WTH did my sonic cleaner do to my blade?

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Originally Posted by Euclid440

Geezer, do you use straight vinegar?
What do you use for the Citrus blend?

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Any vinegar seems to work. Half and half with water cuts faster. White vinegar ( Acetic acid) is faster and less contaminants. That said, wash thoroughly with a detergent (base) which counteracts(neutralizes) the acid.
Any strong cleaner will do. Rinse with plain water very well after that! Water varies in composition of contaminants. so to be really sure, use a distilled water after the rinse. (I don't)

I use freezer storage bags with enough solution in them to put the object in. Then I put that into plain water in the US. That fills it up to the line.Each bag has the same amount of fluid in it. That saves dumping a quart of solution every time one changes product.
Being a trail and error / experience process some things will work better than others for you.
~Richard
PS! Keep all copper items away from a vinegar (acid) solution..after awhile, the copper will flash plate any steel put into the solution..

To further muddy the waters, read the folowing and pay attention to the stuff not telling how to operate their unit. Here is a PDF from RCBS:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...76477589,d.aWw
There are specialized US cleaners with no filler materials. They are usually a strong base as the is real Tri-sodium-phosphate, Not the patented copyrighted TSP. These will leave no acid on any product.
They are used to clean most any metal appliance and some coffee pot cleaners are the real stuff.
Whee, too many possibilities for any rational listing of products.
~Richard

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Originally Posted by WW243

I'm sort of mystified by this post, it looks like the pics are reversed.....I'm looking at a mirror finished blade that before the ultrasonic cleaner was a rusty mess.

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Yes, the use of straight tap water with its chlorine and ph may have caused some of the copper in the brass to plate on to the steel, it just looks like rust.

I have worked with copper-silver ionization systems for water treatment to prevent bacteria. It didn't work well in water used to clean and sterilize instruments because it lead to copper plating on stainless steel. Maybe you have a high copper level in your tap water.