cleaning Lee sizer/decapping die

[natomasboy]

Hi all -

How do I clean my dies? In particular the Lee decapping/sizing die in 10mm/40SW?

The reason I say this is when I resize I notice a stain being placed in my polished brass. It looks like some grease or residue from an unclean case is spreading throughout the die.

What's the best way to clean the die?

Thanks

[AEC1]

Qtip and a solvent (hopes, brake cleaner, carb cleaner, rubbing alch...)works great,

[natomasboy]

I suppose my question will eventual lead to "how do I clean my expander die?" it looks pretty narrow and I'm not sure if all I need to do is let it soak or is there something I can stick in there to get any gunk out?

[ar15barrels]

Brake cleaner.
Compressed air.

[powaybob]

Here is a link to a video on the Hornady sight about initial preparation of dies. The same applies to cleaning them.

http://www.hornady.com/assets/media/reloading_instructions/Instruc-6_Dies.html

Of course your dies will not be assembled quite the same, but the idea is to take them apart, apply the cleaner (lots of good suggestions in previous posts), wipe them off, let them dry, and reassemble them. This gives you the most thorough cleaning. As has been pointed out you can use Q-tips or something similar for less major cleaning.

[Bug Splat]

If q-tip isn't cutting it I bust out the dremal and a small polish wheel. This does a great job of really getting off some of the caked on stained build up. Since I really started cleaning my brass very well in the tumbler I have not had to do this in many years.

[natomasboy]

I managed to clean some gunk with q-tip and rubbing alcohol so that helped. I decapped about 400 rounds before doing so.

I've recently been tumbling brass but when I get the brass from the tumbler is there another step of cleaning I need to do? The brass seems to have some "micro-dust" (from the crushed walnut) on it that gives it a bit of a slippery feel.

[ar15barrels]

I've recently been tumbling brass but when I get the brass from the tumbler is there another step of cleaning I need to do? The brass seems to have some "micro-dust" (from the crushed walnut) on it that gives it a bit of a slippery feel.

You want that dust.
It acts as a dry lube.