Heading off to Walmart or BJ's

Bob Gibson

Member
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11,472
Location
Merrimack, New Hampshire
To buy some LESTOIL !!


I just read an article in a Woodsmith publication that rated saw blade and router bit cleaners. The blades had a pretty hefty build up of resin on the shoulders and gullets.

The results were in order....

  1. Lestoil. It took only 5 minutes for 7 oz of Lestoil with no effort to completely clean the blade.
  2. Extreme Simple Green. It took 15 minutes for 16oz. with no effort to clean the blade. (regular simple green attacks the carbide. do not use)
  3. Rockler Cleaner. It took 10 minutes for 4oz. with littel effort to clean the blade
  4. Baking Soda. It took 8 hours for 2oz. with little effort to clean the blade
  5. Goof Off. It took 30 minutes for 3oz. Resin removed from flat surface but gullets didn't get clean.
  6. CMT Blade and Bit Cleaner. It took 30 minutes for 3oz. Resin removed from flat surfaces but gullets wouldn't scrub clean.

They used a synthetic pad to clean the blades followed up with a brass brush if needed.
The Lestoil cleaned the blade in 5 minutes without scrubbing and it can be resued over and over again until it becomes cloudy. They recommend rinsing the blade in water then using a spray on rust inhibitor to prevent any corrosion from the water.

Hope it helps :thumb:
 
Lestoil, huh? Now that's a name that doesn't come up much in blade cleaning discussions. I may have to give it a try sometime, but it's been my experience that if you keep your blades clean (clean them regularly), it almost doesn't matter what you use...they'll come clean easily with as little as a stern glare. For bad resin build up, it doesn have more appeal than kerosene.
 
I have read that Mean Green not Simple Green does real good with no effort, I bought a gallon at the dollar store but have not tried it yet.
 
thanks for the tip - it's a keeper. I've used simple green in the past, then heard something about it damaging the carbide. Not quite sure how.


According to the article Ken. there is something in Simple Green that leaches the carbide out of the steel :dunno: They said the Extreme SG was designed to be used on the aluminum skin of aircraft and is OK to use.
 
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