I have read the threads on saw blade cleaning from some time ago and understand which products can and should not be used for cleaning saw blades, but has anyone tried carburetor cleaner? Would it damage the blade like oven cleaner is purported to do? Any one tried it? I just used some to clean the throttle plate on my car and I thought that it might work for saw blades as well. It says on the can that it removes gum, sludge and varnish so why not pitch, etc. from a saw blade.
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Replies
Hello Nagar1,
I have been using Easy-Off oven cleaner for years. Place saw blade in the sink, coat both sides, wait a few minutes, scrub with an old tooth brush, rinse, dry. That simple, never has a single problem!
Bob, Tupper Lake, NY
i just posted the same question with wood talk online. they reccomended T-9 boeshield, citrus cleaner and simple green. the simple green is non-toxic, smells good and i had some on hand so i tried it. did the same as the previous poster. soaked both sides of blade and in 15 minutes i brushed it and wiped clean. everything came off with ease.
I don't see why you couldn't try the carb cleaner...should be no issues if it's only in contact for a few minutes. I've tried several different cleaning agents and all have worked. Apply to the dirty blade, leave it for 2-3 minutes and hit it with a stiff brush or brass brush, and wipe it down.
In order of preference: LA's Totally Awesome, 409, Goo Gone, Simple Green, Dawn/water, Boeshield blade cleaner, oven cleaner (messiest), WD-40
Lye is what you're thinking of -- as in lye-based oven cleaners. People have used it for a long time (since before carbide-tipped blades), but not a good idea per our Charles from Freud.
The easiest thing in the world is to keep a can or bottle of Simple Green in your shop, along with a pizza pan. I use the BBQ spray version of SG, but the liquid would work fine. Spray the blade, flop it in the pan. Spray the other side. In 10 minutes, come back with a stiff toothbrush and brush away. It'll be clean before you can say "Wow! That was cool." No gloves, no kerosene or carb cleaner yuckiness. Wash it down the drain and you're done.
The added benefit to it being that easy is that you'll probably clean your blades more often. There's no reason blade cleaning should take an overnight soaking.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Hello forestgirl,
While I will admit, the mention of lye congers visions of removing skin from bones, I really don't see the harm in using it for cleaning organic gunk from any saw blade. I would'nt recommend leaving it on the blade for extended periods of time. It really begins breaking down the wood residue quite quickly. A total of about three to five minutes is all it takes, including scrubbing and rinsing. Like I said, I have used it on my Freud, Delta, Forrest, or what ever blades, for years, without any noticeable ill effects.
Bob, Tupper Lake, NY
the argument is not that oven cleaner won't work. But when I saw that the Simple Green stuff was being sold at HD, I remembered FG's recommendation, bought a bottle, tried it, and found it works very well, and is pleasant to use. I for one, was happy to put aside the oven cleaner, which is nasty stuff, and some who know (Charles, the Freud guy)say it's not the greatest thing to use on your blades anyway.********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
Edited 4/9/2007 12:54 am by nikkiwood
I simply can't see any reason to use something that's caustic to my skin, at the very least, when something like Simple Green works so well. Yes, the chances of oven cleaner harming a blade is somewhat thin, especially if you don't leave it on very long, but I trust Charles when he gives us very specific information about how it can act on the binders between the carbide and the blade and cause problems. See this post.
Using Simple Green, I don't have to wear gloves, don't have to worry about splashing it in my eyes, and have no concerns about running it down the drain (septic system). And, I use it for lots of stuff around the house. You won't find me cleaning an oven very often, ROFL!!!
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Edited 4/9/2007 1:20 am by forestgirl
forestgirl,
I've been using it since your first post about it, at least the first post about Simple Green that I saw. I believe that was nearly a year ago. Also the findings of FWW and that other mag...........
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Wish I could remember who I heard the idea from, and give them due credit LOL!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
forestgirl,
I stumbled on SG several years ago when cleaning off the brake dust/road grudge on alloy wheels of one of our vehicles. I had purchased some rather expensive wheel cleaner at an auto store. It didn't even make a dent in it!
