cleaning rusty bandsaw blades

dovetails · June 13, 2007, 08:46:48 PM

When I got my mill, I got several bands with it, that are covered with surface rust.They look to be in good shape, just rusty. anyone have a good way to clean them up? Was thinking maybe wash them with muratic acid,then rince with water and oil them? Or would it be better to just put one on mill and cut a couple slabs off a junk log? it's an lt30 WM.

Tom · June 13, 2007, 08:51:51 PM

surface rust like that is common to most of us. The best tool to clean a blade is alog. A few passes and it will be as bright and shiny as new.

dovetails · June 13, 2007, 09:09:17 PM

Thanks Tom, I'll try it tommorow!

Leatherneck · July 08, 2007, 11:04:45 PM

Will surface rust make the blade duller?

Haytrader · July 08, 2007, 11:09:46 PM

Chances are, a rusty blade is a used blade, so it may be dull and need sharpening.
Around here, new blades are kept in the shed and used blades sometimes get tossed to the side temporarilly and either get rained on or a dew or two.
;)

pineywoods · July 08, 2007, 11:29:25 PM

Quote from: Leatherneck on July 08, 2007, 11:04:45 PM
Will surface rust make the blade duller?

Rust itself won't dull the blade, BUT the first place a newly sharpend blade will rust is the sharp tip of the tooth. The first time that rusty tip hits a log, it will flake off and get dull real quick. New or freshly sharpend blades should be coated with a light coat of oil, WD-40 works pretty well. I mix a small amount of water soluble cutting oil in the cooling water on my shapener, it stops the blade from rusting and cuts down a bunch on rust on the sharpener.

Joel Eisner · July 09, 2007, 11:07:32 AM

I keep my blades from rusting by keeping two larger platic tote boxes around. One is for the dull blades and the other is for the sharp ones. I also use cooking spray to coat the blades at the end of the day. This keeps the rust down.