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Any ideas of what i can use to strip away the brass finish on MoY wheels etc.Thought I would start with something mild so tried soaking in vinegar for days but all it does is clean them and makes them like new again. I want to remove the brass so they are down to bare metal.

I think nail paint remover.
Your wife may have it so you can try.

marcel

I imagine something stronger like Caustic Soda may do it but please be aware of the safety issues with using stuff like that.

Ghosthunter.

I've never tried it before on brass plating but perhaps caustic soda as Ghosty suggested, or maybe give some oven-cleaner and wire wool or a mini wire brush a try. Whatever you do, it's always safety first.

Mick, drop Ray a note on MOYBOYZ. He should have some advice.

If it's plating, then I would have thought you would have to remove it either electrolytically (i.e. unplate it) or mechanically.

Thick Bleach.
Throw them in and be amazed how that stuff disappears within seconds.
Also works well for removing "chrome" plating.

Diecastmolester wrote:Thick Bleach.
Throw them in and be amazed how that stuff disappears within seconds.
Also works well for removing "chrome" plating.

I'd love to know the chemistry of that!

The bleach is caustic. It eats away the only a few molecules thick layer.

Diecastmolester wrote:The bleach is caustic. It eats away the only a few molecules thick layer.

Hmmm...brass is zinc and copper. Looking on the Internet, mazak/zamak appears to be mainly zinc, plus aluminium, and copper (and some sources say it also contains magnesium, hence the 'm' in the name.)
I don't see why the bleach (NaOCl) should stop at the brass, especially since zinc (the main component of mazac/zamac) reacts with alkalis.