Oops. Can this die be saved...

[DownhillFromHere]

When trying to neck size virgin bagged brass (some necks dinged up), I didn't put any lube on the body of the 6.5CM cases. No resistance... then I noticed longitudinal scratches on cases. Obviously I pushed the cases too far into the FL size die and now there are "lines" of brass solidly adhered to the die wall. While I've been able to chip away a bit of the thicker "line," I need a more efficient method.

My friend & gunsmith recommended strips of 3M abrasive pads wrapped on a cleaning brush, spun with a drill. Amazon will bring the pads - but while waiting, maybe y'all have other ideas / experience.

So - any thoughts (other than "lube your @#$! brass, dimwit") on getting the brass out without trashing the die?

 

[AIAW]

If it scratched the brass all all no matter how far the brass was pushed into the die then there was a problem with the die to begin with. Brass isn't going to damage 60+ Rockwell hardness dies. I can see some major gouging in the die.

You might be able to get it out, but if it was me I'd be buying a new die either way. The chemcials required to disolve brass but leave steel (somewhat) untouched are pretty stout. Strong aqueous ammonia plus somewhat concentrated hydrogen peroxide, and not the store-bought kind.

 

[JayB]

No experience but interesting challenge. I'd imagine the abrasive pad will impact the internal dimension, maybe only very slightly but still. Given that the die body is made from steel, could copper solvent do the trick?

 

[AIAW]

No experience but interesting challenge. I'd imagine the abrasive pad will impact the internal dimension, maybe only very slightly but still. Given that the die body is made from steel, could copper solvent do the trick?

Maybe. The problem is that after all of that you are left with a clean but still scratched die. No chemical is going to fix that gouging in there unfortunately.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

Brass isn't going to damage 60+ Rockwell hardness dies. I can see some major gouging in the die.

To insure clarity - what appears as gouges in the wall of the die are actually "strips" of brass on the wall. As I said, I chipped a bit of one thicker line off. The underlying wall was mirror-smooth. I also wondered if the "strips" were gouges - but a gouge would not leave a fingernail-catching scratch in subsequent cases.

My gunsmith buddy essentially said the same thing as you - the die is really hard, and brass / abresive pads aren't going to hurt it. I'm skeptical that an abrasive approach is going to take out the brass without having some effect on the die, but after 30+ years of friendship and experience, I've learned to pay attention to what he tells me.

 

[Cascade Hemi]

Looks like brass galling, try some Sweets or Butches.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

The chemcials required to disolve brass but leave steel (somewhat) untouched are pretty stout.

I'm wondering about a chemical approach that would loosen the brass so it could be scraped out, as opposed to fully dissolving. I thought about spraying WD40 or some other penetrating oil on it...

 

[Bradv86]

I'd just give it a long soak in copper solvent to try and loosen the brass stuck on the die.

Another way to think about it would be how much is your time worth and what did the die cost ?

 

[ditter]

What about a larger size nylon brush? Or just running some lubed, sacrificial cases in there and see if it takes the brass off the die.

 

[JLP.Payette]

Ship it to the Die manufacturer, most will clean it up for free.

 

[AIAW]

To insure clarity - what appears as gouges in the wall of the die are actually "strips" of brass on the wall. As I said, I chipped a bit of one thicker line off. The underlying wall was mirror-smooth. I also wondered if the "strips" were gouges - but a gouge would not leave a fingernail-catching scratch in subsequent cases.

My gunsmith buddy essentially said the same thing as you - the die is really hard, and brass / abresive pads aren't going to hurt it. I'm skeptical that an abrasive approach is going to take out the brass without having some effect on the die, but after 30+ years of friendship and experience, I've learned to pay attention to what he tells me.

Ahh, ok. The picture is just a bit misleading from that angle I suppose. He's right though, green Scotch-Brite pads aren't going to do much to the die, but might grab onto that soft brass, enough to flake it out.

I'm wondering about a chemical approach that would loosen the brass so it could be scraped out, as opposed to fully dissolving. I thought about spraying WD40 or some other penetrating oil on it...

Nay, don't oil it up. You don't want the oil coating the brass. Like Cascade said, you can try some Sweets on it and see how well it softens the brass up. Have you tried a 45 or 90 degree metal pick as well to see if the brass will scrape out?

Up to you, but keep in mind the time to pull this all off too - It could be advantageous to just grab another die. Is that a Dillon die?

 

[MtnCreek]

0000 steel wool wrapped around a pistol brush chucked in a drill. Use a solvent or something like flitz polish on the steel wool. Clean very well afterwards.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

Nay, don't oil it up. You don't want the oil coating the brass. Like Cascade said, you can try some Sweets on it and see how well it softens the brass up. Have you tried a 45 or 90 degree metal pick as well to see if the brass will scrape out?

Yeah, that's why I backed away from penetrating oil (don't coat the brass). I've never used Sweets... never seen it that I know of. Ahhh, learning (and mistakes) never stop).

I haven't tried a dental pick (yet) but it won't hurt to do so.

It could be advantageous to just grab another die. Is that a Dillon die?

Sigh. I know (advantageous to get another die). It's an RCBS Gold Medal Match bushing die in a Dillon tool head tricked out as described in one of the 6.5 Guys' old articles.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

Listen to your gunsmith buddy.

 

[MtnCreek]

If you get some sweets, be careful using it to clean rifle bores. It's a good solvent, but very strong.

 

[Cascade Hemi]

Yeah, that's why I backed away from penetrating oil (don't coat the brass). I've never used Sweets... never seen it that I know of. Ahhh, learning (and mistakes) never stop).

I haven't tried a dental pick (yet) but it won't hurt to do so.


Sigh. I know (advantageous to get another die). It's an RCBS Gold Medal Match bushing die in a Dillon tool head tricked out as described in one of the 6.5 Guys' old articles.

I've had it happen before. Disassemble the die, put a wet patch with Sweets or Butches in the die, and let it soak for a little while. Take the patch out every little while to check progress and to clean off the chemicals. Don't let it soak for days on end, just a couple of hours at a time. It'll come out.

 

[260284]

I had it happen on a die before. Used a cotton shotgun mop that fit tight with some JB Bore paste and kroil chucked in a drill. Took it out in no time and was back in business.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

The die is back in service. Thanks to advice offered here, I used a cordless drill to spin a .45 pistol brush wrapped with steel wool and wet with Remington 40X bore cleaner, alternated with using a 45-degree dental pick to chip at the brass. It took several iterations, but it got done.

Finally, I used a strip of 2500-grit automotive sandpaper wrapped on a 20-gauge bore mop, spun by the cordless drill, to remove the minor scratches left by the steel wool and picking. The die wall is at least as polished as it was before I tried to save time by not using lube....

Thanks to all who offered help.