Tumbling shotgun head-stamps

I just use one of those stainless steel pot and pan scubbies to clean the corrosion and dirt off so that I can make out the writing. I just scrub in a circular motion under running water. They end up looking like this:
 

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I just use one of those stainless steel pot and pan scubbies to clean the corrosion and dirt off so that I can make out the writing. I just scrub in a circular motion under running water. They end up looking like this:

Nice looking head stamps, but I have over 100 of them..looking for an easier way.
 
I tumble mine with pennies as I find them, they come out pretty nice.

Should we dig out any residual paper that still maybe inside the brass?

I may clean up some of my older head stamps.

I wonder who has the oldest?

Those all brass (reloadable) shells still elude my finds.
 
I never worry about the paper. If they are pretty thin they can sometimes break apart in the tumbler but it's a headstamp, not a silver coin so no big deal. I've also tried adding a spash of CLR to the tumbler and they clean up really nice that way. I'm the the process of building an office in my basement and was thinking of imbedding them in the desktop (nothing fancy, just some pine boards, drilled and put in flush and maybe put some sort of clear coat over it) Thought it may add a neat touch to it and I probably have a few hundred of them.
 
I never worry about the paper. If they are pretty thin they can sometimes break apart in the tumbler but it's a headstamp, not a silver coin so no big deal. I've also tried adding a spash of CLR to the tumbler and they clean up really nice that way. I'm the the process of building an office in my basement and was thinking of imbedding them in the desktop (nothing fancy, just some pine boards, drilled and put in flush and maybe put some sort of clear coat over it) Thought it may add a neat touch to it and I probably have a few hundred of them.

I was in a diner in Hill City, SD and the tables had head stamps, old coins, tokens, badges, and other old western related items imbedded in them with a thick clearcoat over the top. Looked amazing!!
 
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