I finally stumbled on a trick for clearing sap off my loppers without ruining the blade

Honestly, I was out trimming a big silver maple near Des Moines last Tuesday, and the sap was caked on so bad my loppers would barely close. Tried wiping it with a rag, even used some gas, but it just smeared everywhere. Then I grabbed a can of PAM cooking spray from my lunch cooler and hit the blades with a quick spritz. The sap slid right off after that, no scrubbing. Has anyone else found a weird household item that works better than the fancy stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

chen.phoenix14d ago

Five times now WD-40 has outperformed products made specifically for the job.

holly6314d ago

My cousin actually works for a company that makes penetrating oils, and he told me WD-40 isn't really a lubricant at all. It's mostly a solvent with some light oil mixed in, so it cleans stuff out but doesn't leave much behind for long term protection. For things like rusty bolts or stuck mechanisms, sure it works great to break things loose. But for something like a bike chain or a door hinge where you need lasting lubrication, it dries up way too fast and can actually attract more dirt. I've seen him run tests where specific greases and silicone sprays held up ten times longer than WD-40 in the same spot. Just saying, it might seem like it's outperforming other stuff, but it's really just good at different jobs.