Using NaOH to clean brass?

[ILC]

I usually use some dish soap in the wet tumbler but remebered that I have some dry sodium hydroxide for making soap. Would lye work better or just corrode the brass?

 

[NikA]

Pretty sure sodium hydroxide will preferentially attack the zinc and make the brass useless in the long run. I use citric acid when I want something stronger than plain detergent.

 

[ILC]

Yeah that's what I was worried about. Guess I'll just tumble it extra long as I dont have any citric acid around.

Thanks for the information.

 

[contender]

LemiShine,, found in the laundry section at wally world is your friend.

 

[Mobuck]

I know that sparkly, shiny brass looks nice in the loading tray but I want to point out that it doesn't make the ammo shoot any better than just clean and dry brass.

 

[ILC]

I'll look for some Lemishine nest time I'm there.

Mobuck, you're correct on all of that. I just like my brass to look like a box of treasure I like shiny things

 

[contender]

Bright & shiny is fine. But I like to put clean brass through my dies,, instead of dirty brass. LemiShine isn't necessary,, but it does give it a shine.
At least you are cleaning the brass, even if only using soap.

 

[ILC]

Well, soap and the steel pins. Just wondering if there was something that would clean faster. A friend just gave me about 2000 shells and the tumbler only holds about 200 at a time

 

[contender]

I usually run my Thumbler's Tumbler for about an hour, using water, SS pins, and a little LemiShine. I rinse well, and dry. Nice & shiny clean.

 

[ILC]

You weren't kidding about that LemiShine. Cleaned them better in half the time than soap. Thanks for the suggestion

 

[contender]

No problem. Glad to help.