How To Clean Saw Blades | Key Equipments With Rules & Regulations

Like any other tools, saw blades also catch dirt with time. Cleaning them, on the other hand, helps and will also improve their efficiency. In this post, we are going to look at how to clean saw blades and some of the best workshop maintenance tips for saw blades.

However, before we take a look at how to clean any saw blade, let us first take a look at the main reason why any saw blade owner, for example, a bandsaw owner needs to clean their saw blade from time to time.

Why Clean A Saw Blade

With time and after a longer period of use, saw blades experience a buildup in pitch and resins on their cutting edges.

This type of buildup will easily coat the edges of your circular saw and in turn, leave the blade to work as if it was dull.

The friction and also the heat increase when cutting will then become more and cause you to use so much energy too.

This will cause more strain on your saw’s motor and possibly lead to overheating too that could be extremely dangerous.

Suggestion

From what we have seen, I suggest giving your track saw blade or any other saw blade that you could own for that matter a cleaning. Do it as often as you can. Experts recommend doing this at least times a year but if you have time, there is no harm in increasing the frequency.

Step By Step Guide To Clean Saw Blades

Now that you have understood why you need to clean saw blades, let us take a look at the step by step guide on how to clean saw blades. It is simple and you can always Do It Yourself whenever you have created the time to do so.

Step I: Get Your Tools Ready

Before you start the cleaning process, you must make sure that you have everything that you need to make the process a successful one. The best tools will include:

• Water
• Laundry detergent
• Plastic/ Soft wire (brass) bristle brush
• Aluminum pan

Step II: Remove Your Saw

Firstly, fill the aluminum pan with water. Then you need to remove your tile saw or the type of saw you have from the whole set up. Then place the saw into the aluminum pan. Make sure it is completely submerged into the water. Once it is submerged, you can then add-in some laundry detergent to the water.

NOTE: In case your blade is really dirty, I suggest that you try and remove the bulk of the gunk using the stiff brush before you can actually submerge it in water. This will make cleaning really easy and less time-consuming.

Step III: Stir And Leave For A While

Yes. Stir the added detergent and let it sit for up to 15 minutes before you can get down to the whole process of cleaning the blade.

NOTE: In order to stir the detergent safely. It is usually recommended that you place your finger in the center of the hole on the blade and then move your finger in circular motions. If not, use a stick or brush to stir.

Step IV: Scrub The Dirt Off

Once the 15 minutes elapse, it will be time to scrub your blade. Take the brush and scrub the blade. Be careful to hold the blade properly so that you don’t cut yourself as you scrub. Now scrub until all the dirt and gunk is out.

Step V: Rinse Your Blade

Now that the blade is properly cleaned, you can then rinse the blade properly. In case you notice any stubborn dirt you can re-soak the blade and follow the process again. Scrub more and more until the blade is sparkling clean before you can rinse it.

Step VI: Fully Dry Your Blade

With your saw blade already rinsed, it is important that you ensure the blade is fully dried. Like you might have learned, water, moisture, and steel aren’t the best buddies. When they come together, corrosion will be the result and you don’t want that.

Step VII: Fix The Blade Back In

Finally, it will be time to re-install the blade in its original place. After re-installing it, you can then plug the saw back into the power supply and turn the blade on to test it and make sure that it is working properly.

With the blade well fixed and now clean, it will be your time to get some of the most ideal benefits of a clean blade such the smoother and cleaner cuts.

NOTE: Blades are fragile; and like any other tool, requires proper maintenance in order to enjoy the very best results. Have a cleaning routine for your blade and make sure that the blade has no gunk or dirt at all if you want cool cuts.

Cleaning Tips:

While cleaning your saw blade, you should always take time to closely examine the tips of every tooth on the saw blade.

Make sure that you dry your saw blade especially if it is made of plain steel as this will reduce the chances of getting corroded.

If you realize that the teeth are damaged or some of them are getting dull, I suggest sharpening them up or simply buying a new set of the saw blade.

Plain steel saw blades are easy to sharpen with the triangular metal file. However, blades that have carbide-tipped teeth should be sharpened professionally.

Conclusion

A saw blade that’s gunky is like shaving with a blunt or dirty shaver. It sucks really. That’s why it is important that you design one of the best cleaning routines for your saw blades. It will help improve the cut, boost efficiency, and above all minimize the energy used.

Saw blades are cool accessories and once you find a great one, you should guard it with your life. Believe it or not, great results will start from having a tool that performs in an exceptional manner. And a properly cleaned saw blade will guarantee you exactly that.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Different Types Of Power Saws

Types of Circular Saws

How To Cut Plywood With A Circular Saw

 

Last Updated on August 22, 2020 by Robert Patrick