Update on the sit time after the first shake. Josh has repeatedly stated in other videos that the chain should sit for 10 minutes, not 5, before final shake and rinse.
Great product. I am definitely going to replace all of my solvents for chain prepping with this stuff. Thanks for developing another very useful product.
Thank you Silca for another awesome product!!! I'm no expert, but as far as I know,(avip to you)the new striper doesn't remove the old wax just oil and grease so you will be just toping off the old wax with new wax which is cool to do,but I am probably going to run my used chains through the ultra sonic cleaner with the nasty cleaners to remove all the old wax and any grime that could be trapped in the old wax so as to keep the expensive wax x in the cooker as clean as possible...Cheers!!!
Unnecessary - this cleaner removes old wax. If you want to remove old dirty wax from a chain without using any chemicals, just sumberge it in boiling (very hot) water for a couple of minutes, then wipe it down. If my waxed chain isn't terribly dirty, i just put it straight into the hot wax bath without any cleaning at all...
Appreciate if you'd fully cover when & how to "re-strip" an already-waxed chain. In other words, remove Secret Chain Blend (hot wax) and Super Secret (drip wax) and dirt, in order to re-apply wax. That occurs more over the life of a chain, than prepping a new chain.
They have had some videos in the past where it was recommended to just wipe the chain with a rag and dunk it into the hot melt wax. Makes rewaxing/cleaning trivial.
I don't like re-waxing a chain that I can see & feel is dirty. I don't want to lock the dirt into the wax. I also don't want the dirt contaminating my 'pot' of good clean wax.
@aVIP toYou Me neither. That being said, the whole idea is that the wax sheds itself when it gets contaminated, which is what keeps the chain (relatively) clean. Compared with packing grease, the bits of dust and road grime you might accumulate over the life of your wax job are simplicity itself to clean. If there isn't visible gunk, just melt off the old wax, dry off, and apply the new wax. If someone dumped a bunch of oil on your chain, that would take some solvent to clean up, but it would be a lot easier to handle than packing grease.
@@avip2u it doesn’t lock the dirt. The whole reason you need to rewax is cause the wax naturally gets shed out over time, which takes the dirt out with it.
So I've heard it said now twice that it takes 1 oz to clean one chain and there is 16 oz in a container. So please explain to me why it says on the label that the container contains enough to clean 5 chains?
Interesting product for sure. Have you tried running that chain through an ultrasonic cleaner after the rinse to see if there's anything left in the rollers?
During the almost 2 years of developing this we actually found that weighing the chain before/after was the best way to determine how much grease is removed and yes, the Stripper removes all of it.
No, we use it in our process here. Just be sure your compressor has a filter and an air dryer or it can contaminate the chain with condensate that has accumulated in the tank.
Not if you're getting it waxed or wet lubricated within a day or so. The Stripper leaves a protective wax film on the metal, so it will inhibit any corrosion for a bit on its own, but you definitely need to get that chain lubricated after cleaning.
You'll need about 4 oz in the jar, but you can then use that for 4-5 chains before it starts losing it's stripping power. Some customers use the whole bottle and then filter it back through a coffee filter into the original bottle after use. We've had some shops and teams tell us they are getting more like 24-30 chains per 16oz bottle by filtering out the stripped factory grease.
I recall a video from maybe either Zero Friction or Oz Cycle where in a comparison procedure the ultrasonically treated chain measured the same or a bit worse than the non-ultra chain in the properties they were measuring, indicating that the ultrasonic may not be required. It was convincing enough for me.
Doesn't cramming the chain and shaking it around in a jar like that create kinks and stress on the pivots? I'm afraid of that causing a weakened/future broken chain. Am I being unreasonable?
Mineral spirits leaves a residue that will soften and damage the wax, so you want to use it first, and then you need a clean-evaporating solvent like acetone or denatured alcohol to remove the mineral spirit residue. Or just use chain stripper and rinse with water.
Be sure to rinse the chain with water after the agitation and soak step, this removes any excess encapsulated grease. You may also have permanent residue from your prior lubricant on the chain, some lubes are polymer based and over time can harden into a plastic film on the metal that is not completely removable by traditional means. Dumonde Tech and WolfTooth are probably the best examples of this, and unfortunately the chain will need to be replaced, or converted back to using those lubes.
