The BEST saw blade cleaning method.

[Hugh Jass]

I've been on a bit of a kick about keeping my saw blades clean after learning how much that affects cut performance, so I've been testing a few different methods every once in awhile to see how different products work. 

 

I have 3 different sizes of saw blades, 6 1/2", 7 1/4", and 12". Previously I just threw the smaller ones in a 5gal bucket and poured in the product of choice and let it soak. Few weeks ago I kicked said bucket containing Goo Be Gone, and my tool trailer is just now starting to fume out, that stuff is STRONG. While it did a decent job of melting down the lumber pitch, it was less than spectacular when it came down to the burned on resin's, forget it, you'll be scrubbing...more than I'd like to. 

 

So after my spill I decided to reevaluate my saw blades and see how things were wearing, upon closer inspection I had a few blades with missing teeth, or teeth that were splitting and splintering from nails or screws I presume, so I tossed all of those out. What was left was a few in each size. The 5gal bucket was a no go this time around because they're about 12" OD so the big boy won't fit. I've had this blade on my 780 since I bought it, I've cut a lot of PT for 3 large decks, and various other smaller projects, lots of base board and crown mouldings...so it's certainly worst case scenario since I've never had it off the saw. So I got a good size box, and made a plastic tank out of it so I could soak my blades to test my newest product. 

 

Ready? Tide Pods. That's right, concentrated laundry detergent. Sounds like a joke and when I read about it I thought no way, but it flat out is the best thing I've used, it's completely safe for us and the coatings, and smells great. I cut open 2 pods and 1 red solo cup full of hot water, that's it. 

 

I picked my worst two blades for demonstration. I soaked for a total of 1 hour, and after lifting the blades from the concentrate I couldn't believe it. Probably at least 95% of all pitch and resin was gone without even touching the blade. I set the blade down on a shoe box and used a small wire brush to gently give my monsters a good tooth polish, though I probably could have sprayed them with the water hose and ended up with the same result, which is blades that look like I just took them out of the package aside from friction damage to the teflon coating. 

 

Anyhow, here's the goods: 

 

https://goo.gl/photos/ZpoweRi3BTSC1Cft7

 

Apparently this site doesn't play nice with Google Photo's so I put it in an album. 

 

I think what I'll do is search for a pan that's big enough to hold even the 12" blades that has a lid so I can quickly soak in the field when needed, or maybe even store my blades in the soak and reuse the concentrate over and over again, no scrubbing needed. If you use harsh chemicals like I have to try for a good result, try it guys. It works. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jeffmcmillan]

Thats awesome. 

Inb4 someone puts saw blades in with their laundry.

[Hugh Jass]

12 minutes ago, jeffmcmillan said:

Thats awesome. 

Inb4 someone puts saw blades in with their laundry.

 

Man can you imagine the mayhem when it goes into spin cycle if you put a blade in by it's self? 

[DR99]

Would have never thought to use tide.

[comp56]

I used to wash motor parts in the dish washer why not saw blades in the washing machine....lol

 

[Hugh Jass]

1 hour ago, DR99 said:

Would have never thought to use tide.

 

Me either...honestly had no idea it was that powerful. I put my leftover concentrate in a bucket that had a good layer of dried on paint inside. It lifted it completely off the bottom of the bucket.

[Stercorarius]

Anybody ever tryed diesel? Curious if it works. It does for most things.

[Hugh Jass]

My guess is fuel's are not teflon safe. There's a lot of things you can use on steel blades can't on teflon. 

[KnarlyCarl]

I love it, that's awesome, I have this absolutely ancient spray can of pitch and resin cleaner for blades. It will curl your nose hairs and kill a flower bed but it works, I just can't handle the fumes. I think it's very similar to oven cleaner. It works incredibly well, but I would easily switch to the tide pods if that meant I didn't have to worry about cancer setting in 5 minutes later lol

..

 

[Hugh Jass]

Give it a shot and let me know your results, I've never tried any sprays so I'd be interested in the comparison to a dedicated purpose product. 

 

[KnarlyCarl]

2 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

Give it a shot and let me know your results, I've never tried any sprays so I'd be interested in the comparison to a dedicated purpose product. 

 

Apparently this site doesn't play nice with Instagram either!!! Still! 

 

Calling @eric can you help?

 

Anyways here's the pic I took and the can of cleaner I used

 

 

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[SlingShotTools]

Hey guys, you may want to try CMT Formula 2050 Blade & Bit Cleaner 988.001.01.  This stuff works great at keeping your blades and bits nice an clean before they get gummed up.

[JerryNY]

Don't you have to worry about the blades rusting at all with water and detergent? The amount of money poured into R&D on laundry detergent is staggering so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise they are really effective at cleaning organic compounds though. I have to say that while there are blades that are no doubt better than your average Diablo/Freud, Forest for example, their red coating is second to none at keeping the blade relatively clean. The red teflon stuff they use is almost magical.