Thread: Cleaning out debris in the fluting

I've looked through a bunch of the other post here in the workshop but havent come across anything to help with my situation. I've got a couple blades I'm working on and they are coming along pretty decently but....I can't figure out how to get into the fluting to clean out the rust/debris that's in there. Any suggestions? Since I started typing this does anyone think that one of the "paper sanding wheels on the dremel would work?

i ues the wire wheel with the dermel it get all the crud out

I tried that last night without any luck. The brush I was using was pretty beat up though so I'll give it another shot with the cupped brush I've got laying around.

I'm a newbie, but wouldn't a wooden toothpick with a little bit of paste on it work for mild problems? I'm sure for heavier stuff the wire wheels or something else would have to be used. Just writting out my thoughts anyway. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will chime in here.

Originally Posted by ronnie brown

i ues the wire wheel with the dermel it get all the crud out

The steel wire wheels work pretty well. The brass wire wheels will leave you with yellow jimps, though. Pasted toothpicks aren't a bad idea, either. They won't be very agressive, though, so if it's rust removal you're after, you might go through a lot of toothpicks.

It depends on the style of jimps. The jimps with larger spaces between then and concave depressions clean well with the small 3M radial bristle discs. I only use the bristle discs on the types of jimps I describe where the bristle discs can't wear down the peaks of the jimps.

The jagged peaked file cut jimps that are much closer and non-uniform in spacing are not suited for the bristle discs since the bristles will wear down those nice peaks.

I have a screw tipped pen that takes replaceable brush tips (the tip retracts back into the pen when done) and the fiberglass tips get out all crud from any kind of jimps. The downside that prevents me from giving it a full recommendation is that the glass fibers break off so easily in the process that it gets messy and the fibers can and will penetrate fingertips.

The best all around tools I use for cleaning jimps and scraping rust even on the upper and lower portions of the tang between the pivot pin are.........an old set of dental picks. I picked up a set of 6 or so at an antique show once for like $8. They were used picks from the University of MN dental school. Some picks have tips that are chisel shaped and scrape even heavy rust off easily leaving only black oxidation and they don't scratch the blade's steel if you're paying attention. I think Micromark sells new dental picks for cheap IIRC. For me they're a must have set of small tools for the type of work we do.

I agree the brass wheels get crud out, but I don't like them because of the fact, like Robert said, they do leave a plating of brass on the jimps which is lame.

Chris L

You might try picking up a metal pick at almost any hardware store or dental picks.

Wire Dremel wheels, dental picks and Qtips are invaluable.

A super fine wire wheel on a bench grinder at low speed should work.

If you have a Harbor Freight near ya, you can pick up a set of dental picks there cheap.