Shopsmith Forums

A bath of Purple Power, followed by a coating Johnson Paste wax!

This blade reminds me of a golden record... lol!

I will have to give Purple Power a try.

Did you use concentrate direct on the blade, or dilute it?

I'm not as comfortable with oven cleaners that some use, but even those are safer than they used to be.

I have used the Rockler product, but cost with shipping takes it above Simple Green which I can get locally, and has been my go-to cleaner. I too use the Johnson Paste Wax on my blades. It really makes a difference to have them clean and waxed.

I dilute is, about one-third water, two, two thirds PP!

I still think soaking a blade in cold coffee is the best and cheapest way to get it pristine clean. Never any harm to the blade.

So it is clean, but is it sharp???

I use baking soda and water over night then a brushing with a bronze brush with the direction of the teeth. I have read the aggressive cleaners, it actually dulls the blade a bit by rounding the edges of the carbide teeth microscopically.
"Well General, they sure are pretty, but can they fight". Donald Sutherland in the Dirty Dozen.

ERLover wrote:I use baking soda and water over night then a brushing with a bronze brush with the direction of the teeth. I have read the aggressive cleaners, it actually dulls the blade a bit by rounding the edges of the carbide teeth microscopically.
"Well General, they sure are pretty, but can they fight". Donald Sutherland in the Dirty Dozen.

There are lots of things that work. Some better than others and some take longer. They have to work on organic compounds like sap and wood residue. I use CMT spray cleaner with a brass brush. I let the cleaner on the blade 2 or 3 minutes and then brush. The direction of the brush is determined by what needs to be cleaned. It works perfectly. Do you really think brushing against the teeth will dull the carbide?

I don't know what aggressive cleaners are you are talking about but, I think what ever you read from wherever is bunk. We are talking about a cleaner for organic compounds not an acid or whatever to etch metal.

Oven Cleaner has been touted, and discredited in the past. Not acid, but the inverse(caustic lye). AIUI, it can leach away the carbide tip weld. It definitely attacks organic substances(skin especially!).

I am curious what changes have occurred with oven cleaners that makes them 'safer'.

JSBurger,
"I don't know what aggressive cleaners are you are talking about but, I think what ever you read from wherever is bunk. We are talking about a cleaner for organic compounds not an acid or whatever to etch metal."
Almost everything affects metal, it is a matter of degree.
Well one article was in Wood Shop magazine were they tested various store bought, and home mixes, they other was in another Wood Workers magazine and said the same. I go with the majority. Do you have an MSD sheet on the commercial ones to back up your statement? You seem very knowledgeable on things here, but also very opinionated.