Cleaned my TRUE Copper after 17 years.

[Sojuuk]

It has lived in many computers, was actually in my main build until I switched to a tower 300 case in 2024, but I noticed it was looking a little raggedy. Since it mostly is a desk ornament now I decided it needed to be shiny again. I bought a couple gallons of white vinegar to give it a few baths and wanted to share my results because I think they are really impressive.

First 3 images are the before pictures and you can see how much filth had built up and deadened the shine.

 

[travm]

Nice!

 

[daglesj]

Double nice!

 

[FrgMstr]

Triple nice!

 

[pendragon1]

 

[mnewxcv]

I miss copper before the nickel plating.

 

[travm]

I miss copper before the nickel plating.

You're literally looking at the reason for nickel plating.

Copper isn't very reactive, but it's more so than nickel plating. It gets all grungy looking with time

 

[Sojuuk]

You're literally looking at the reason for nickel plating.

Copper isn't very reactive, but it's more so than nickel plating. It gets all grungy looking with time

Yes but that .5% performance loss was unacceptable!

 

[cpufrost]

You can drop it in an ultrasonic cleaner with 10% acetic acid and it will be bright as new.
Anyone remember the Kanie Hedgehog? That was a pure copper square pin heatsink for socket-A. Same thing.

I have some other OEM pure coppers that came with Supermicro servers. Super heavy, dense those were.

When they started getting larger, it was time to bolt them through. Swiftech made a super thick copper plate although the pins were aluminum. That one performed quite well and if you had a bad temper tantrum losing a match in Rogue Spear and tossed your box out a second story window your 1.4GHz air stable socket-a AXIA thunderbird would survive!

 

[Enigma]

You can drop it in an ultrasonic cleaner with 10% acetic acid and it will be bright as new.
Anyone remember the Kanie Hedgehog? That was a pure copper square pin heatsink for socket-A. Same thing.

I have some other OEM pure coppers that came with Supermicro servers. Super heavy, dense those were.

When they started getting larger, it was time to bolt them through. Swiftech made a super thick copper plate although the pins were aluminum. That one performed quite well and if you had a bad temper tantrum losing a match in Rogue Spear and tossed your box out a second story window your 1.4GHz air stable socket-a AXIA thunderbird would survive!

Now that is a throw back, how about the alpha coolers for the slot A? I used to use ketchup, and brasso to clean the copper plate on that monster. I still have my alpha and my old goldfinger device.... I need to see what they are going for on fleabay.

I also owned a Kanie Hedgehog-476M That heatsink was a pain to keep clean.

 

[cpufrost]

Now that is a throw back, how about the alpha coolers for the slot A? I used to use ketchup, and brasso to clean the copper plate on that monster. I still have my alpha and my old goldfinger device.... I need to see what they are going for on fleabay.

I also owned a Kanie Hedgehog-476M That heatsink was a pain to keep clean.

Yeah the hedgehog was machined out a solid piece of copper. Looked pretty when new and after a few months the luster was gone. After a few years it's the color of a turd!

I liked the Alpha pin socket 370, socket A and the finned slot1/a coolers too. Don't miss the scream of the Delta 40mm fans that everyone strapped to them though!

 

[Ihaveworms]

I still have my TRUE (not copper) as well.

 

[freeagentt]

Me too, circa 2007. I ran it with 2x 120x38 Panaflo's. I have the new Black one as well.. had it for a couple of years, only used it for about 2 hours lol.. if that.

 

[Red Falcon]

You're literally looking at the reason for nickel plating.

Copper isn't very reactive, but it's more so than nickel plating. It gets all grungy looking with time

Pretty much, but we still like the copper look of copper!

 

[KonaKona040]

Now to find someone with a machine shop to make a secufirm II mount adapter for it.

 

[Haswellbeast]

Does anyone know if this method works on the nickel coating? My NH-U12s looks pretty grimy on the top from too much skin oils and age.

 

[travm]

hot soap and water i think for nickel. Maybe vinegar, I'd ask the broader interwebs.
Although regardless, vinegar shouldn't hurt it. Also not a chemist. I lit a bunson burner once and no one died.