@@SILCAVelo This was just a new bike where the chain still had factory lube. On the bike shop's advice, my wife rode it until it started to sound a little noisy - and then we decided to try waxing it instead of going the wet lube route. I expect it wasn't fully clean - but we did multiple iterations of stripper (shake & soak for 10 mins, then rinse with water). Even at the end, I noted some slight gray discoloration when I dried the chain with a paper towel. For my own bike, I bought one of your pre-waxed chains and love it... I will probably do the same for my wife's. The drip wax works well as a top-up for me.
Those components just need to be cleaned before converting to wax, we recommend SILCA brake and drivetrain cleaner, but soapy water and a scrub brush will work.
The Stripper leaves a microscopic film of wax on the chain which is what allows the wax lubricant to adhere better, but it also makes it a bit less metallic sounding when you shake it.. you can certainly try to re-shake it in the Stripper and see if more grease comes out, but in general it leaves the chain a bit less noise than the traditional strip method.
I’ve ordered your chain stripper. Is there any need to use it on a chain that I have prepped and hot waxed with Silca Hot drip wax and then used only Silca SS drip wax on for 5,500 miles. It is a Campy chain and I have never taken it off the bike. It still shows almost zero wear on my KMC digital chain checker, amazing product. I used to get about 2000 miles on a Shimano chain with pro gold lube. Thanks, Dave
Check out our latest FAQ on the Stripper. It works in an ultrasonic, but no better than it does in a bottle that you shake. czcams.com/video/vIGm2WbyEQ4/video.html
Strips a chain in 10 minutes and increases wax treatment life by up to 30%.. no joke. Don't forget that ~10eur of that is going to your government in taxes!
Yes, a used gatorade bottle works great, and lots of people do this in old/used cycling waterbottles. I like glass as you can see the grease come out of the chain and also get a good feel for when you need to filter or strain the grease out of the liquid, but all of it works similarly.
@@SILCAVelo Thank you so much for the answer. Do I understand correctly from you reply that if one is to reuse the same liquid that has already been used to clean say a couple of chains, it is better to filter it first?
Update on the sit time after the first shake. Josh has repeatedly stated in other videos that the chain should sit for 10 minutes, not 5, before final shake and rinse.
Great product. I am definitely going to replace all of my solvents for chain prepping with this stuff. Thanks for developing another very useful product.
Doing this now for my first time waxing. The wipes are also fantastic for cleaning everything and getting the chain ready for the jar. Great products!
I don’t know if he’s standing up behind a tall desk or sitting down on a low chair 🤔
Tall desk! Helps keep the framing of the shot and also avoids any accidental belly or crotch shots!
Thank you Silca for another awesome product!!! I'm no expert, but as far as I know,(avip to you)the new striper doesn't remove the old wax just oil and grease so you will be just toping off the old wax with new wax which is cool to do,but I am probably going to run my used chains through the ultra sonic cleaner with the nasty cleaners to remove all the old wax and any grime that could be trapped in the old wax so as to keep the expensive wax x in the cooker as clean as possible...Cheers!!!
Unnecessary - this cleaner removes old wax. If you want to remove old dirty wax from a chain without using any chemicals, just sumberge it in boiling (very hot) water for a couple of minutes, then wipe it down. If my waxed chain isn't terribly dirty, i just put it straight into the hot wax bath without any cleaning at all...
Just ordered some. Can’t wait to try it!
What should be done to the cassette, jockey wheels, and chain ring?
Has silca added some info about that?
No, I just degrease the sh*t out of them.@@RAP4EVERMRC96
You clean them
Used few times and been great ! Saves time and chain looks great
Does it affect painted chains such as the KMC DLC line that are black and red/green/yellow/blue... would it take the paint off?
You say this is for "hot wax" is it ok to used for drip wax treatment as well? I imagine you'd need to let the chain dry completely?
Do you need to strip and wax the quick links also?
Appreciate if you'd fully cover when & how to "re-strip" an already-waxed chain. In other words, remove Secret Chain Blend (hot wax) and Super Secret (drip wax) and dirt, in order to re-apply wax. That occurs more over the life of a chain, than prepping a new chain.
