How To Gunk on X-Actos. Worth cleaning or buying new blades?

J

John Citizen

Joined
Apr 12, 2020
Messages
62
I pulled out three X-actos out of storage, and I noticed a coating of a dark grease-like substance covering the blades, which it appears to have somehow originated from the lubrication in the handle. Would it be worth cleaning or should I just buy cheap new blades? If it is worth cleaning, what should I use? I'm not sure anyone values X-actos enough to bother maintenance, rather than just buying a new one, as they are quite cheap. I was wondering if anybody has experienced this issue or has anything to say.

I took photos, but they were under artificial light and did not come out right, not being of any use. I'll try later to take a photo under natural light if there is any confusion or curiosity.

Merry Christmas.
 
I always have goof off at my bench. If not at my bench hand sanitizer usually does the trick. No reason to throw them away.

The only person I knew who used exacto blades a lot was my dad. And he’d sharpen them before he used them. Then he’d use them until they were nubs.
 
WD40—way better than any goo gone works great on dried on stickers any sort of gunk
 
Finger nail polish remover also works.
Echoing above post
 
guy g said:
Finger nail polish remover also works.
Echoing above post
Click to expand...

Nail polish remover is acetone (usually w/some other stuff in it -- like a fragrance -- to make it more user friendly).

WD40 (as well as cooking oil) is good to use on sticky residue from labels but it (they) will leave a residue of it's (their) own that you'd need to clean off w/acetone or some other cleaner.

Goof Off is very effective but the the smell/odor of the stuff is awful and certainly something that I'd only use in a very well ventilated space. It can also be extremely destructive to the underlying material, even more so than acetone. So, while I have some, I only use it if acetone doesn't work.
 
Last edited:
I would say just throw them away and put in new blades. They're dirt cheap, and whatever is on the old blades could have corroded the edge so you may have a dull blade, which is dangerous. You could cut yourself cleaning them too.
 
CVamberbonehead said:
I would say just throw them away and put in new blades. They're dirt cheap, and whatever is on the old blades could have corroded the edge so you may have a dull blade, which is dangerous. You could cut yourself cleaning them too.
Click to expand...

There's that too but why throw away a blade if it's unncessary? Waste not, want not.
 
I'd try cleaning them up. Chances are you have something in the house that will do the trick. I'd try goo gone or wd40. If a little cleaning and elbow grease doesn't work, then toss them.

I've been known to sharpen x-acto and box cutter blades before too. I still use x-acto blades and put together the occasional plastic model. :thumbsup:
 
Almost anything can be removed with either concentrated isopropyl alcohol or Zippo fluid. If I don't know, I try the alcohol first. If it is residue from tape, Zippo fluid is the way to go. If neither work, mineral oil might. I usually finish with non-toxic mineral oil anyway after stripping oils from a steel surface.

I generally avoid WD40 because it leaves a residue and is a bit more toxic.
 
Thanks everyone for the ideas. I guess I'll wash the blades with some isopropyl alcohol and try not to accidentally spill it into an unsuspecting glass of ginger beer, making the world's most dangerous Moscow Mule🤣. If the Moscow Mule turns out bad, I'll look for acetone in my garage or look strange buying nail polish remover. 😑

If they're still bad, I guess I'll just buy some more X-acto blades...
 
A good blade is a good blade, regardless of the expense (or not) of acquiring it. I hate to toss them out if they still have useful life left.

I even resharpen the blades in utility knives, in spite of the fact I already have dozens of replacement blades on hand and within close reach.

Depending on the 'gunk' on the blade, some well-reputed solutions might work or not. Some adhesives respond better to soap & water for removal, rather than the oft-recommended acetone (which sometimes dries some types of gunk to rock-hard without removing it) or other solvents. But that being said, I've found Goo-Gone to work on most things, most of the time. That's what I reach for, most often. And with Goo-Gone, just spritz a bit on the blade and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to soften up the gunk. Then wipe it off. Most of the time, that works well.
 
Last edited:
Obsessed with Edges said:
A good blade is a good blade, regardless of the expense (or not) of acquiring it. I hate to toss them out if they still have useful life left.

I even resharpen the blades in utility knives, in spite of the fact I already have dozens of replacement blades on hand and within close reach.

Depending on the 'gunk' on the blade, some well-reputed solutions might work or not. Some adhesives respond better to soap & water for removal, rather than the oft-recommended acetone (which sometimes dries some types of gunk to rock-hard without removing it) or other solvents. But that being said, I've found Goo-Gone to work on most things, most of the time. That's what I reach for, most often. And with Goo-Gone, just spritz a bit on the blade and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to soften up the gunk. Then wipe it off. Most of the time, that works well.
Click to expand...

I also hate unnecessary waste. Sharpening utility blades is usually quick and easy.

Soap and water actually does work on some gunks and goos. I've used regular dish soap and sink-washing with an old tooth brush on various gear. It's better on just a blade. Using it on assembled gear can mean having to then displace the water as an extra step before oiling. (No, I don't recommend using WD-40 to kill two birds with one stone.)

Acetone is okay for steel but on other materials, it tends to be much harsher than the equivalent concentration of alcohol. Since I'm usually cleaning out whole knife assemblies and my wife doesn't paint her nails, I don't even keep it on hand.

I tried Goo-Gone once and the results were mixed. For the specific cleaning of tape gunk from a blade, I still prefer Zippo fluid, a.k.a. Ronsonol. While it's the most toxic thing I use, it evaporates quickly and can be easily dispersed in isopropanol. (Sure, people have spent decades with Zippo lighters in their pockets, etc. I still glove up.) I use the convenient squirt top to apply it to a paper towel or scrap rag, wrap the applicable section of blade for a minute, and then wipe away.
 
Clean and sharpen as with any other edged tool.

I sharpen X-acto blades and blades for Stanley box cutters (10-209, 10-499, etc.) unless in the middle of paying job where it makes sense to simply replace as disposable.
You might be surprised how much better they perform with a quality sharpening (even fresh ones just out of the package).
 
eveled said:
I always have goof off at my bench. If not at my bench hand sanitizer usually does the trick. No reason to throw them away.

The only person I knew who used exacto blades a lot was my dad. And he’d sharpen them before he used them. Then he’d use them until they were nubs.
Click to expand...
i sharpen olfa snap off blades everyday and sharpen xacto blades when working with leather or microfibers. its more fun to do than the money it saves imo. i am a sign guy who cuts lots of mat. with a straight edge and surprisingly i only break a blade section off every few weeks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top