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i just brush mine with old engin oil when i put it away for the night somtiems a quick steel brush before i do if its sappy
Tar & Bug remover from a car shop is the best for cleaning headge cutting blades, in my experience. I avoid using a dedicated degreaser as I’m paranoid it can seep through to the gearbox and ‘split’ the grease inside.
I really wouldn't worry too much about the blades.................. in 20+ years, I've only used blade "cleaner" once a couple of months ago just to see what it did. Not a lot! Even when I put it on the blades and scrubbed with a nailbrush, they stayed exactly the same. again, lubrication............ very rarely use any and have never had a problem with wear.... I find the sap lubricated the blades pretty effectively................ I've tried the GT85 spray sometimes but don't really notice any benefit. It's worth remembering that the blades are only resting against each other and not under any signicant pressure.
I use Kramp resin remover, spary on agetate with a small wire brush blades come up like new, it works really well.
WD40 is what I use. I sray it on at intervals during use and apply it after use. It lubricates but also cleans the blades. It will break down and remove any 'green' build up.
Use the dedicated stihl cleaner/lube. Wd40 is the worst thing you can use as no good for the grease in the gearbox
That Stihl stuff is as good as useless. I agree that WD40 is not recommended if it were to infiltrate a gearbox, as it'll break down the greases. But, as long as it's applied sparingly to the blades it'll do no harm at all.
You just said "use the dedicated Stihlcleaner/lube and now you're saying its "as good as useless"?!! you're right though... it's not very good. I just don't see how WD40 would enter the gearbox from the blades..... it's just not going to happen. . I find just using the blades when thing are wet, the blades comeup remarkably clean.
I have owned and have been using pro hedge cutters for 34 years. The amount of wd40 sprayed on the blades is so insignificant that it just will not seep into the gearbox. You only spray on enough to lightly coat the blades. They aren't bathed in the stuff. I remove the gearbox cover and check the grease regularly [as we all should] and there are no issues at all.
WD40 cleans and lubricates. The Stihl cleaner is very good if there is resin build up on the blades, but even when using this, you have to spray on wd40 or a similar product afterwards because the Stihl cleaner is water based and needs to be washed off and if just left after cleaning, the blades very quickly get surface rust all over.
The Stihl oils, grease and cleaners are good but expensive. For example, the stihl gearbox grease is good but then the high speed lithium grease I buy in grease gun cartridges is just as good and specified for high speed, high temperature applications, but is far more economical.
As stated above, the car cleaner resin remover will do the same job as the Stihl cleaner.