While cursing up a storm, the wife went into the house and got her SG, came out and squirted the wheels, waited for 5 minutes then sprayed them down w/the hose. CLEAN!
That's when I went in and got a beer!
Next day in the shop I noticed my TS blade was getting gummed up reeeaaallllyy bad, so HUH, why not give SG a try! With a little brushing, CLEAN! Several years later I joined Knots and sometime later saw your post about it.
FWW spoke highly of it in a past issue abouyt sawblades (#154 I think).
Great stuff,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 4/9/2007 12:26 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
I cut a paper outline of a saw blade, and took it to the store where I bought a plastic container with sealing lid that would let my paper blade lay flat in the bottom. I put about a 1/4" of non-toxic blade cleaner (will switch to Simple Green when the cleaner runs out) in the container. When I do a blade change, the blade coming off the saw goes into the container, and the lid goes on. Later, I open the container, run an old tooth brush around the blade's perimeter, and wipe the blade down. No muss, no fuss, no scrubbing, and the blades don't get to start building a good pitch base.
On occasion I'll strain the cleaner to remove the crud. Evaporation of the cleaner is nil, and the smell is minimized.
forestgirl,
I agree with you completel about Si,ple Green. Biologically friendly, smells nice and best of all, IT WORKS! Ut also got very hight marks from FWW a while back.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
I live in the United Kingdom .Can you please tell me if it is a particular product from the simple green range or do you know what the active ingredient is in the product
regards Charnwood
Not meaning to barge in here, but it is the off the shelf type. Don't know what the active ingredient is. I use it all the time and it works very well.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
I use SG too. I also use a plastic potted plant tray to clean it in. You know the ones that are used to catch any water that drains out when you water the plant. It has ridges in it so the blade doesn't lay flat and you can stick your finger in the hole easily enough so you can pick it up and turn it over. I found mine in my wife's potting area in the basement but I'm sure you can get one anywhere.
The simple green website lists a UK distributor:
ECS/Simple Green UK Despatch Centre Harmony RoadRocheGB-St. Austell PL26 8ESUnited Kingdom
Phone: 0044 1726 891199Fax: 0044 1726 891187Mobile: 0044 7773 069177Contact: Paul Munro/ [email protected]
Many thanks for your reply I have emailed the company for further information
Kind regards charnwood
If you have 409 or some other general household cleaner (Maybe even "Mr. Clean") you could give that a try. Or, look on the store shelves for any "green" degreaser.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
FGLast night I said to myself, "hmm, I'll need to clean the saw blade and how best to accomplish this".Lo and behold, I fire up Knots this morning and the very first thread is saw blade cleaning!Thanks for the Simple Green info.FG + SG = FSRegards,HastingsFS = Fine Saws
I used to be an oven cleaner fan, worked great and quick ! BUT, have since gone "Green", Simple green that is, No more toxic's for me. Another Forestgirl convert.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
for years I have had success with the "greenest of the green" Hot Water. I put the blade in very hot water and clean with an old tooth brush.
Nagar,
Personally I use the method that what many professional blade sharpeners do, I use a light duty brass wire wheel on my "6 grinder. I go slow enough so I don't generate any heat so the blades won't warp.
Sincerely,
Jim at Clark Customs
Baking soda mixed with hot water loosens the pitch on a blade in seconds; and an old tooth brush and very little elbow grease finishes the job.
I’ll second the baking soda, it is all I have used for the past 20 years and works like a charm. Also easy to dispose of, right down the sink.
Hi Napie,
I use Simple Green too but am going to give baking soda a try. Sounds like they both work quite well with the economic edge going to baking soda?
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 4/16/2007 7:07 am ET by KiddervilleAcres
Baking soda works great, the pitch just blows off the steel. The wife never misses the couple tablespoons that come out of the box in the fridge.
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