Dirty media, can it be cleaned and re-used?

[Charlotte the flyer]

As per the title, my first batch of tumbling media is now not giving the same results as when it was clean. Do you guys throw it away at this point or can it be washed in something and re-used? I don't know what the media is, it came with the tumbler (Lyman) and looks like tiny rocks, I'm guessing it's some sort of shell.

Thanks

Charlotte.

[25Pdr]

I use a Lyman.

Tear up a sheet of paper kitchen towel and include every time I use it, seems to keep the media fairly clean, use it at least twice a week, seems to last for years.

As media gets older though,takes a bit longer to work, I just let it run overnight in the hut.

[DavidRees]

I tend to dispose of the old media, and replace with fresh, when the cases don't come out clean after 2 hours in the tumbler. The replacement media is not that expensive; a large bottle gives about four or five refills for my tumbler, and that will last me about 18 months or so. Probably wil clean in excess of 20K .357 and .44 cases during that time. For a £15 bottle of media, I consider it good value.

David.

[Dougan]

I use bought corn cob media - I keep an older dirty (gone grey) batch for the worst cases (like sooted ones from my classics)...it gets the worst of the dirt off, and then I put them in a cleaner batch with some polish...seems to work OK and extends the life of the cleaner batch...

...when the grey stuff becomes ineffective, I'll chuck it, use my current batch for the worst and open a new bag for polishing.

[dromia]

Put a good table spoon of white spirit in and run it for a while then add the dryer cloth/kitchen towel and run that. Change the towelling a few time till it comes out less dirty and the media will be cleaner and refreshed.

[snayperskaya]

My first thought when I saw the title was Laminate it!!!.......