# Keeping saw blades clean of pitch



## Cat375 (Jun 2, 2009)

I'm currently doing an outdoor project using pressure treated lumber. After just a few cuts, I'm getting quite a bit of pitch build-up on blades, which is causing excessive dust and bogging-down the saw. I've read that oven cleaner cleans the blades pretty well. Is there any other household products available? Any thoughts on keeping the pitch build-up to a minimum?


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## Gary Beasley (Jan 21, 2009)

Try some auto polish or carnauba wax on the blade after you get it clean.
Be sure you're using the right blade too, seems if the pitch of the teeth are right you wouldn't get so much contact with the wood in the kerf to pick up the resin from the wood. How about it pros, drop some wisdom on us here.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

There are so many cleaners that work well, oven cleaner is the last thing I reach for because it's more caustic, messier, and no more effective than 409, LA's Totally Awesome, Simple Green, Goo Gone, Fantastic, Greased Lightning, etc. Clean your blades often and they'll work better for longer, and are actually easier to clean if you don't let it build up alot.


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## sweensdv (Mar 3, 2008)

knotscott said:


> There are so many cleaners that work well, oven cleaner is the last thing I reach for because it's more caustic, messier, and no more effective than 409, LA's Totally Awesome, Simple Green, Goo Gone, Fantastic, Greased Lightning, etc. Clean your blades often and they'll work better for longer, and are actually easier to clean if you don't let it build up alot.


+1 :thumbsup:


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## Rob (Oct 31, 2006)

I concur. I personally use Greased Lighting and clean my blades a couple times a week during heavy use. It takes me no longer than 5 minutes from taking off the blade, cleaning it and re-installing. Well worth the little effort.


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## JMendez035 (May 14, 2008)

ammonia work really well with an old tooth brush.


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## Roger Newby (May 26, 2009)

I agree with all the others. I use ammonia 'cause it's cheap and effective. If you have oven cleaner...put it on the ground and walk away.:thumbdown: Seriously, it interfers with the bond between the carbide and the blade. Then there's fumes and toxicity. Plus a $1 jug of ammonia will last a long time.

Roger


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## Webster (Mar 6, 2009)

I seen a blade for specialy cutting pressure treated lumber the other day. It was made by Hitachi and on clearance for $4 and change. It supposably had a green coating to keep the pitch off.

I may just have to head back to the store and see if any are left :smile:
Rick


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## mmwood_1 (Oct 24, 2007)

Roger Newby said:


> If you have oven cleaner...put it on the ground and walk away.:thumbdown: Seriously, it interfers with the bond between the carbide and the blade
> 
> Roger


Roger, I have read this statement before, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how oven cleaner, which is basically lye, can interfere with the carbide to blade bond, unless that bond ( are the teeth brazed on?) is already cracked.

One of the biggest saw sharpening outfits here in the mid-valley (Salem, OR) soaks blades in lye to clean them. Been doing it for decades and they don't get teeth flying off the blades. They told me to use oven cleaner because it's the same thing. Never had a blade or bits' carbide loosen or come off in 16 years. I have to wonder if this is one of those 'myths' which gets repeated enough until people believe them.


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## Cat375 (Jun 2, 2009)

Thanks for the advise. I had a bad experience with oven cleaner once, so I was apprehensive about using it.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

mmwood_1 said:


> Roger, I have read this statement before, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how oven cleaner, which is basically lye, can interfere with the carbide to blade bond, unless that bond ( are the teeth brazed on?) is already cracked.
> 
> One of the biggest saw sharpening outfits here in the mid-valley (Salem, OR) soaks blades in lye to clean them. Been doing it for decades and they don't get teeth flying off the blades. They told me to use oven cleaner because it's the same thing. Never had a blade or bits' carbide loosen or come off in 16 years. I have to wonder if this is one of those 'myths' which gets repeated enough until people believe them.


Hi Mark - I've seen this controversy discussed before too, and can't comment on the chemistry of it all well enough to even bother, but the fact that Freud recommends against it, combined with the fact that so many other cleaners are easier and work at least as well is sufficient incentive for me to not bother with oven cleaner anymore....

Freud actually suggests soaking in kerosene due to it's neutral pH, but I rarely keep kerosene around and wouldn't want to take the time to let it soak. They also suggest against soaking in straight Simple Green. If you clean the blades often enough, the spray on cleaners only take a matter of 60 seconds or so, then get rinsed, so the pH really becomes a moot point.


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## sae72 (Jan 2, 2009)

To keep pitch from building up....... Try using PAM I've used it on bandsaw blades with great success


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

I really like the idea of PAM or some generic equivalent.

Also to clean blades...

Woodcraft sells 2050 (No not an old DEC computer) that is great for removing gunk from saw blades. It has a nice orange smell. Rockler also has something similar for cleaning saw blades.

BTW - Don't waste money on saw blade cleaning "KITS". An old tooth brush and a plastic paint roller pan seems to be absolutely perfect for the job.


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

Dang,
I must be missing something. I spray the teeth with kerosene, WD-40, or anything similar that's laying around. Let it sit for a few min. It practically melts away on it's own, but I use an old toothbrush for the gummier stuff (like pine) :tooth:. 
It takes longer to get the blade off...

And if you're particular, why not just finish it off with whatever you put on your saw top?


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

P.S. I've been using a "cheaper" Freud blade lately ($40). I don't know what they put in that Perma-SHIELD finish, but that stuff is *tough* and *slick*! I've never seen anything better.

And I know that lye reacts with many kinds of metals. The possibility of it reacting with the weld on the teeth seems very plausible to me. Try putting lye and aluminum together ... bad juju.


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## Rick C. (Dec 17, 2008)

I use the 2050 on saw blades and router bits,works great:thumbsup:


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

Rick C. said:


> I use the 2050 on saw blades and router bits,works great:thumbsup:


Call me stupid... ????


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

Sorry, gottcha now Rrich and Rick... 2050. Maybe I'll give it a try.


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