pine pitch

[Whistler]

Helping a friend cut some white pine logs and at the end of the day had a couple sticky saws . What is the best and most environmentally/user friendly way to remove it ?
Thanks

 

[Tony Snyder]

I'd slosh some PineSol in warm water on it, let it set a while and pressure wash it. A whittled wooden plug in the muffler outlet.

 

[glens]

I suppose generic mineral spirits should cut it just fine.  I don't know if there's any possible danger of plastic being affected by it though.

Not much beats the aroma of a good turpentine, and it might be the better (safer?) choice, but it does cost a bit more.  It would certainly work, and with nothing more than loving caresses.  I keep a tin of it on the truck for the times I need to clean up myself and my tools after working with SPF framing lumber.

All due respect to Tony, but I'd be reluctant to pressure wash valuable equipment since the time I lost an otherwise perfectly good o-ring chain on a street bike to that process.

 

[high life man]

I've used a strong dishsoap solution with a scrubbie style sponge and have good success.

 

[Mike mandry]

Nothing beats good ol WD-40, or any generic equivilant.

 

[Tony Snyder]

I agree pressure washing is a little risky. You just have to be sure you dont get water in the crankcase.

 

[sedanman]

There are aerosol sprays made to remove pitch from hedge clipper blades, ought to work on saw parts. I use the Stihl stuff on my trimmer but I'm sure there are other sources as well.

 

[John in MA]

Kerosene. Good 'ol fashioned solvent. Works fine, no problems so far.

 

[Tzed250]

Sticky saws

Try some oven cleaner, you will be amazed.

 

[Toneman]

Be careful with the oven cleaner, it will mark any aluminum parts it comes in contact with.
I would go with the WD 40 or a varsol cleaner, followed by a quick spray and rinse of "Simple Green" cleaner.
Watch out for any sharp burrs on the bar groove area. This would be a good time to file those off.

 

[Whistler]

I was looking through a box of assorted aerosol cans , lubricants etc.,and found and tried some LPS Presolve . I just sprayed it on . had a beer , and wiped it off . It was that easy . It smelled like oranges and didn't dull the plastic on the saw or paint on the bar . I will try the other recommendations though and thank you all very much .. By the way , the saw I was using was a 346xp Husky , 20" bar , .325 full chisel ,(stock saw minus the spark screen) and it had to have been the almost perfect saw for 20" d.b.h. white pine as 95% of the time was limbing . Almost perfect as I'm sure a modified unit would be IT ! Thanks again , Whistler .