clean a saw blade

[sunnybob]

I'm refurbishing the Tyzak tenon saw I got recently. Just a tidy up, NOT a restoration. Got all the old broken stain off the handle and I can clean up the brass spine.
The blade has what looks like a coat of lacquer over it, as well as 50 years of dirt.
I would normally just scrub it with wire wool but I like the tyzak motto etched into the side of it.
So, without going all alchemy on me, or describing 50 hours work, how do I get the gunk of without losing the etching please. This is NOT a restoration.

 

[Racers]

Razor blade preferably a safety one should not affect the etch, try in a small area first.

Pete

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Some lacquers will wipe off with isopropyl alcohol.

 

[sunnybob]

A razor blade I dont have (cant see a gillette mach 3 being very successful) I'l try a stanley blade.
Dont have isopropyl either. I can only buy that here in 1 litre jugs. How about acetone? the missuss has nail varnish remover?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Try it. Try cellulose, paint stripper, anything that gives you a chance without abrading it. There's nothing much else to hurt.

 

[Rorschach]

Try some petrol, thats easy to get hold of.

 

[AndyT]

+1 for the acetone nail varnish remover if there is a layer of lacquer that you want to remove. Use as coarse a rag as you can find, such as a bit of old denim jeans.

 

[pollys13]

isopropyl alcohol same stuff I think as CD lens cleaner, also chemist might sell it, might be under another name.

 

[sunnybob]

All done, thanks.
Stanley blade and acetone got the lacquer off. the blade is still pitted and the logo partly obscured, but with the brass smoothed out and the handle stained it looks a lot better than it did.
i dont use it very much so its only a wall hanger.

 

[Racers]

You can make the logo stand out by going over it with a black indelible pen then sanding it with some fine grit round a block.
It should leave the black pen in the etch.

Pete

 

[sunnybob]

I might try that Pete, but the workshop is closed for the night now. Tiffin time!