I prefer the stainless steel media with a wet tumble for a few reasons; no dust, quieter, easy cleanup, media doesn't need replacement, and it's inexpensive. I may not be able to do as much brass per load, but I don't reload in huge quantities anyway.