A friend says I should ditch the brass for stainless steel, what say you?
Ive been using brass for 25 years see no reason to change.
Same here, I have used stainless for 11 years and have never had an issue. Probably just personal preference on color.
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My father started cleaning windows 43 years ago using brass and we still use brass today.
I used brass for a couple of years and then switched to stainless.
It doesn’t feel lighter in your hand but to me it feels lighter on the glass.
I mainly ditched the brass because of warpage. It seemed like the brass was always warping on me but I haven’t had any problems with stainless. Even when you drop it from the top of a 24 ext ladder…
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I use brass on residential, over the years I have every size possible for a one swipe on panes.
I use stainless on my route, 18" is the biggest I’ll go then it’s a 22" wide body channel.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Mike Radzik
Pro Window Cleaning
Central Massachusetts
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I agree with you Mike. I have always used stainless steel channels. It works for me. I don’t want to try anything else
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I think the idea of switching to stainless steel came from Dangerous Dave and Polzn Bladz. Perhaps I’ll just leave it alone and stay with the brass channels. I thought for sure someone would come up with a compelling reason to switch. I’ve never bent one in over twenty years so for me that isn’t an issue.
I have a few brass channels that are twisted. I like the stainless ones because they dont tarnish like the brass ones I have
How do ya twist a channel?
I really have no idea. Ill see if I can snap a pic later
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[MENTION=5152]wws[/MENTION]
Bar Keepers Friend polishes up the brass channels like new.
[MENTION=441]BostonMike[/MENTION]
Brass works great, the extra weight helps keep the rubber to the glass. Only problem is if you are using it in your hands for 8-10 hours everyday. Carpal Tunnel city. If you got the wrists for it, sling the brass. Me, I already had carpal tunnel as a pre-existing condition before I started cleaning windows.
Aluminum for me. Steccone and Sorbo baby ! 
I definitely agree with the brass warpage factor. It isn’t a problem for the french pane channels - they’re so short that it doesn’t really matter.
But, those longer brass channels are usually a little wavy. I’ve had too many warped longer brass channels.
You can sight the channel just like a sword or gun. Look through it like a telescope - I was amazed how ripply some of the brass ones I had were. No ripples on the stainless or aluminum.
Is the Sorbo same weight as Steccone?
[QUOTE
Aluminum for me. Steccone and Sorbo baby ! :)[/QUOTE]
I’ll look into that. Thanks Jesse, Cape Cod Cleaner
Drop it. Also if you’re careless about storage.
Stainless is cheaper than brass, you should try it out!
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I would lose my mind if I had to clean my tools
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I’ve been using brass squeegees for close to 20 years and the thought of cleaning them has never entered my mind.
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[MENTION=441]BostonMike[/MENTION]
I like to clean all of my equipment periodically. I remember getting comments such as “wow, you keep your equipment so clean and orderly.” when I got a new ladder and as the months went by and the ladders start to get all oxidized, I would stop hearing compliments. So I cleaned them back up and started getting compliments again.
I like to oil my ratchet straps, my extenda leg levelers, clean out my van regularly, even clean & polish up the squeegees if they get oxidised.
When I am at the job site, I open up both rear doors and keep them open as well as the sliding side door. That way, I can easily grab something and I find that often the customers peak inside when walking by. I get comments about how organized my van is and how spiffy my equipment is all the time. I do believe it makes a difference.
One a side note: one time I brought the little giant in for some high interior work. When I accidentally brushed it against a white blanket hanging over a bed, it left a gray mark. Since then, I try to not let the oxidation build up on the ladders. Keep 'em new looking and clean as a whistle. Call me ocd, but it’s the little things that make a difference.
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Oddly enough, I don’t like the lightness of stainless…
I imagine it would be like handing Conan the Barbarian a Light Sabre.
(WOW!- that was a horribly over-exaggerated example) :o
But it just doesn’t feel right…
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