Grease all over my new thickness planer knives?

[Tony Shea]

I just got me a brand new Ridgid thickness planer for X-mas and just got to setting it up. I notice that on my knifes and shaft that there is a very generous amount of grease all over. It seems to me that if I leave this grease it would end up making a mess, and possible leaving a mess on the wood. Is this grease supposed to be removed or is it there to serve some other purpose? This is my first thickness planer so I am very green at these things.

[Dave Wagner]

To keep them from rusting. Sometimes its a thick coating and peels off, but could be a type of grease. My Grizzly shaper had it all over the table, etc...pretty gooey stuff.

Any good Brake Cleaner or NON-Residue cleaner should take it off. Check your local Walmart, AutoZone, etc...

[Cody Colston]

I used mineral spirits and folded paper towels to wipe the cosmoline off the knives on my Grizzly planer. Be careful, though. Those knives are sharp enough to easily slice through several thicknesses of paper towels. DAMHIKT :o

[Howard Acheson]

Kerosene or mineral spirits will quickly clean off the cosmoline.