Heat plain water, put waxed chain in water, melt wax, remove chain, wipe off and let dry, good to go.
They have had some videos in the past where it was recommended to just wipe the chain with a rag and dunk it into the hot melt wax. Makes rewaxing/cleaning trivial.
I don't like re-waxing a chain that I can see & feel is dirty. I don't want to lock the dirt into the wax. I also don't want the dirt contaminating my 'pot' of good clean wax.
@aVIP toYou Me neither. That being said, the whole idea is that the wax sheds itself when it gets contaminated, which is what keeps the chain (relatively) clean. Compared with packing grease, the bits of dust and road grime you might accumulate over the life of your wax job are simplicity itself to clean. If there isn't visible gunk, just melt off the old wax, dry off, and apply the new wax. If someone dumped a bunch of oil on your chain, that would take some solvent to clean up, but it would be a lot easier to handle than packing grease.
@@avip2u it doesn’t lock the dirt. The whole reason you need to rewax is cause the wax naturally gets shed out over time, which takes the dirt out with it.
So I've heard it said now twice that it takes 1 oz to clean one chain and there is 16 oz in a container. So please explain to me why it says on the label that the container contains enough to clean 5 chains?
So far in my experience 2 chains took basically half of the bottle.
It’s not clear to me if this is for NEW chains only or used chains switching over to wax?
Thanks
It's mentioned in the video, you can use any chain you want used or new
Can I blow dry the chain for a few minutes instead of waiting for it to dry?
Yes, that works great to remove excess water!
Interesting product for sure. Have you tried running that chain through an ultrasonic cleaner after the rinse to see if there's anything left in the rollers?
During the almost 2 years of developing this we actually found that weighing the chain before/after was the best way to determine how much grease is removed and yes, the Stripper removes all of it.
Any downside to using some compressed air to blow off the water to speed up the drying process before doing the hot wax bath?
No, we use it in our process here. Just be sure your compressor has a filter and an air dryer or it can contaminate the chain with condensate that has accumulated in the tank.
If you're rinsing it with water after the stripper, wont the chain suffer some rust while drying?
Not if you're getting it waxed or wet lubricated within a day or so. The Stripper leaves a protective wax film on the metal, so it will inhibit any corrosion for a bit on its own, but you definitely need to get that chain lubricated after cleaning.
Will 30ml/1oz enough to cover one chain on a jar? Or does the chain not need to be submerged? I look to 1oz on a jar and i think that is not enough.
You'll need about 4 oz in the jar, but you can then use that for 4-5 chains before it starts losing it's stripping power. Some customers use the whole bottle and then filter it back through a coffee filter into the original bottle after use. We've had some shops and teams tell us they are getting more like 24-30 chains per 16oz bottle by filtering out the stripped factory grease.
How many baths will need to strip a new chain? 1 bath is enough?
Is there any benefit to using an ultrasonic cleaner anymore with this new solution?
I recall a video from maybe either Zero Friction or Oz Cycle where in a comparison procedure the ultrasonically treated chain measured the same or a bit worse than the non-ultra chain in the properties they were measuring, indicating that the ultrasonic may not be required. It was convincing enough for me.
We just added comment on that in an FAQ video you can check out here: czcams.com/video/vIGm2WbyEQ4/video.html
Doesn't cramming the chain and shaking it around in a jar like that create kinks and stress on the pivots? I'm afraid of that causing a weakened/future broken chain. Am I being unreasonable?
No need to worry, the chain sees no stress in this process.
How can it be reused?
you put another chain in it ofc
Some say use mineral spirts last and you say first does it matter
Mineral spirits leaves a residue that will soften and damage the wax, so you want to use it first, and then you need a clean-evaporating solvent like acetone or denatured alcohol to remove the mineral spirit residue. Or just use chain stripper and rinse with water.
@@SILCAVelo thank you for the info
I used nearly 3/4 of a bottle of the stripper on a used chain (
Be sure to rinse the chain with water after the agitation and soak step, this removes any excess encapsulated grease. You may also have permanent residue from your prior lubricant on the chain, some lubes are polymer based and over time can harden into a plastic film on the metal that is not completely removable by traditional means. Dumonde Tech and WolfTooth are probably the best examples of this, and unfortunately the chain will need to be replaced, or converted back to using those lubes.
