Question for Simple Green users

[Bill in Buena Park]

For those of you that use Simple Green to clean your blades, (1) is there any risk to letting a blade soak for an extended period of time (i.e., is there a max time, after which something unfavorable occurs - like rust, etc.), and (2) is there anything special you need to do after the soaking, other than a good wipe-down? (like using a rust inhibitor?) I'm interested in trying this for circular and band-saw blades alike. Thanks.

[sweensdv]

I've used Simple Green for years and will continue to use it. I like to clean my saw blades before they get too gunked up. So, my procedure is to spray them with the Simple Green and let it soak for no more than 5 minutes. After the blade has soaked, I use one of those bathtub cleaning brushes, the one that looks like a rowboat, and scrub the blade clean then rinse. I make sure that all the moisture has been wiped off the blade and other than that don't do anything more to the blade. Depending on your local climate a rust inhibitor may be necessary but where I live it isn't necessary.

As far as letting the blade soak for extended periods of time, neither Simple Green or I recommend that. The possibility that the Simple Green might attack the brazing is just to great and besides soaking the blade for a long time isn't necessary if you clean your blades in a timely manner.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Thanks - good feedback, wasn't aware of the potential harm to brazing. Additionally, do you foresee any issues with storing and reusing it? (e.g., using a good amount in a large bowl for a band-saw blade soak, then keeping for a repeat of the same later.)

[cabinetman]

Not waiting too long to do any cleaning is better than getting a lot of buildup. I don't soak blades, but rather use a brush and clean it that way. Simple Green works pretty good, so does oven cleaner, and any good cleaner. I used an automotive bug and tar remover that also worked. Here are a few tips.

.

[Knottscott]

Soaking with regular Simple Green is not recommended...just spray, scrub, and rinse. You can also use 409, LA's Totally Awesome, Greased Lightnin, Goo Gone, Fantastic, etc. If the pitch build up is really bad, Freud suggests soaking in kerosene. Clean your blades often and they'll work like new for longer, plus are much easier to clean.

[cwsmith]

Good subject.

I generally try to clean my blades every couple of months. And this particular post has left me wondering if I'm using the wrong cleaner.

I just use mineral spirits. I don't leave the blade soaking, but place the blade into a top from a drywall mud container, which acts as a try to limit the run off. I then use a stiff denture brush which I found at the local pharmacy.

I primarily work with pine and occasionally oak, but the pitch from the pine seems to loosen easily with the spirits. A little brushing and then a final wipe down with an old tee shirt seems to do the trick.

I also clean my router bits in the same way, except that I clean the bit immediately after use, before I put them back in storage.

BUT... does mineral spirits pose any problem with the carbide weld/adhesion?

Thanks,

CWS

[sweensdv]

..............
I also clean my router bits in the same way, except that I clean the bit immediately after use, before I put them back in storage.

+1 On cleaning router bits after each use.

[cwsmith]

I thought I'd move this back to the top by re-asking the question:

Does cleaning blades with mineral spirits have any ill-effects?

Thanks,

CWS

[cabinetman]

I thought I'd move this back to the top by re-asking the question:

Does cleaning blades with mineral spirits have any ill-effects?

Thanks,

CWS

AFAIK, mineral spirits is not a problem.

.

[sweensdv]

I thought I'd move this back to the top by re-asking the question:

Does cleaning blades with mineral spirits have any ill-effects?

Thanks,

CWS

I'm pretty sure that I don't know.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Thanks for all the feedback and further discussion. My interest is primarily for my bandsaw blade that gets a terrible buildup from cutting just ONE of these pitchy star-pine blanks.

Soaking with regular Simple Green is not recommended...just spray, scrub, and rinse.

For my circular blades, I am currently using the spray-on Simple Green blade cleaner - spray, scrub, wipe, works great - but this is not effective with the pitch on the BS blade. My neighbor introduced the Simple Green dunk for that, in a large pan, and it worked well (5 minute soak, brushing, and cleaning) but I was just concerned about it corroding or otherwise harming the blade, even after the blade was wiped down well. But while we had a bunch in the pan, I thought I might take advantage and give the circular blades a quick dunk too.

So sounds like it shouldn't open the blade up to corrosion if used expeditiously. I may try the mineral spirits next time.

[cwsmith]

Bill,

Regarding your bandsaw blade's pitch buildup:

I read somewhere a few years ago that spraying "Pam" on your blade was helpful in not only easying the blade to cut through some woods by lubricating it, but also would aid in preventing pitch build-up.

All I have is a little Ryobi BS902, so I'm not doing a lot of cutting with it. But perhaps some of the other members might have an opinion on whether such application of some kind of protectorant might be helpful.

To Cabinetman, thanks for your opinion on the use of mineral spirits!

CWS