tarnish streaks

[BillF/TRF]

I have been out to the range lately trying to establish an accurate load for my new .45 cal York rifle.  when I got home I noticed some tarnish streaking on the muzzle cap, cleaning jag, and  brass inlays.  I have been using diluted Ballistol on cleaning patches between shot groups and think it is the source of the tarnish. I am probably in the minority in worrying about tarnish streaks on the brass--most would say it gives good patina!  My dilemma is that I like the way Ballistol  dissolves BP residue but I don't like the streaking!  I know that I can take some 0000 steel wool and clean it off, but I don't want to wear off the wood finish next to the inlays!  Is there a good (and safe for wood finishes) brass cleaning agent (I have heard brasso gives "halos"?), or a substitute for Ballistol?  Thanks

[canadianml1]

Use Brasso it should have no effect on the wood finish.The PB residue dissolved in the Balistol is probably the culprit.

[TonyM]

Go to an auto parts store and get a can of Flitz polish. It is cotton treated with a tarnish remover. Does wonders on sulfide tarnished brass.
Tony

[wolf]

let it tarnish and build up a nice patina, that is my vote,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[EC121]

Brasso has abrasives in it.  I had a friend who claimed that Brasso used over time  rounded off the engraving on one of his rifles.  If you have to clean it, get some Neverdull.  It is non-abrasive treated cotton.  Probably like the Flitz polish mentioned by TonyM.  It doesn't polish any brighter.  Just cleans off the tarnish back to the original shine.

[Molly]

Ballistol is a great cleaning agent but we use it straight.  I have never seen any discoloration/streaking from using it.  My bet is that it's the water mix (or what ever solution you use to "dilute" it) which picks up residue from the powder that causes the streaks.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Yes, I concur.  It's likely the black powder fouling in solution that is causing the discolouration. 

[Daryl]

It happens. I'd simply leave it. It should even out over time. You cannot stop it from happening, so I would let it run it's course.
The tarnishing has nothing to do with the ballistol. It is due to the BP fouling. Learn to love it or simply ignore as most of us do.

[L. Akers]

If you would like your brass to stay showroom bright try coating it with clear engine enamel.  If you can remove the objects from the gun the job is easier.  Polish the parts to your desired level, degrease them with acetone and spray with the enamel.  Allow to dry per instructions on the can and re-install in the stock.  For those parts not removable from the stock, polish and degrease while mounted in the stock.  Spray an amount of enamel into a small container and apply with an artist's brush.  It's not HC but your brass will stay bright.  I have a rifle I so treated 25 years ago and the brass is still bright.

[Craig Wilcox]

Simichrome also does a great job shining almost any metal, and the little bit that might get on the wood you simply wipe off. You can also use it on your strop to get your chisels and such very, very sharp.

[BillF/TRF]

Thanks for all the comments to my original post.  I have decided to use Nevr-Dull as it has no abrasives and cleans well. With a soft cloth it shines after buffing. I could not find Flitz  which sounds like a similar chem. cleaner.  Brasso and other metal polishes like Simichrome have abrasives that over time might harm the wood next to the inlay.  The only noticeable effect the Nevr-Dull had on the surrounding wood finish was some dulling and that came off as a black soot on a cloth with oil.  The brass cleaning doesn't need to be done after every shooting or even every week or two.  It will still clean-up and if desired, some of the tarnish could be left to accumulate  in crevices like around the wedding bands of the pipes or engraving marks.  That would give a nice patina that many like.

[Daryl]

Flitz, JB Compound or about any polishing compounds/salves have abrasives.
JBcompound is less abrasive than Flitz and about equal to Rem/Clean, another paste abrasive for modern gun barrels.
They will polish brass and silver too, but are less abrasive than Brasso, I think.
The chemicals in liquid non-abrasive polishers might react with the gun's stock finish.

[BillF/TRF]

I recently received a message back from the Nevrdull company:  "No I would not use Nevrdull on the brass inlays. I would be afraid of it ruining the wood".  That makes sense as the can states: "For automotive and marine use only".  So, I must admit I was wrong and Daryl was right.  It looks like I will be watching the brass tarnish.  Hopefully it won't eventually look like my outside door-bell escutcheon that was so black that I didn't even realize it was brass till I did some heavy cleaning. Or, maybe in time it will look like my brass school bell retirement gift that has a nice tarnish/patina after thirteen years.  And if you look at some of the KRA collection of York and Adams County rifles, their brass all have a similar dull, patina look that can still pass for brass.  What did those original colonial brass inlayed rifles look like after being found in a dusty old attic after so many years?  Just wondering.  Thanks, Bill

[Daryl]

A long time shooter 'up here' used to polish his gun's brass, likely with Brasso, most every time he used the rifles or smoothbores.
His brass was always shiny & nothing wrong with the finish on the wood surrounding them.  He was somewhat OCD and would not
have done that if it harmed the wood.  Being quite meticulous, he would have been very careful not to damage the wood while doing
the polishing - all part & parcel of the job at hand.