Steve; there was a discussion about this a couple of years back. I wrote the Simple Green manufacturer and they wrote back to say, "No" use their 'Precision Aircraft Cleaner' instead. Apparently Simple Green potentially causes some deterioration of the Carbide if you soak your blade in it...something to do with the Hydrogen atoms if I remember correctly.
(I think I posted the letter here somewhere.)
we both did Dan...
and yet there are those that go that route because it's fast, easy and does a great job - side effects/affects be damned...
They will staunchly, some ferociously, defend the practice ''because
somebody told them'' and ignore the professional's and manufacturer's word...
In the same token, perhaps it's that they didn't know what the professional's and manufacturer's word is on this...
SG posted a warning on their website not to clean blades with it, as it can weaken the bond (brazing) between the carbide and the metal (blade body)....
for that matter -
Don’t Use Oven Cleaner or ANY Other Caustics/Lye-Based Cleaners either...
TAKE THIS AS A WARNING!!!.....
There are lots of folks who still use oven spray cleaner, and tout it.
Then there are lots of folks who say don’t use it, but don’t/never had any proof or studies to back up their reasoning.
Then there’s Freud’s “Charles McCracken.”
He says that you never use oven cleaner or any that are lye based(especially on carbide tipped blades):
“These attack the binder in the carbide and, on Freud blades, they also deteriorate the special tri-metal brazing we use. This can cause carbide or brazing failure and could lead to injury.”
SG said pretty much the same about their Simple Green...
“We do not recommend long-term soaking of Carbide blades in Simple Green. Long-term exposure like this can possibly cause cobalt leaching that will, in turn, affect the integrity or carbide.
There’s a big thread over at Sawmill Creek on this...
JUST DON’T DO IT!!!
