petrol

[numbnuts]

I use white spirit too with a new tooth brush

 

[asterix]

Actually petrol burns or ignites quite poorly, it's the vapour that burns. I find that it tends to eat toothbrushes though. When I can get time I use one of the spray on degreasers then relube. I just find it easier to store and use and worth the extra cost.

Yeah, and it vapourises very readily. No way I would trust petrol. There was an unfortunate woman in York who burnt herself badly decanting petrol in her kitchen because she had the gas on.

it's one reason marine boat engines switched from petrol because the fumes collect in the bilges waiting for that vital spark..

I find that it tends to eat toothbrushes though

You should try toothpaste. It tastes nicer anyway.

 

[GentlyBenevolent]

Chainsaw oil. Regular and often is all it needs. Keep a small stock of old clothes that are going to be thrown out and use them as your rags. Chainsaw oil at £1 a litre means you can do it often, but even then you don't need much.

For years I used automatic oilers (scottoiler) on motorcycle chains. By dripping a very small amount of oil onto the chain each ride it worked far better than just spraying thick lube/wax/teflon gunk/etc on it every 300 miles. The chains lasted measurably longer, although the back wheel always got a little muckier.

Mickleing your chain is a manual version of this, only you're keeping it reasonably dry as well not leaving a load of oil on to fling off. I wouldn't bother using a solvent at all.

 

[diyduffer]

If you are cleaning bike chains you will stip oiy the lube from the middle, that won't be effectively replaced so your chain wears faster, but ITs all shaine and nice. I suppose that is what is important now adays