Cleaning Blades

Cleaning Blades

Have you ever shaved with a dirty razor blade? You can get the job done, but often, you are left with rougher cuts and the occasional bloodshed. So it is with your saw blade. Cleaning your blades or router bits will decrease the strain placed on the motor of the equipment and provide you with a quicker, cleaner cut. Let’s look at some cleaning options and what to avoid.

To begin, take the opportunity to examine the tip of each blade tooth. If many of the teeth are damaged, purchase a new one. If the teeth seem to be dull, clean and sharpen your blade to retain a little more life from this product. Cleaning is certainly less expensive than replacing the blade.

Choose your cleaning solution carefully. When you go to clean your blades or bits, consider spraying and wiping those tools down instead of soaking for lengthy periods of time. Soaking will break down the carbide or special coatings found on some blades. Never use oven cleaner or other caustic cleaners. These cleaners are bad for your blades and will cause them to deteriorate.

Some solutions to consider when cleaning your router bits or saw blades include the following:

• Simple Green
• orange oil
• water/ammonia
• 409
• Goop
• denatured alcohol

Once the blades have been sprayed or soaked for a short time, clean the teeth with a toothbrush or brass-bristled brush. Air dry or use compressed air to completely dry your blade then coat it with WD-40.

You are now ready for a close shave on all those new projects with your cleaned saw blades and router bits.