To Tumble or Not to Tumble

Recently a new chainmailler asked about using a tumbler to clean and polish rings.  A tumbler either spins (rotary) or vibrates with some kind of polishing medium, such as stainless steel shot and a cleaning solution.  I'd had the same question when I started, because some of the metals I use tarnish or patina over time when exposed to the air.  A friend and experienced mailler had recommended to me the inexpensive tumbler above to start with.  It's under $50 and easy to use.  She also recommended washing copper and brass pieces in ketchup, letting them soak for a while and "smooshing" it all around before washing with detergent and rinsing.  Before I was ready to invest in the tumbler, I tried the ketchup bath, and it worked.  So did lemon juice and vinegar.  Tumbling can  produce a "like new" shine, and it's great for "hardening" metal with the rotary action, but most of the time I go for the low-tech option and for touch-ups, a little ketchup bath works fine.

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