Caring for your Kutzall

The complete guide to maintaining your tools!

Thanks to our exclusive coatings and unparalleled quality of materials, Kutzall tools are acclaimed for staying cleaner and lasting longer than their traditional counterparts. But, like every well-used tool, eventually it will need maintenance.

If your tool, whether it’s a Rotary Burr, Shaping Wheel, or Hand Rasp, has accumulated too much medium in its teeth and it’s affecting your carving performance, you may need to give it a thorough cleaning.

Not to worry, cleaning and caring for your Kutzall is an easy, straightforward process. Depending on the material you’re carving there are two ways to clean your tool.

Option 1: Burning (for wood only)

What you'll need: A well used Kutzall tool, butane or propane torch, fine hand wire brush, dusk mask or respirator, leather gloves, eye protection, water or a fire extinguisher on standby for safety.

1. Set-up in a well ventilated area.
2. Unplug the power source and remove your Kutzall from the power tool.
3. Ignite your butane or propane torch, and slowly pass the flame over the built up material until it burns and hardens to brittle char.
4. Using the hand wire brush, scrape away any excess buildup that's caught in the teeth.
5. Repeat burning and brushing as many times as necessary until the teeth are free of debris.
6. Allow the tool to slowly cool down to room temperature (do not quench in cold water immediately after burning).
7. Inspect the tool for excessive wear, broken teeth, etc. (replace if necessary)
8. Reattach to your power tool.
9. Carve on!

Option 2: Soaking (Recommended for wood, stone, plastics, and composites)

What you'll need: A well-used Kutzall tool, solvent capable of breaking down your clogged material (mineral spirits, turpentine, or acetone work well), large glass container, fine wire brush, dusk mask or respirator, leather gloves, eye protection.

1. Unplug the power source and remove your Kutzall from the power tool.
2. Fill a large glass container with your solvent of choice in a well ventilated area.
3. Submerge the clogged part of your Kutzall tool in the solvent (Note: do not submerge the rubber handle of a Kutzall hand rasp).
4. Allow the solvent adequate time to soak into and penetrate the built up material. This can take several hours.
5. Remove the soaked tool from the container and firmly scrape the clogged material away with the wire brush.
6. Repeat soaking and scraping as many times as necessary until the teeth are free of debris.
7. Wash the solvent off of your tool using soap and water and dry thoroughly.
8. Inspect the tool for excessive wear, broken teeth, etc. (replace if necessary).
9. Reattach to your power tool.
10. Carve on!

We hope this article has provided you with some clarity on how to properly clean and care for your Kutzall. If you have any questions, please feel free to post them in the comments below and we'll do our very best to answer them!