My results - blade cleaning with WD-40

[Ed62]

I decided to try WD-40 to clean the blade from my MS. The blade was not in bad shape, but I wanted to try it. I gave it a good shot of WD-40 on both sides of the teeth, then let it set for over 12 hours. I can't say the WD-40 didn't work at all, but it's effectiveness was minimal, IMHO. Way too much elbow grease needed. I rinsed and dried the blade, then gave the teeth a shot of Simple Green, diluted. After about 10 minutes, it was an easy task to bring the blade back to looking like new.

Now I took off the TS blade, which was in about the same shape as the MS blade (not bad). Gave it a shot of Simple Green, diluted. Had lunch. It sat about 1/2 hour. No problem getting it cleaned without much elbow grease. I used a brass brush on both blades.

Ed

[Knottscott]

Yeah...that's why I like the degreasers...they're faster. I clean my blades often enough that I don't usually wait longer than the time it takes to spray the other side before brushing (maybe 30 seconds). The brush alone will do alot of the work so it's quite possible that the WD-40 wasn't offering much help at all. Thanks for the followup!

[Carlos]

Nitrile glove, paper towel, and mineral spirits is what I use. Don't even take the blade off the saw. Seems to work fine.

[RAV2]

FYI - a trucker once mentioned that WD40 is mostly kerosene (he used to load his tanker up and return to the WD40 factory).

[rcp612]

I've had WD-40 ignite too !

[BrazosJake]

It never ceases to amaze me how many folks use WD-40 on WW tools. I don't know it's content, but it leaves a film and I'd bet it's got some silicone in it. I want it no where near my wood.

What needed to be cleaned, anyway? Pitch?

[Tom Slick]

I have also found that most petroleum based chemicals don't work at all on pitch. a spray and wipe with simple green seems to be most effective method.

WD-40 is petroleum distillates and oil, no silicone to worry about.


http://www.wd40.com/Brands/pdfs/msds...aerosol.us.pdf

[jackellis]

I also use Simple Green, but I spray, scrub and rinse all within 15 minutes or less. Works really well.

Apparently there's the potential for Simple Green to weaken either the carbide teeth or the welds if left on too long so I don't. No carbide projectiles in the shop for me, thanks.

Simple Green had to come up with a special formulation for airplanes because the straight stuff is really bad for aluminum.

[Ed62]

What needed to be cleaned, anyway? Pitch?

Yes, but very little.

Ed

[poolhound]

How much do you guys dilute your simple green for blade cleaning?

Do you mix what you need and soak the blade or mix up a batch and spray then keep it in a spray bottle?

[Knottscott]

How much do you guys dilute your simple green for blade cleaning?

Do you mix what you need and soak the blade or mix up a batch and spray then keep it in a spray bottle?

When I've used it, I just spray it on from the bottle, brush the teeth briefly and wipe it off within a few minutes...no diluting here.

[iceman61]

Off topic but in a pinch WD-40 can be used as a starting fluid. Found that out last year purely by accident.

[Wood_workur]

I need to clean my TS blade, and probably the blade on the MS, but I never use the MS because I'm too lazy to buy a blade for it (the stock one sucks) and its not adjusted as well as the TS.

speaking of which, I just moved it around a lot, and should probably re square everything.

I need to get myself some simple green and a brass brush.

Off topic but in a pinch WD-40 can be used as a starting fluid. Found that out last year purely by accident.

so can anything that comes in an aerosol can.

[Andrew Benedetto]

Freud recomends kerosine.
The water based highly alkaline,[ yes simple green too, ]type degreasers will attack the brazing holding the tips on. Oven clr's are the worst.
You can buy blade clr's that will not have a pH issue but they cost more.

[jemmy]

I decided to try WD-40 to clean the blade from my MS. The blade was not in bad shape, but I wanted to try it. I gave it a good shot of WD-40 on both sides of the teeth, then let it set for over 12 hours. I can't say the WD-40 didn't work at all, but it's effectiveness was minimal, IMHO. Way too much elbow grease needed. I rinsed and dried the blade, then gave the teeth a shot of Simple Green, diluted. After about 10 minutes, it was an easy task to bring the blade back to looking like new.

Now I took off the TS blade, which was in about the same shape as the MS blade (not bad). Gave it a shot of Simple Green, diluted. Had lunch. It sat about 1/2 hour. No problem getting it cleaned without much elbow grease. I used a brass brush on both blades.

Ed

hi there Ed, sorry for being stupid but can you please tell me what is Simple Green ??? sorry but thank you , Jemmy.