Wright's Brass Polish

What I often do with questions like this is to Google the product SDS:

What did the directions say? I'm confident that "polish" will require addition of "elbow grease".

If you're a shortcut kind of guy, have a look at this:

Vinegar or ammonia. There is some discussion by handloaders whether ammonia can cause stress cracking in cartridge cases.

If the brass is dirty along with surface corrosion a little dish washing detergent will help.

Thanks for that MSDS which I didn't look up because all it says on the container is wear gloves and don't get it in your eyes (which would apply to almost everything as well). So I didn't think it contained all that much.

But your PDF says otherwise although the percentages are missing.

The sand "grit" is obvious why it's there and how it works. The "alcohol" is perhaps there as a solvent for greases and soiling.

Then there's the base ((NH4)(OH)) which is a solution of ammonia in water which forms the hydroxy salt of the ammonium ion in water as the ammonia deprotonates some of the water forming an ammonium cation (NH4+) and a Hydroxide ion (OH- ). In solution it's mostly a mixture of water (H2O) and ammonia (NH3) in large quantities while the ammonium and hydroxide ions are found in smaller quantities. This is confusing.

Then there's the oxalic acid (C2H2O4 or (COOH)2 or HOOCCOOH).

Can you?

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm trying to figure out the chemistry of how they work.

I saw a lot of vinegar and even nitric and hydrochloric acid solutions. But nobody says how it works (some said de-zincification).

How does the acid or ammonia clean the brass (which is Copper & Zinc & maybe some Tin)?

What's the chemical reaction going on?

It has been cleaned many times and it's still "tarnished" so I had to look up what tarnish is.

Tarnish is usually a metal oxide, the product of oxidation. Sometimes it is a metal sulfide.

So I guess I have to figure out first what the tarnish is made up of because you can't understand how to remove it if you don't know what it's made out of.

They imply you put it on. Wait a few minutes. Then wash it off. It doesn't work. Even when I add the toothbrush to the chemistry mix. But I want to know how it doesn't work. :-()

Well, maybe it does work. Just not in this case.

So I need to get stronger chemistry. But what?

Most of the references I looked up are not chemical. They are kitchen references. For moms who don't know chemistry. Almost every one says lemon juice & salt but doesn't say why. Many say vinegar and salt and baking soda but again, they don't say why.

I'm trying to figure out the why.

The MSDS from Frank shows that there's an acid and a base. But it's not vinegar and baking soda.

It's Ammonium Hydroxide & Oxalic Acid. The question is how it works?

You don't necessarily need strong chemistry. Get a brass polish with an abrasive in it, and rub.

Do you want to fart around with the chemistry, or do you want shiny brass?

Is Brasso available where you are?

This instance is an intricate mold of a dog in a cigar dish. Rubbing is problematic given the nooks and crannies.

Of course the chemistry is more important than this one single task is. No joke there. Knowing how it works is more important than it working.

If I clean it, I get only one thing done, which is I cleaned it. If I learn how to clean it, I can more easily clean things forever.

It's an investment in brain power. And I can then teach my children. And they theirs. Brain power provides an exponential return on investment.

I've found since I started this thread that the Oxalic Acid is a good reducing agent, stealing sulfur and oxygen from the brass tarnish.

The tarnish is supposedly an oxide or sulfide where the Oxalic Acid is also a good chelating agent, locking metal ions away from other reactants.

But then why the ammonia and alcohol?

Brasso turns out to be the same ingredients but without the Oxalic Acid. That begs the question of what the ammonia and alcohol are doing?

Ammonia dissolves the copper oxide film.

Oxalic acid may solubilize some of the metal salts. It is the main ingredient in Iron Out for cleaning toilet bowls and the like.

Material safety data sheets seldom disclose exact percent of an ingredient unless required by law and as mentioned not all ingredients need be disclosed.

Try some Autosol, Arlen.

As you mentioned, the oxalic acid is a reducing agent, it may be there to try to convert corrosion back into the base metals.

The ammonia may be there to try to convert copper in corrosion into a coordination compound which is easier to remove. (does it turn blue at all? If so, the ammonia is working)

Maybe it needs to be exposed for a longer time? Maybe the dirt is the nooks and crannies is too thick? Go after that with a toothpick maybe?

There is a product called "Iron Out" which contains different reducing agents (sulfamic acid I think), intended to get iron stains out of clothes. It *MAY* work on what you have. Experiment with scrap brass first, then the bottom of your item, and don't blame me if it ruins it. :-)

Very interesting as looking up the SDS again I see you are correct for Iron Out powder and it has a sulfite like odor but also see that Iron Out liquid for removing iron stains has oxalic acid. Liquid lacks the sulfite smell. I have both liquid and power in our laundry room closet.

Like a lot of things, Brasso ain't what it used to be. The original product had those nasty volatile organic compounds that were removed to comply with US law. It used to do a good job of removing quartermaster (lacquer overcoat. Presumably the quartermasters bought brass with a protective coating). I doubt the child safe formulation will touch a clear coat.

Personally I use Frankford Arsenal brass polish in a vibratory tumbler with corn cob media but I doubt what the OP has in mind.

I thought I smelled an Arlen...

Do you understand "reduction" chemical processes?

You said Oxalic Acid is a reducer and it agrees everywhere on the net.

Could it be that your brass item is coated with something like clear laquer?

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