I have 0000 steel but some say copper or bronze is better. Than others say the new chore boys copper pads are only copper plated. Where do I get genuine copper or bronze wool, and what grade should I get?

I have purchased my Bronze, Copper and Brass wool at the hardware store

Buy the finest grade that they have in stock

ACE Hardware carries it.

Fully copper? Not copper plated?

Yes why would I use copper plated in my barrels?

and who told you that about chore boy? don't listen to everything you hear

Chore Boy(R) Ultimate Copper Scrubbers | Pure Copper Scouring Pads

Chore Boy brand is fine! If you have any question use a magnet (you know, off your refrigerator). There are cheaper copper colored scrub pads that are steel. They do react to a magnet.

You might also want to consider bronze wool. As you can tell from the package, it is available at boating stores (and probably at hardware stores). It comes in 3 grades - fine, medium, and coarse. I've used the fine grade shown in the picture for removing rust from bluing as well as polishing (it's probably about the same as 000 or 0000 steel wool). About $7 for a package of 3 good-sized pads as I recall. Although it is cut off at the top, I believe the manufacturer is Rhoades American

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Paint stores carry it.

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Accuracy supercedes Speed

Plenty available on ebay! Get the Fine which in Bronze Wool is 000

Only about half of Ace Hardware stores have bronze wool on the shelf but those that do not have it on hand can get it if you ask. An even lower percentage of boating stores have it. Usually stores that carter to water skiers and fishermen do not have it but yachting suppliers near large marinas do. It's used refinishing wood on yachts because strands of steel wool in varnish will rust some times creating rust streaks. Brownells has bronze wool but their shipping charges are too high for a single bag.

Bronze wool is great for cleaning stainless steel guns. You can rub them till the cows come home without changing the appearance of the factory finish. Original sanding or polishing marks are important for collector value.

As I have posted many many times here on this Forum before, I sometimes still use 0000 Steel Wool on guns. Unfortunately Bronze and Copper wools are just not available in 0000 extra fine and sometimes that's exactly what ya need! When I can I do use either Copper and or Bronze but when I do use the Steel I just thoroughly wipe it off - no problemo!

There are people who post that Steel Wool will cause rust again if not removed completely and while that may be true, it is a very simple thing to wipe down the area a few times and insure there are no steel fibers left after you are done. In over 45 years of doing this I've never had rusting on a gun from neglect to remove the steel wool residue.

So while in "theory" steel may cause rusting - in practicality I've never had any issues. If you do use Steel, just wipe it a few times with a thin Oil and make sure all fibers are gone. I suppose bronze is the safe way to go as long as it is fine enough for your application. Just WISh they had Bronze or Copper in 0000!

ACE Hardware carries it. It was in the paint section of my local ACE.

Edit: These guys have $5000 headsets; they should be able to find Bronze Wool. Ask. M

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Mike Maher #283

Amazon sells it!

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So long ... Ken

Chief38,
Since your reply follows mine and I am the only one who wrote steel wool strands left on the work surface might rust, reread what I wrote. I specifically wrote that could be a problem revarnishing the wood on boats. There is a bigger chance metal wool fragments will be left in wood and I assume you do not try to moor your guns on salt water. I used steel wool on my sail boat's bright work and never noticed rusted strands in the varnish. However, bronze wool is sold to yachtsmen as a precaution. No one wrote steel wool strands will stick in the surface of your gun and start rust.

I have read that on this forum though.That if you use steel wool on stainless it can do the same thing, leave fragments. And if not completely cleaned off or oiled ( it is stainless after all ) that they can cause issue.

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1st smiles,lies.Last,gunfire.

You can get pure copper Chore Boy from Amazon. That is where I got mine. It was less than $5

I found it more convenient to buy Chore Boy pads locally. They are common in mimi-marts and grocery stores. The trouble was the clerks sold them to me with scowling faces. Eventually I learned that was because copper wool is used by junkies. They put a tuft of copper wool in the bottom of their pipe to enhance the high from methamphetamine. Telling clerks I use Chore Boy to clean guns made them a lot more friendly.

Compared to bronze wool the strands in Chore Boy pads are harder, stiffer and have sharper edges. Chore Boy more aggressively removes rust and blueing. A tuft of Chore Boy wrapped around a jag or bore brush cleans lead out of a barrel as fast as any other method. However, bronze wool and solvent are all that's needed to clean the doughnut shaped powder burns off the front of stainless steel cylinders.

I learn something new every day.

The wire is used to distribute the melted crack/meth and which burns off the wool to inhale, not to enhance the effect. Both have been a problem here in Florida my entire adult life; I have seen crack heads buying it in convenience stores, who carry it just for the addicts.

I too use the Chore Boy from Amazon, not for pipes though! I does a fairly good job getting lead deposits out of the barrel, never tried smoking it! Nothing surprises me anymore.

I found some bronze wool on eBay.


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RudyN
NRA Patron Life Member

I learned about Chore Boy by reading Grant Cunningham's book on revolvers. That's more than good enough to convince me.

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Smith. And Wesson. And Me!

That being the case, why dosn't less expensive and easier to find steel wool work just as well?

For most of us the really dangerous temptations for sale along the streets are French fries, potato chips and ice cream.

I'm not sure; it has to do with toxins released at high temps I think.

I just did a google search and the nearest thing to an answer I could find easily was from wikipedia, under the Chore Boy entry,

And I do love French fries!