Table saw blade cleaner...?

[James Tibbetts]

What do you folks prefer/use for cleaning table saw blades? Wal-Mart had a suitable container for soaking so what to soak in?

Thanks,
Jim

[Mike Gresham]

I use WD-40. Wipe it on, let it sit for a minute, brass brush anything that is really stuck on and wipe it off.

[John Schweikert]

I use the lid to 5 gallon buckets as a basin; it fits a 10" blade perfectly. Put 1-2 cups of 50/50 mix of water and liquid washing machine detergent (not dishwasher). Just use enough needed to cover the blade. You'll see pitch and junk slide off after sitting for 5-10 minutes. 15 minute for dirtier blades. A nylon brush helps get any stubborn spots. Then I spray T9 or Bladecote.

[Cody Colston]

It's advised against by at least one blade mfg but I've always used oven cleaner...the low-odor stuff. Spray it on, let it soak 5 minutes and then brush the blade teeth with a brass-bristled brush. Rinse and dry by using high-pressure air nozzle.

[Mark Stutz]

I've soaked with household ammonia in the past. Works well. Currently using the CMT blade cleaner.

[Jeff Monson]

I use a soft bristle brush and 409 cleaner. Spray it on, let it soak a minute, light scrub and dry. Works great for me.

[Bill Ryall]

I usually use Simple Green. I have an old tupperware container I soak the blade in for a bit, then brush with a toothbrush. Really really stuck on stuff will get a gentle brushing with a brass bristled brush.

[Keith Hankins]

I use Bit-n-blade. Found that cut it the fastest and easiest. I tape a toothbrush to the side and spritz and let it set for 30 seconds then hit the build up with the toothbrush and wipe off.

[Bill White]

Simple Green. Spray, wait, brush, rinse in hot water, dry. I'm back to work.
Arm & Hammer WASHING SODA also works well. Same routine. Bio friendly too.
Bill

[Tom Walz]

Pretty much anything you want to. Brake cleaner and similar doesn't work very well, is expensive and carcinogenic but some folks use it.

Make sure you collars, flange nuts, etc are clean as well.

[ken masoumi]

Arm & Hammer WASHING SODA also works well. Same routine. Bio friendly too.
Bill
That's what I use , it works extremely well.Highly recommended.

[glenn bradley]

I know a lot of people use Simple Green and I know a lot of people even use Easy-Off. This subject comes up now and again. Although Simple Green (oddly enough Extreme Simple Green tested safe; misnamed perhaps?), Easy-Off and others have things in them that can damage the braising that holds the carbide tips on, I doubt many people clean a blade enough or use the cleaner long enough on the same blade to make this an issue. My nature being what it is, I use L.A. Awesome from the 99cent store. It tested safe, is dirt cheap and works great but, there are other products that are safe and work well too.

[Cary Falk]

CMT blade and bit cleaner

[Walter Plummer]

We use this cleaner. http://www.emisupply.com/catalog/sprayway-cleaner-pitch-remover-p-3234.html#.VZ72L_nxTF0. Wear a respirator it will clean out your sinus also. LOL. Takes anything off including logos, labels, etc.

[Bruce Wrenn]

LA's Awesome from Dollar Tree and lid from 5 gallon bucket. Two lids actually, one to soak, and other to cover to prevent drying out. Brass or nylon brush. Rinse clean with water. then dry. A shot of WD-40 will help keep rust at bay.

[Matt Day]

Simple Green in a frisbee.

Though I recently picked up some Blade & Bit cleaner at an auction that I'm going to try.

[Dave Cav]

Dollar store oven cleaner.

[David Ragan]

I use some special stuff concentrate from LV. Biggest issue for me is just doing it.

[Bill Leonard]

Dollar General Mean Green, same as Simple Green but at about 1/2 price.

[Robert Parent]

Sodium Hydroxide works well and is very cheap.

Robert

[Al Launier]

I also use the lid from a 5 gal. bucket, but use Lestoil or Pine-Sol to soak the blade in, then use a brass brush & an air hose to dry off. I've read from other forums the Simple Green can affect the brazing of the carbide bits, but don't know if this is true.

[Peter Quinn]

I use either trend's bit and blade cleaner, or the cmt product which is.very similar. Fairly mild, no respirator or chemical gloves required, works fast, no soaking required. Sometimes I give a gentle brushing with a soft bristle plastic scrub brush, or trim the bristles on an acid brush about 1/2 way which works well too for stuborn pitch. The cmt and trend stuff works so well I hit the blades at the first sign of build up. I feel if you've waited long enough to require soaking, you've really waited too long already. I tend to just cut a 12" x12" section of cardboard, spray the blades on that, then chuck it when done.

[Larry Browning]

Simple Green in a 5gal bucket lid.

[Larry Browning]

Two lids actually, one to soak, and other to cover to prevent drying out.
Wow! how long do you let it soak that would require you to worry about evaporation? 15 minutes should do the job.

[Earl Rumans]

I just use the Rockler kit and it works fine for me.

[Jim Sevey]

Acetone in a bucket lid. Brief soak and wipe off. It will take off painted labels. Re-ink with marks a lot.

[Rick Potter]

Awesome cleaner and an oil drain pan, both from 99 cent store. Fits a 12" blade easy, works really quick. I use a parts cleaning brush that also cost $.99. Awesome is also one of the Freud recommended cleaners, per a thread like this a year ago.

[John Van Vlack]

I made a big discovery last weekend for cleaning all of my saw blades and cutters. Purple Power De-greaser... I've tried Simple Green, Oven Cleaner, CMT, Mineral Spirits, and who knows what else. Nothing comes close to the effectiveness. I would recommend wearing gloves but it didn't bother mine at all. I now wipe down each cutter before I put them away.

[Randy Rose]

Zep Citrus cleaner and a frisbee

[Larry Frank]

I use oven cleaner and brass brush. I know some think it will damage the blade. Tom Walz is a true expert and says it is OK and i believe him.

Bottom line is whatever works for you.

[roger wiegand]

Simple Green in the bottom of a 5 gal bucket. Using the lid would be easier I guess.

[glenn bradley]

Just thought I'd pop back in since I just cleaned something. I usually clean cutters off at least somewhat right after use. This dado clean-out bit got put away grungy. I put a couple of squirts of L.A. Awesome in a pill bottle, toss in the bit and shake it up, let it set about a minute and rinse it off.

330465 . 330464

[Alan Lightstone]

Which LA Awesome product do you use?

[Ben Rivel]

Do any of you use anything to protect the blade after youve cleaned it? Maybe to help prevent rust? Lubricant, oil, polish, etc?

[Ole Anderson]

So I squirted the blade's rim and teeth with ZEP's orange degreaser and let it sit for a few minutes then brushed it off with a fine bristle brass brush in the laundry tub, then rinsed the blade with warm water and dried it off. It worked as well as anything else I have ever tried. Very satisfied. All the blades I cleaned were either Freud red coated or otherwise coated blades. But as long as you rinse and dry the blade, I see no problem using it on a bare steel blade.

[Robert Delhommer Sr]

Mean Green and a brass brush.

[glenn bradley]

Which LA Awesome product do you use?

The Yellow stuff. I see that they now make some orange stuff too. I know because dad bought some. It is NOT the same stuff ;-)

BTW, it cleans whiteboards like you can't believe.

[Darcy Forman]

I use arm and hammer washing soda. Mix with hot water. Let soak for five or ten minutes and brush off pitch with soft bissel plastic brush. Dry the blade and it looks brand new. Dump the solution down the toilet. Whole process takes fifteen minutes.