How to clean saw chain?

[woodworkingboy]

Have used kerosene and a stiff nylon brush. On really tough crud I have also put them on top of the wood stove for a bit and the heat loosened it up even more. Even put one inside the stove once. I suspect that you could take a torch and do similar, being careful not to get it so hot that it compromises the cutting edges. I like to stick one in an oil bath after that, so I keep a big mouth jar full of oil for that purpose, then hang the chain up and let it drip back into the jar.

 

[Burnham]

Y'all are worrying too much about a little staining, methinks .

 

[Al Smith]

Even those black ones from oak tannin shine right up after a few cuts .It somehow actually acts almost like the chain was anodized because they don't rust believe it or not .

 

[NeTree]

If it gets that bad, I just throw the frikkin' thing out and put on a new one. My time is more valuable than that.

 

[Greenhorn]

I like to hose things down with wd40 in between cuts on nasty wood, keeps things real clean. Also use wire wheel on a drill before sharpening sometimes.

In motocross we constantly cleaned chains to allow lubrication to penetrate but saw chains dont live long enough for that to be an issue.

 

[Tucker943]

I like to hose things down with wd40 in between cuts on nasty wood, keeps things real clean. Also use wire wheel on a drill before sharpening sometimes.

In motocross we constantly cleaned chains to allow lubrication to penetrate but saw chains dont live long enough for that to be an issue.

Sounds like a good idea but simply not practical in my day to day tree removals.

 

[SkwerI]

Saw chains don't live long enough? I get several months out of my chains.

 

[flushcut]

I don't clean them I just run them until the junk falls off.

 

[Greenhorn]

Sounds like a good idea but simply not practical in my day to day tree removals.

I just do it on the last few stumps cuts of nasty stuff if there happens to be a can on the truck that day.

 

[Greenhorn]

Saw chains don't live long enough? I get several months out of my chains.

I do too but I mean the teeth wear down long before pivot points at any rate, clean or not.

 

[GASoline71]

Meh... just huck 'em on the saw and start cuttin' wood. Don't matter what type either... green wood does wonders to "clean" a chain. I've never cleaned a chain in my life.

Gary

 

[Marc-Antoine]

I like to hose things down with wd40 in between cuts on nasty wood, keeps things real clean. Also use wire wheel on a drill before sharpening sometimes.

In motocross we constantly cleaned chains to allow lubrication to penetrate but saw chains dont live long enough for that to be an issue.

You shouldn't play with a wire wheel on the saw chain.
A logger brought this news at the french forum:
http://www.suva.ch/fr/startseite-su...-schwer-getroffen-suva/filter-detail-suva.htm
A man tried to clean a chain with a wire wheel mounted on a bench grinder.
Suddenly, the wire wheel catch the chain, which began to whip around at the grinder's speed.
Result: 3 fingers tore out, neck, shoulder and belly injuries.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Crikey! No gloves orrrrrr NUTTIN? Crazy!

 

[Greenhorn]

You shouldn't play with a wire wheel on the saw chain.
A logger brought this news at the french forum:
http://www.suva.ch/fr/startseite-su...-schwer-getroffen-suva/filter-detail-suva.htm
A man tried to clean a chain with a wire wheel mounted on a bench grinder.
Suddenly, the wire wheel catch the chain, which began to whip around at the grinder's speed.
Result: 3 fingers tore out, neck, shoulder and belly injuries.

Well I dont "play" with wire wheel I sometimes use it once a saw is in vice before sharpening with a cordless drill