Blade Cleaner - CMT Orange vs T.S.P.

Bryan Cowing

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Location
Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada
Thought I would share this with you WW's south of me, Oh, and Stu that's way over there and anyone else I forgot!. :wave:
After reading a post on blade cleaning on another forum with Arm & Hammer soap, I had some TSP liquid I wanted to try that I had bought years ago from Canadian Tire ( big box hardware store ) . After cleaning a blade I thought why not test it against my CMT Orange blade cleaner. In my stack of blades to be sharpened I found this well gummed up blade. After soaking 5 minutes, then using a scrub brush, both worked well. The TSP was used full strength. I won't be spending $8.99 for another bottle of CMT Orange!
 
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TSP is really strong stuff at full strength. I use the powdered form and mix it with water. I understand that cleaning blades with some chemicals is bad for the brazing (or what ever the process is) that is done to attach the teeth to the blade. I wonder how TSP stacks up in that regard.
 
TSP is really strong stuff at full strength. I use the powdered form and mix it with water. I understand that cleaning blades with some chemicals is bad for the brazing (or what ever the process is) that is done to attach the teeth to the blade. I wonder how TSP stacks up in that regard.
I got that warning too on another forum. I think mine has lost some of it's potency as what I had left is old and in a preserves bottle, the poly jug sprung a leak.
It didn't hurt my hands full strength, sure seemed to work OK.
 
Never heard of TSP before. I just use Formula 409 and an old toothbrush ( make darn sure it is old and not the LOYL's current toothbrush, DAMHIKT).

Works great and I get a clean blade in about 10 minutes.

I use oven cleaner. Works great!
Bob
I use 409 and am happy with the results. I've used oven cleaner also but the smell and toxicity are a bit of a concern. An old tooth brush works fine, so does a soft brass brush. I use one purchased at Sherwin Williams - they're intended for the cleaning of airless sprayer parts. They work great getting in behind the teeth - the blade's, not mine!:rofl:
 
I used to use Oven cleaner to clean the blades, some nasty stuff and hard on the bond between the teeth and blade. Then I switched to Simple Green and it worked well and was satisfied until I read where the manufacturer of Simple Green published a warning that excessive soking could break down the bond. Then I heard of Arm & Hammer WASHING Soda (not Baking Soda, chemically different Washing Soda is Sodium Carbonate and Baking soda is sodium Bi-carbonate) I run some hot water ibn the laundry tub, sprinkly in some Washing Soda, swish and soak my blades a while them with a brush I clean between the teeth, towel dry and they are a pretty as new. (seem to be sharper as well)

After I soak a few blades, I then soak my shop rags and such, so when LOML does the laundry and does that sort of items she cleans them as well. I waste not so that I want Knot! I am Thrifty, Frugel, but I hope Not Cheap!

BTW Laundry Washing soda is a lot cheaper than TSP, or oven cleaner or orange blade cleaner, and herself adds it to her dirties from time to time. (that way she buys it and I save my shop funds for fun stuff. )
 
I've always used ammonia and a toothbrush followed by a good rinsing with water or alcohol for those worried about rust. Ammonia will attack the copper in brazing as well as the carbide itself, but from what I understand, so will all the strong bases in all the cleaners mentioned (this from a chemist type on another board). I've never seen any evidence of damage from the way I clean blades, so I have to conclude that brief exposure followed by rinsing is no worse than soaking for longer periods in a weaker solution.
 
I used to use Oven cleaner to clean the blades, some nasty stuff and hard on the bond between the teeth and blade. Then I switched to Simple Green and it worked well and was satisfied until I read where the manufacturer of Simple Green published a warning that excessive soking could break down the bond. (snip)

Simple green is nasty stuff, despite the implication of the name; finally the FAA prohibited use on airplanes because it corroded the fuselage if it seeped into the airframe, and the company said dont soak blades for more than a few minutes. Then the simple green folks invented "Simple Green Extreme" which is less destructive, and (I hear) is approved by the FAA, and appears to work just as well. After looking for a year or two, I finally found the concentrate at Sams Club.
 
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