The Cleaning of Blades

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes David, I agree, and the old threads cover methods other than acid cleaning.

The major reason I started this new thread is because of two things that Kai mentioned:-

1) that a mild acetic acid can damage steel

2) that there is no need to kill acetic acid residue with bi-carb

Perhaps Kai can give us technical explanations for this, because I have never experienced damage to any blade that I have ever cleaned with vinegar, even though on a couple of occasions I've forgotten I had one soaking, and it got the benefit of 2 or 3 weeks in a vinegar bath.

Similarly, I have seen ferric material react after cleaning with vinegar when I did not use the bicarb slurry before the final rinse. I do not always use bicarb, it is mostly when my experience tells me that I should, or on a return clean when a blade has reacted because I did not use bi-carb the first time.

So now I am waiting for Kai to share his knowledge.

I have only learnt from experience, I have no technical knowledge at all about the things that I use.

But cleaning a blade for the first time might seem like a big thing to somebody new to it, so I believe it is important that those people should get as much guidance as possible.