Blade cleaner

[niki]

Good day

I was trying many products to clean the blade. Lately, I discovered some cleaning product that my wife bought for general cleaning “Cillit bang – Universal Degreaser” (what a silly name).

I would like to emphasize that I used the “UNIVERSAL DEGREASER”, the other products contain Sulfuric Acid and Phosphoric Acid and I don’t know what will be the effect on the brazing.

In USA it’s known as “Easy-Off Bam Universal Degreaser” ($4.29), you can see it here
http://www.easyoffbam.us/product_info.shtml

The instructions are: spray, wait 1 minute and wipe, but I did not know (the instructions are in Polish) so I left it for 5 minutes, brushed with toothbrush and washed with water.

The blade that you see in the pictures was used to cut pine and oak for firewood and I did not clean it for 2 months after usage and you can see the results.

Regards
niki

[niki]

[cabinetman]

How toxic is that stuff. If it's like an oven cleaner, need ventilation and rubber gloves. I've tried a variety of cleaners including some stuff called "saw blade cleaner". Just about anything that will remove "mung" from a blade isn't going to smell sweet. Thanks for the tip.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[Knottscott]

Now there's one I haven't tried (or heard of before)!

Of all the cleaners I've tried, one of my favorites is "LA's Totally Awesome....(As Seen On TV)"....got it for a ~ $1 at the Dollar General store. Seems to do pretty much what you documented and has a similary goofy name!

[RayintheUK]

How toxic is that stuff. If it's like an oven cleaner, need ventilation and rubber gloves.

It's a de-greaser, Mike, not an oven cleaner. Been widely available in Europe for a while. Shouldn't have the issues about cobalt leaching and/or carbide degradation that some oven cleaners (and Simple Green) have.

I use CMT 2050 Blade & Bit Cleaner. It's made for the job and as far as I can tell is environmentally-friendly. A quick squirt of CMT, leave for fifteen minutes, then wipe it off.

Ray.

[crokett]

Ray, Simple Green does hurt the blade? That was what some recommendef a while back so it is what I've been using.

[niki]

I gave it to my wife to read and translate and there is no any warning about using gloves or special ventilation.

Have a look here to see the “suitable for”, “non suitable for”
http://cillitbang.co.uk/sf2_all.shtml#3

niki

[RayintheUK]

Ray, Simple Green does hurt the blade? That was what some recommendef a while back so it is what I've been using.

Here's an e-mail from Simple Green to a Sawmill Creek forum member:

Dear Mr. Trantham:
Thank you for your inquiry.
Simple Green has been used to clean carbide blades for many, many years - because it does a good job of breaking down wood resins and sap.

However, the Kennametal Cobalt Leach Test shows that restriction should be placed on using Simple Green to clean carbide tooling. Blades should never be soaked in Simple Green, and we have never recommended that this be done.

Utilization of Simple Green at a 1:10 dilution ratio with water, sprayed on, scrubbed, and rinsed off, should not cause any damage or deterioration to carbide blades. With proper dilution and rinsing, there is not a cumulative effect of cleaning with Simple Green. Problems arise with too strong a solution being left on the carbide blade or tool for too long. Soaking should always be avoided.

In the past year (2005) Sunshine Makers, Inc. has developed and marketed a product called Extreme Simple Green. This product is a non-corrosive, non-embrittling product that has passed a variety of metals corrosion and embrittlement tests. Several of these tests are attached to this email.

I would recommend switching away from original Simple Green and choosing, instead, Extreme Simple Green. Blades can be soaked in this product without ill effect. The best dilution ratio for doing this is 1-part-Extreme to 3-parts-water. This same ratio can be used for spraying, scrubbing, and rinsing blades - or higher dilutions of as much as 1:9 can be used for this kind of application.
Extreme Simple Green is currently readily available online at Aircraft Spruce and Grainger.

I hope that this information is helpful to you. Thanks again for contacting us and for choosing Simple Green products.

Sincerely,
Carol Chapin
Environmental & Regulatory Director
Sunshine Makers, Inc. / SIMPLE GREEN

HTH

Ray.

[SARGE..g-47]

Ray...

Crockett beat me to the question as I have been using Simple Green by recommendation of Mac from Freud (an acquaintance from shows and another forum). I have had no ill effects.. but needs to be qualified!

I do not under any circumstance "soak" the blade with it. A heavy coat and simple brushing with a firm nylon brush will do it. Wipe it clean and good to go. Perhaps the key here is not to let the pitch build to a point that soaking over-night or even shorter periods of time is necessary.

But thanks for the post from Simple Green. I get lots of questions from newbies in local WW clubs and have always reccomended Simple Green on Mac's suggestion as that's what they use at Freud (will call Mon. to see if things have changed..?). But.. will add that foot-note that it is a no-no to Soak with the product.

BTW.. I have looked at the cleaner you mentioned from CMT after swithching to CMT 24 teeth rip blades recently (great blade at $32). I had thought about giving it a try, especially on router bits. I was hesitant about it as I haven't had the chance yet to physically see it and read the ingredients. Your recommendation takes away the concern and I will pick up some to try.

Regards...

[sweensdv]

I too have been using Simple Green for years without any ill effects to my blades. Like SARGE, I never soak my blades either. I just spray it on the blade, let it set a few seconds then scrub, rinse and dry the blade.