@@SILCAVelo This was just a new bike where the chain still had factory lube. On the bike shop's advice, my wife rode it until it started to sound a little noisy - and then we decided to try waxing it instead of going the wet lube route. I expect it wasn't fully clean - but we did multiple iterations of stripper (shake & soak for 10 mins, then rinse with water). Even at the end, I noted some slight gray discoloration when I dried the chain with a paper towel.
For my own bike, I bought one of your pre-waxed chains and love it... I will probably do the same for my wife's.
The drip wax works well as a top-up for me.
Do you have instructions how to prep the drive train (cassette, pulley, and chain ring) for wax chain usage ?
Those components just need to be cleaned before converting to wax, we recommend SILCA brake and drivetrain cleaner, but soapy water and a scrub brush will work.
by using chain stripper chain shaking noise isnt as metallic as after cleaning it up with aceton! does it mean I didnt do it proberly? thx robert
The Stripper leaves a microscopic film of wax on the chain which is what allows the wax lubricant to adhere better, but it also makes it a bit less metallic sounding when you shake it.. you can certainly try to re-shake it in the Stripper and see if more grease comes out, but in general it leaves the chain a bit less noise than the traditional strip method.
I’ve ordered your chain stripper. Is there any need to use it on a chain that I have prepped and hot waxed with Silca Hot drip wax and then used only Silca SS drip wax on for 5,500 miles.
It is a Campy chain and I have never taken it off the bike. It still shows almost zero wear on my KMC digital chain checker, amazing product.
I used to get about 2000 miles on a Shimano chain with pro gold lube.
Thanks, Dave
Thanks for the feedback Dave and awesome to hear! - Josh
Can the liquid be reused for more chains after cleaning one?
Yes, he said so in the video
1 chain per 1oz so if you fill the jar with 5 oz you can do 5 chains. Did you watch with the sound off?
Hi. I just got a new cassette. Do I also need to clean it before using it with a waxed chain? It's a S-Ride CS-M500. Thanks,
No, new cassettes should be completely clean and devoid of lubricant, so just install and ride!
can you just use the SILCA SUPER SECRET CHAIN LUBE after you strip your new chain?
Absolutely..
Would you use it in an ultrasonic video? Can we see a vid using one?
Check out our latest FAQ on the Stripper. It works in an ultrasonic, but no better than it does in a bottle that you shake. czcams.com/video/vIGm2WbyEQ4/video.html
@@SILCAVelo wow super strong stuff thanks!
Have you tested this on YBN chains and whatever factory grease they come with ?
Yep, works great!
The website says one bottle of solvent costs 44 EUR. Is it a mistake/ joke?
Strips a chain in 10 minutes and increases wax treatment life by up to 30%.. no joke. Don't forget that ~10eur of that is going to your government in taxes!
can i prep a used chain which is dirty from oil treatment?
They said in the video that you can, but you may need more than 1oz per chain
Is it good to use this on a new chain in prep for Synergetic drip lube? Thanks
Absolutely, you can do either immersion or drip on of the Stripper using Synergetic.
Anybody want to buy a brand new ultrasonic cleaner?
Wich is best product to strip other brand's old wax from a chain to apply Silca wax ? Tks ! Larry
Boiling water is the best and most environmentally friendly method for stripping a waxed chain
Since the new wax will dissolve and remove the dirty old wax, i see no reason for a separate wax stripping step.
Love this product. Next weeks episode: Shimano and SRAM announce selling un-greased chains 🤣.
40€ for such a small bottle is just insane. Also even if its biodegradable,the factory grease isnt.
Can you use a plastic jar?
Yes, a used gatorade bottle works great, and lots of people do this in old/used cycling waterbottles. I like glass as you can see the grease come out of the chain and also get a good feel for when you need to filter or strain the grease out of the liquid, but all of it works similarly.
@@SILCAVelo Thank you so much for the answer. Do I understand correctly from you reply that if one is to reuse the same liquid that has already been used to clean say a couple of chains, it is better to filter it first?