Filing down brake pads

Is it possible to decomtaminate a brake pad by filing down using a fine sandpaper?

and is it safe? I heard some brakepads are made of asbestos? Mine are basic shimano jobs, no idea what they are made of.

Old car brake pads used to be with asbestos in them, I can’t imagine modern bike pads have any in them.

It maybe that the contamination has seeped in too far. I have sanded pads down to get rid of the glaze on them before.

Sanding down pads is a pretty common way to try and remove glaze/contamination/squeal. You’ll be fine unless you actually eat the brake pad shavings.

Stick them in the dishwasher, there’s nothing better for degreasing components.

put them in a vice, hold a lighter underneath until they start to smoke, then clean up with sandpaper*.

At least in my case, the oil had soaked into the pads and sanding alone did nothing, after this they were perfect again.

(these were organic superstar pads, still in use 6 months later)

*NOTE: MAKE SURE TO USE PLIERS TO PICK THEM UP. I STILL HAVE A A MISSING BIT OF THUMBPRINT FROM WHEN I FORGOT THIS

Are these the pads at are £5 a set?

blow torch till smoking – quench in water

repeat 3 times.

Sand

Done.

Put a blob of swarfega on one of the pads then rub them together. Worked for me.

Do you really go to these lengths to try and rescue brake pads?! Personally I’d rather not risk imminent death* for the sake of a few quid.

*possibly

When they are so expensive and can be saved in 5 minutes. why not? You forget the disc is also contaminated so you have to decontaminate both. Why risk brand new pads?

Just make sure you use Brake or Carb cleaner,Meths !,NOT,petrol,turps on any oily substance,its gotta be something that evaporates.. !

brake/carb cleaner is designed for a car not a bike. Some of these contains various oily substances which **** your brake pads. BURN THEM TRUST ME ITS BETTER!

Fair point about the discs, hadn’t thought of that. But as I have not(yet) contaminated pads/discs it seems weird to set fire to parts!