Paint thinner to clean chain?
02-20-21, 10:52 AM
#26
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A blast from the past....... Can we leave it there?
02-20-21, 01:48 PM
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Sorry to put this thread to bed, but immerse chain in 2 liter bottle of kerosene, swish around, hand-up and let dry in the sun, re-lube, install and go. Remember, a chain is a consumable, and it doesn't need to last another 30 tears.
02-20-21, 04:24 PM
#28
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I'm going to take a stab in the dark and guess that some of the same people who recommend using paint thinner or kerosene on their chains are some of the same who will tell you to squirt a bunch of povidone iodine on your road rash.
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02-20-21, 06:15 PM
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I too will take a stab in the dark and suggest you are unable to bring a chain cleaning solution to the table. Been using kerosene for 40 years for cleaning and have never had a chain failure. Not uncommon to get over 5K on a chain. And to add insult to injury I use whatever lube I have on hand, including used motor oil.
Oh the Humanity.
Oh the Humanity.
02-21-21, 10:49 AM
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If you are a nature lover you'd probably be avoiding this, there are other eco-friendly options out there. But if you are not go on ahead, just properly dispose the chemical after use(flammable).
02-22-21, 05:40 AM
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Do you use to bath your chain into hot wax, or the wax+fuel stay liquid? I'm trying to make a liquid lube that dries fast. With the paint thinner works fine but I'm in fear for the frame.
02-22-21, 09:24 AM
#32
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Parrafin will dissolve completely, with 4-6 parts naphtha/camp stove fuel. It is temperature sensitive. Below about 75F it will start to turn into a mush and the dispensing bottle needs to be warmed in a bath of hot tap water. A cold chain will also cause it solidify. I put 20-30% gear lube in the melted paraffin, before mixing with the solvent.
Too bad a few seconds in the microwave won't heat it up. The solvent won't get hot, like water does.
Too bad a few seconds in the microwave won't heat it up. The solvent won't get hot, like water does.
02-22-21, 10:45 AM
#34
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No water soluble cleaner for me. Getting rid of the water prior to lubing would be a pain and an invitation for rust to start. I use several chains in a rotation, so I can let a solvent cleaned chain hang for a day or two to dry before lubing it and placing on the hanger with all of the other ready to use chains.
05-19-21, 03:20 PM
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Ok experts here's my question: So I got these two from the hardware store. Which one should I use? Or should I use both? If yes, in which order. My chain is not super dirty btw. I wipe it off after every ride. Not a ton of gunk on it.
Also, should I strip off the factory lube on the new Shimano chain and re-lube it with Squirt?
Also, should I strip off the factory lube on the new Shimano chain and re-lube it with Squirt?
05-19-21, 04:29 PM
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Ok experts here's my question: So I got these two from the hardware store. Which one should I use? Or should I use both? If yes, in which order. My chain is not super dirty btw. I wipe it off after every ride. Not a ton of gunk on it.
Also, should I strip off the factory lube on the new Shimano chain and re-lube it with Squirt?
Also, should I strip off the factory lube on the new Shimano chain and re-lube it with Squirt?
https://moltenspeedwax.com/pages/clean-your-chain
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05-19-21, 04:56 PM
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05-20-21, 04:14 PM
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You have the 2 ingredients mentioned in this cleaning process for a new chain.. though your "Denatured Alcohol" is the "Green" variety.. I can't say how or if this is any different than non-"Green" denatured alcohol.
https://moltenspeedwax.com/pages/clean-your-chain
https://moltenspeedwax.com/pages/clean-your-chain
05-20-21, 05:46 PM
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And while the cleaning solution may ostensibly be "biodegradable," the stuff you're cleaning off your chain likely isn't, so the biodegradability of the cleaner becomes moot.
I like to use "oderless mineral spirits" (aka "OMS," and despite the name, it's not "odorless") to clean my chains, but I understand there are some jurisdictions where it is not available. OMS has the advantage that it can be re-used multiple times. Collect the dirty solution in a container and let it sit. The particulates will settle to the bottom, and you can decant clean OMS off the top to use again.
And vinyl gloves are even worse. They dissolve almost instantly in OMS. 
I like to use "oderless mineral spirits" (aka "OMS," and despite the name, it's not "odorless") to clean my chains, but I understand there are some jurisdictions where it is not available. OMS has the advantage that it can be re-used multiple times. Collect the dirty solution in a container and let it sit. The particulates will settle to the bottom, and you can decant clean OMS off the top to use again.
While I wouldn't use any chemical without gloves (nitrile ones are good, latex less so), I would be doubly careful with the biodegradable solvents.
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