Tarnished stainless steel shot for tumblers

Hello group!

Does anyone know of a way to clean stainless steel shot that has
become tarnished and goes rusty every week. One of my students put
something into it and now it goes rusty between each weeks classes.

I’m soaking it now in Baking Powder. It foams up nicely and does
take some of the discoloration off.

Any better ideas? On my schools budget, I may not be able to buy
more shot.

Fingers crossed one of you may have an idea.

Thanks
DL McD

Try oxalic acid. But you just might have to replace it.

John

I use kitchen sink cleanser and water. Use a magnet and find the
source of the rust. Sometimes something gets in the shot and
contaminates the stainless steel.

If it is rusting then it is not stainless shot. My steel shot was
jsut that, steel. I used to leave it in the barelling soap as it has
a rust inhibitor.

Nick Royall

Citric acid will remove the surface iron from the shot and passivate
it. First thoroughly wash the shot and the tumbler to remove
whatever junk is in the solution and throw the solution out. Then
just run the shot in a citric acid solution for an hour or two. It
should do the trick.

1 Like

What if you tumble it with something abrasive like sand. Then rinse
it in a bucket. Just a thought. Stainless shouldnt really rust. Might
be just surface stuff.

If it is rusting then it is not stainless shot. 

Stainless is rust resistant not rust proof. There are several things
that will cause it to rust.