Q
A
I have a number
of saw blades that
are covered with
pitch. How do I
remove this sticky
buildup?
—DAVID PRESCOTT, KREBS, OK
Pitch is actually tree sap
that gums up saw blades as
they cut through resinous
woods, like pine and fi r. In
the old days before
chainsaws, when loggers
used two-man crosscut
saws, they’d dissolve the
pitch that slowed them
down by wiping the
blade with a rag
soaked in turpentine.
That still works for
me! For safety’s sake,
use turpentine outdoors or
in a well-ventilated area,
protect your skin with
gloves, and keep the rag
away from fi re; turpentine
fumes are fl ammable.
—TOM SILVA
TOH GENERAL CONTRACTOR
53
tips, tricks, and
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PHOTOGRAPH BY BILL WHITE
32 THISOLDHOUSE.COM SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 40 YEARS