Cleaning blades & bits

Is there a consensus on which product works best for cleaning saw blades and router bits? Any recommendations?
Max

I use a product from CMT called Formula 2050, about $12 for 18oz spray bottle. Work really well, and non-toxic.
You could also use oven cleaner.
-nick
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CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE
For the best performance, keep your Infinity Drawer Lock Joint Bit clean. Built up pitch and sap can insulate the bit, causing it to run hot. The excessive heat can damage the cutting edge.
DO NOT use caustic materials like oven cleaners as they can damage the bond between the carbide cutters and the bit body. Most woodworking supply outlets have commercially prepared solutions that safely remove the pitch and gum associated with machining wood. There are also several household cleaners that are effective in the cleaning of router bits.

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the bond
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How do you figure? Any source for that?
Aren't the cutters welded on?

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I'd be interested in seeing something about that.
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Mine are all brazed, at least the ones I've looked closely at. ?shrug?

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This info was contained in several magazine articles that came out in the late '80's or early '90's. Sorry I can't provide specific mags or dates.
I can't vouch for the accuracy of the articles but I do know that oven cleaner is nasty stuff. Much easier to use one of the 'orange' hand cleaners. Just spread it on, wait a minute and rinse it off. For me it almost instantly dissolves wood resins and glue build up. Blow the excess water off the blade and dry with a paper towel. Easy peasy and none of the downsides of oven cleaner.

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Forgot to mention. The cite came from the Infinity Tools web page. I figure they would know better than me what is good or bad. The cutters are brazed on.

There are hundreds of "sources" for this, mostly personal opinions or "Joe said so". After many debates on the wreck, I remember one industrial engineer or such, who took care of really big equipment. They did use some caustic cleaners, but also inspected and measured their effect. He comfirmed that it will damage the blade. However, for the number of times a home woodworker is likely to clean the blade each year, it would last many-many years.
OTOH, it is nasty stuff, and some good alternatives have been mentioned in this thread. GerryG
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Most of the suggestions are milder alkali than oven cleaner, because they works rapidly, and with water. Organic solvents will work as well. Which means use what you have - I like "TSP" (which isn't) 90 because it's cheap and quick - and works.
Get a good flat-bottomed plastic container large enough to put your blade in and soak, with maybe an old toothbrush handy for those deposits behind the teeth.
For router bits, I keep a spray bottle with some WD40 in it to clean off the stuff while it's fresh, and put them back in storage a little damp.

GerryG wrote:
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woodworker is
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Oven cleaner is sodium hydroxide. NaOH. What's the alloy for the type of brazing used for cutter blades?
I suppose if you soaked the blade for a few days in NaOH it might cause some problems, but the solution is only 4-5%, and it's only on a few seconds. And it's cheap.

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bottle. Work really well, and non-toxic.
This stuff works!

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I have been using Formula 2050 for years. Makes a good oven cleaner too. :~) Actually I use it to clean up build up on my out door smoker.

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This topic comes up all the time. Google-search this newsgroup and you'll see lots of opinions and recommendations.
My personal preference is washing soda. It's cheap, it's environmentally benign, and it couldn't possibly be easier to use. Dissolve 1/4 cup in a quart of warm water. Soak the blade for five or ten minutes, and most of the gunk will float away. Light scrubbing and a rinse will remove the rest.
Washing soda can be found in most grocery stores on the same aisle with the laundry detergent. When you find the borax, you're close to the washing soda. It's Arm&Hammer brand; the box looks a lot like their baking soda box, only bigger.
-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

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Wood magazine, shortly before their Glue Issue, rated these. They didn't rate Simple Green very highly, which Simply confirms my own personal experience that it does an excellent job. Spray, wait 3 minutes, light scrub brush, rinse, dry, done.

Try 'Simple Green'. It's actually a household cleaner, but works amazingly well on a lot of stuff. I've put it in a powerwasher to wash the siding on the house or the car - won't hurt plants, but it can clean paint off sometimes. I use an old toothbrush & dip it into the concentrate to clean off blades & bits. Not as fast as some things mentioned here, but it isn't caustic, smells nice, cheap & works for a lot of other stuff, so it's handier for me.

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Oxisolv blade and bit cleaner.

Take a 12" wide round pan (I used a planter drip tray) Fill it with about 1/8" of ammonia Put the blade in it and let it soak for about 30 seconds Use a small tooth brush and the all the dirt and grime easily brushes away.
It is best to do this outside, and try not to breath the ammonia...
This is the cheapest, most effective solution I've found.
Regards,
-Steve in Banks, OR http://woodworking.bigelowsite.com
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(Stephen Bigelow) wrote:
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Have you tried washing soda? No fumes....
-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

On Tue, 08 Mar 2005 02:04:12 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@see.my.website.below (Stephen Bigelow) wrote:
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I've had ammonia eat holes in brass. I'd be a bit worried about the brazing that holds on the tips.

Stephen Bigelow wrote:
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There was an article lately in Fine Woodworking (I think) that indicated that oven cleaner was quickest and most thorough.
I've never tried oven cleaner, but I've use a spray cleaner called "Simple Green" and an old toothbrush. 30 seconds on a 60 tooth blade is all it takes.
Chris