clad cleaning....

[robo]

Does anyone get this red patina on their clad silver after cleaning? If so how do you remove it.
Ok. I use my tumbler aquarium gravel,soap etc...No copper mixed.
Tumbled a LOT of clad over the years and they always have that red patina left after cleaning.
It can be wiped off but it takes elbow grease and who wants to do that.

 

[GeorgeinSC]

I add just a dash of dish detergent to the mix and tumble the clad till it comes clean. Some times I find some coins that will not lose the stain but the vast majority of mine come clean after a few hours of tumbling. You might be filling the tumbler too full.

 

[BH_Landstar_]

Fish tank gravel, sand, water (hot), dish detergent.

Place $10.00 worth in change in the drum after you have added the following, half of an egg cup of fine sand, and a handful of small gravel / sharp stones (small stones with sharp edges), add a small amount of hot water, just enough to cover the gravel and sand, then add the coins and the detergent, tumble for 4 - 8 hours, coins will come out clean.

The trick is not to add too much water. You need to balance it out so that the gravel and sand act like fine sandpaper.

 

[sprchng]

Try a little "Washing soda" but wear gloves as it's a little more caustic.
I use crusher fines as a media and a touch of lemon juice. Change the water a time or two helps also.
I usually have to tumble 5 or 6 hours to get much luster back on the silver clad

 

[Tom Slick]

The red is from the small amount of copper that leeches out from around the edge from the copper center as the coins are being tumbled.

 

[mudpuppy]

Out of all the clad I tumble, theres always a few that appear such as those..no amount of work will make them shine up to a over the counter spend..some red ones like yours even the coinstar wont take, but most vending machines will...you can put them in and hit the coin return button and fresh shiny clad will be refunded..
Mud.

 

[Overvoltage]

I don't clean anymore than washing the dirt off in my shop sink. I roll the coins and take them to the teller at the counter and she gives me green for it.

 

[jim tn]

I give my clad about a 20 minute tumble, usually with a shot of detergent, just enough to get the dirt off, roll them and take them to my bank for $$$$. I just have never found the right mixture to make clad shinny without tumbling for hours on end. HH jim tn

 

[daddyflea]

I am a Rifle Reloader and the newest thing out there right now is Stainless Steel Media. It is a little pricey but it never wears out. Just put in some media, fill with water, then give it a good shot of Dawn liquid Dishwashing soap. All my clad comes out like new. You have to separate pennies but other than zincs which will come out in pieces with holes in them, everything looks really good. Use Hardware cloth to separate the media.