Cleaning with methylated spirits?

[george trotter]

Hi all,

I always thought it was OK to clean old oil traces off a blade with meths as it is in fact 95% ethanol (ethyl alcohol) with 5% methyl alcohol to make it unfit for human consumption (here in Australia).

I need to clean off some old residue but I rememered a thread where some suggested other things as being "better", such a isopropyl (95% alcohol) and other things of alcohol base.

Just to be sure before I give the blades a gentle wipe down with meths I thought I'd better ask.

I don't think the blades have had anything other than oil on them although one former owner said he once cleaned a blade down with acetone but there seems to be nothing awful that has resulted from that.

I would just add that meths here has no dyes or additive gunk in it (other than the poisonous to humans 5% methyl alcohol)...so, is it OK?

Thanks,

[David Flynn]

G'day George, I don't know about meths. Gordon Robson demonstrated at his house, the use of, Isopropyl alcohol. He doesn't use Uchiko. He wipes the blades clean with the Alcohol, then re-oils them, when putting them away. Also, all the blades he showed us, were polished. I use 99.5% Isopropyl. This can be bought on the net(ebay), or, more expensively, at a chemist.

[george trotter]

Thanks Dave, good to know.

I might just ask my local chemist if he has some isopropyl. Is there a brand name?

Regards,

 

Edit to add: Hi Dave, I just got a litre on Aust. ebay...100% pure. A lot cheaper than at the chemist for sure! Thanks for the info.

[eternal_newbie]

Many Australian home & hardware stores (e.g. Bunnings) also sell it - the brand I tend to see the most is Digger's.

[Ken-Hawaii]

George, feel free to use methanol, ethanol, or isopropanol (isopropyl) - they are all alcohols that are suitable for cleaning blades. Please note that unless they say "denatured," that they contain up to 30% water, especially isopropyl alcohol, so be sure to oil them immediately after they are wiped dry.

 

Ken (Chemical & Petroleum Engineer)

[ROKUJURO]

....feel free to use methanol, ethanol, or isopropanol (isopropyl) - they are all alcohols that are suitable for cleaning blades. Please note that unless they say "denatured," that they contain up to 30% water, especially isopropyl alcohol......

Ken,

 

it might be mathematically difficult to find such an amount of water in alcohol of 95-100%......Of course you can buy 70% isopropylic alcohol with the mentioned content of water which is probably what you wanted to say.

 

In Germany denatured ethylic alcohol is 94% pure plus a small amount of a health hazardous or otherwise repellent substance not only to prevent misuse but to prevent alcohol tax evasion.

 

While I find it suitable to clean a newly acquired blade chemically with a solvant if necessary, I would refrain from using it regularly.

[drbvac]

Jean:

Considering the only abrasive part in cleaning with the solvent is the cloth or paper used - Is it that in itself or something about the solvent acting with the oil on the blade?

 

i know at some point many collectors are well advised to stop using uichiko regularly on newly polished or after a while - any blades. With time even the powder will alter the final polishing and burnished finish on a blade.

[ROKUJURO]

.....Considering the only abrasive part in cleaning with the solvent is the cloth or paper used - Is it that in itself or something about the solvent acting with the oil on the blade?

 

I know at some point many collectors are well advised to stop using uchiko regularly on newly polished or after a while - any blades. With time even the powder will alter the final polishing and burnished finish on a blade.

Yes, you always have abrasion with whatever you use to wipe a blade clean. It only depends of the time.

 

I was critical about the regular use of solvents because of their effect to remove the tiniest amounts of oil from the steel. Japanese sword steel, unlike any other steel, has a microscopical 'open' surface which we see as HADA. It is understood that oil can penetrate in these very small structures and remain there, preventing rust to build up.

 

In my understanding, the traditional care system of Japanese blades has proven to serve the purpose best. Any attempt to improve the cleaning with chemical solvents should be considered carefully.

[drbvac]

Ahhh. That makes sense - but I suppose the statement that the ukicho will still abrade the steel is still true = I guess you just play it by ear considering your humidity etc.

[george trotter]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I don't use a solvent to clean my blades at all as a rule, I have just now come to a position where my original choji oil jar with swaps is holding some traces of quite old choji. I noticed it was starting to globulate on the blade (almost as if the blade had some areas of wax on it that prevented the oil from attaching....so, I changed the oil and cleaned out the jar and made new swabs (new oil from Shibata Token in Tokyo).

I just want to use a good neutral solvent to prepare the blades for their ongoing care.

I have obtained a litre of isopropyl alcohol at 100% (says the label) from a local ebay source, so from what you guys have experienced, it seems pure stuff for blades.

Although I live in a dry climate I have always been in the habit of keeping my blades lightly oiled as I am on the coast...also I think it is getting more humid now....I just want to be sure the oil will coat them properly.

Thanks again.

[David Flynn]

George, have you tried Camellia oil (Tsubaki)?

[george trotter]

Hi David san,

No mate, I have no knowledge of this. I intend to go back on with the Shibata oil or failing that the pure light machine oil (Singer Sewing Machine oil).It is good quality oil.

Happy to hear about camellia oil though

Regards,