Bad brass?

[Provincial]

A simple comparison test of hardness can be done with an Automatic Center Punch. These are spring-loaded, pointed punches with a sear mechanism that released the spring driven striker at precisely the same time as you push down on the heel of the punch. Quality units like Sterritt repeat the striking force with incredible uniformity. By comparing the size of the impact crater on your test piece with one made on a sample of known hardness, you can tell if there is any great difference. This is essentially what a laboratory hardness tester does, but the lab unit does it with much greater precision, and more importantly, calibration to known standards. In your case, you just need to know if your brass is much softer than normal.

Comparing a punch mark on several of your questionable cases with one on a known good case will tell you clearly if the brass was annealed.

 

[SPU]

....Quality units like Sterritt repeat the striking force with incredible uniformity. By comparing the size of the impact crater on your test piece with one made on a sample of known hardness, you can tell if there is any great difference. <<snip>>
Comparing a punch mark on several of your questionable cases with one on a known good case will tell you clearly if the brass was annealed.

A quick look prices them @$50 for quality ones. If I could borrow one locally perhaps, but even with this procedure, all it takes is one piece of bass in a hot spot to make it softer than my "punched" average to make it dangerous. Given the cost and effort, I think for me this is not a way to go. But maybe the next person with this issue. Thanks.

 

[Mark W.]

Sounds like the problem has been solved but I'll add my two cents on washing and drying brass.

I use teaspoon of Zip a commercial citrus degreaser and a drop or two of dish soap with about 30-40 pieces of brass in a Tupperware container with enough water to cover the brass when I start. I agitate violently for about a min then I run multiple rinses using hot tap water until no suds remain.

The brass is then placed base down on a 1/8th" thick sheet of aluminum (about 6 x 12") I can get a couple hundred rifle cases on the sht this way. The sheet is then placed on top of our Pellet stove (in an area I can place my hand on for 30 sec or more without burning) And allowed to dry for maybe a couple hours. If the Pellet stove is not running I use the kitchen oven set at 175 degrees (fancy new oven checked with a pyrometer to be accurate) for about an hour and then allowed to finish drying at room temp.

I have never had a problem with this method.

During my knifemaking days I used to warm knife sheaths up this same way (only took 20 min to heat) before dipping or brushing on the special wax mixture I used to protect and waterproof the leather.