removing pitch, gum etc.. from blades

[mark]

What is the best solvent to use for removing pitch etc... from saw and router blades?

[Teamcasa]

EasyOff Oven cleaner.

[Frank K.]

Oven cleaner works well.

[upand_at_them]

Isopropyl alcohol. It's cheap and should remove anything organic.

Mike

[chayco]

said Easy Off oven cleaner works very well, but there is a concern when using it on a bandsaw and the contact with the wheels. Great for circular saws though. WD40 does work also. I will try alcohol as someone else suggested. I'm still looking for the 'magic bullet'.

...Ken

[Chris Friesen]

Better places that sell blades/bits will also sell cleaners for this purpose. My local shop has it, so does Lee Valley for that matter.

Chris

[Leon]

CMT Formula 20-50 Now sold at Woodcraft. This is actually formulated to clean blades and bits. It cleans almost instantly and leaves a protective film on what you are cleaning. Bio degradable and safe to use.

[Leon]

Stop looking with CMT Formula 20-50. You will be amazed.

[TheNewGuy]

Simple Green. Soak for 10 min. or so in the full-strength, and then use an old toothbrush and swirl over each tooth of the blade while still in the SG. I find it's easiest if you can get a plastic tub large enough to lay the blade flat, and then just enough SG to cover it. Use the toothbrush from one side, then flip the blade and do it from the other. Upside is SG is non-toxic and biodegradable.

[B a r r y]

CMT Blade Cleaner.

I've personally tried Easy Off, washing soda, WD-40, Simple Green, water, kerosene, citrus cleaner, etc...

The CMT stuff really works well.

Barry

[Tom P]

Blood! At least mine does---92 % alchol which might be the the reason for the blood????

[Teamcasa]

Agreed. I too use CMT20/50 but if I can't find it or I run out oven cleaner works good. Dave

[Leon]

With CMT Formula 20-50 which is also non toxic and biodegradable you simply pump the sprayer around the blade. When you have make a complete circle around the blade, immediately start wiping each tooth with a paper towel or old rag. It works that fast.

[TheNewGuy]

Leon, I agree the CMT stuff works well - I have a bottle I use. Got it free (not exactly gloat-worthy, I admit). I don't think it works any better than SimpleGreen, though, in my experience. And SG is much cheaper, and easier to come by, if one shops in brick-n-mortar stores. That's all. -Chris

[Doug Miller]

Washing soda, found in the detergent aisle of your local grocery store. Mix 1 cup in a gallon of warm water, allow the blade to soak for ten minutes, and the gunk will wipe (or even rinse) right off. Cheap, easy, quick, and environmentally benign.

[Leon]

OK, my biggest problem with products like Simple Green is that they contain a lot of water which if not handled properly can cause premature rusting.

[ljaques]

On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:21:16 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, "mark" quickly quoth:

The safest is Simple Green, about $8 per gallon at the Borg. I reuse it several times, storing it in a spare quart jar.

The stinky and most caustic is oven cleaner.

Both work equally well and take about the same length of time so work,

15-30 minutes.

[Oleg Lego]

The mark entity posted thusly:

I bet "Goof Off" would work like a hot darn.

[ljaques]

On Thu, 02 Feb 2006 00:03:49 -0600, with neither quill nor qualm, Oleg Lego quickly quoth:

Simple Green - $8/gal; Goof-Off - ~$50/gal.

Go for it!

[TheNewGuy]

I agree that the water content has to be considered. Surely the CMT stuff has water, though? ... in any event, using either product, I dry it off well, and then spray on and wipe it down w/ WD40. -Chris