Copper wire cleaner

[Paul Craddock]

Can anyone recommend a cleaner to remove the black oxidation on (old) copper wires.  I'm reassembling a '95 S3 and need to re-do a lot of the connectors both crimp and soldered.  The loom, being nearly 30 years old, is showing typical signs of age but the insulation and copper are good. 

[Jonathan Kay]

I'd try a weak acid such as vinegar and abrasion. 

(There are lots of recommendations to use eg sodium bicarbonate to neutralize the acid afterwards but I'd use as little acid as possible, wipe it off and then wipe with isopropyl alcohol.)

Jonathan

[John Vine]

I use Brasso Duraglit on my various pieces of Turkish copperware, so I imagine it would work ok on copper wire. All you need is something acidic that will (gently) dissolve copper oxide.

JV

[Mavic82]

Makes a solution of vinegar and baking soda, leave end dipped in it for 20 mins and hey presto 

alteratively use the black domestos Max toilet cleaner which is also good for getting the tarnish off exhausts prior to polishing 

[Jonathan Kay]

Are there enough dirty ends to do a comparative trial of methods?

Jonathan

[7 wonders of the world]

Dilute sulphuric acid is commonly used after any sort of heat treatment to remove oxidation without harming the copper, we used to scrub in sawdust and wash thoroughly in cold water after wards.

[Paul Craddock]

The only acid I've got readily to hand (apart from vinegar) is descaling acid -Formic acid aka Kilrock.  I'll give that a try and report back.

Paul

[TomB]

Cant you just give the ends a quick rub down with very fine wet & dry paper before crimping?  Just a twist in a piece of pinched paper should clear any oxidation shouldn't it? Or cut the small amount of old exposed wire and restrip a fresh bit?   There is usually some surplus in most of the wiring runs in my experience.

[Paul Craddock]

Yes, that's been my technique so far, but just wondering if there's something better.  And there have been occasions when I worried that I'd run out of surplus!!