Brass brush?

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miket misunderstood rock expert Member since April 2018 Posts: 11,239	Brass brush? May 7, 2018 18:20:32 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by miket on May 7, 2018 18:20:32 GMT -5 Quick question, should I be cleaning agates with a brass brush???
	Too much walking shoes worn thin Too much trippin' and my soul's worn thin _______________________________ Weight of my heart, not the size

drocknut no longer being taken for granite I'd rather be rockhounding Member since December 2008 Posts: 8,179	Brass brush? May 7, 2018 18:57:17 GMT -5 fernwood likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by drocknut on May 7, 2018 18:57:17 GMT -5 I just use a bristle brush like a nail brush. Don't see a need to use a brass brush just for cleaning but that's just my opinion.
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rmf
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Brass brush? May 7, 2018 19:24:17 GMT -5

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Post by rmf on May 7, 2018 19:24:17 GMT -5

I would use anything that works. But why a brass brush? Are you hoping to leave yellow brass streaks on the agate? Agate (Chalcedony and Quartz family) has a Moh's hardness of 7, a steel brush would have a Mohs hardness between 5.5-6 and a brass brush would be a hardness of about 3. It might be faster to clean it in a tumbler or with a sand blaster or possibly acid depending on the type of host rock/coating you are trying to clean off.

miket
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Brass brush? May 8, 2018 8:08:18 GMT -5

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Post by miket on May 8, 2018 8:08:18 GMT -5

I'm mostly trying to clean off the discoloration/weatherization on agates to reveal fairburns. I'm trying iron out in some of them based on some of what I've read here. I don't want to tumble or polish them, they're more collectible in their natural state from what I understand.

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Too much trippin' and my soul's worn thin
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geostrong
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Brass brush? May 8, 2018 8:32:49 GMT -5 grumpybill likes this

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Post by geostrong on May 8, 2018 8:32:49 GMT -5

As rmf said, the brass will leave a brassy sheen on your agate. This could potentially be neat if done correctly, but if you want the agates au naturale I would use a stiff non-metallic brush. I love using old toothbrushes for cleaning rocks. Rocks are like teeth right? They work great. That being said, discoloration can often be under the surface and will require a more physical approach. Good luck!

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Peruano
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Brass brush? May 8, 2018 15:21:41 GMT -5

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Post by Peruano on May 8, 2018 15:21:41 GMT -5

I probably no very little about valuation of Fairburns, but it seems likely that the value of an agate depends on being able to see something of whats inside, Hence many are windowed with one face polished but they are not slabbed or tumbled or polished on all surfaces like some specimens might be. True if the internal structure can be seen with no significant grinding, its a winner, but most agates show a good bit of weathering and that white film is hard stuff to remove without significant grinding and or polishing. Scrubbing an agate can only go so far. Talk to the folks that collect and prepare them.

Tom
Combining bicycles, trailbikes, hiking, and rockhounding as a justification for enjoying the fresh air of New Mexico.

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