Effects of snow on chain sharpness.

[aandabooks]

What I'm wondering is if snow dulls a chain? Guy I work with swears that it does. I'm not so sure. I would think that with a hot chain, snow wouldn't matter. More if the wood is frozen.

I notice that at this time of year I get much less life out of a chain between sharpenings. I cut the vast majority of my wood during the winter but it isn't always frozen or snow covered just because it is winter.

Would buying a couple loops of Stihl RM or Oregon JGX help with this situation or is it just the way it is?

 

[chainsaway]

never had a dulling from snow that was noticeable, but more with crud locked in ice covered logs, no miracle solutions here i guess...
cheers alain

 

[chainsawaddict]

I agree, and think that somehow snow will dull a chain. Im not sure how, but I have noticed it. it might have to do with pulling the snow into the wood.

 

[JONSEREDFAN6069]

i've noticed that too, went out and cut this past weekend, 2 foot deep smow so i know i didn't touch the ground at all. lol. the tree was relatevely clean and didn't hit any metal inside, hit the snow a bunch of times and didn't think anything of it got that tree done and the chain was done. needed sharpening i mean. weird never came across that b 4, maybe it does dull it, i usually get about 10 to 12 tree's between sharpenings. maybe frozen wood, only cuttin pine so i dont think that'd do it.

 

[husky455rancher]

i believe that it does. obviously not like dirt or tar would lol. ive been cutting in the snow alot latley. when theres snow on the ground id say im alittle more wreckless in that imm not worried about cutting into the ground. it seems to me since ive been doing this it does dull a bit faster. thats just my observation anyway.

 

[CentaurG2]

I will agree, snow and especially ice seems to dull chain quickly. We did a lot of cleanups and removals after the December ice storm and the chains seemed to always need a touch up.

 

[chainsaway]

my observations clean green wood=stay sharp looong time, clean frozen=stay sharp , clean dry seasoned=sharpen often.. snow, i can't really see a difference...
cheers alain

 

[Mike PA]

I don't think it makes a difference. My guess is that snow covers other things sticking up that you otherwise would not hit.

 

[Austin1]

I find Frozen wood just as hard or harder to cut than dry seasoned wood. The chips I get are smaller in both cases. I don't think ice or snow will dull a chain. The only chain I have broken was on a -30 day and it just snapped in two! I think that had to do with a warm chain hitting cold wood.That Little chain catcher on the bottom of your saw really does it's job!!

 

[Coldfront]

There is no doubt frozen wood dulls your chain a lot faster, I don't think snow has anything to do with it other than freezing sand and dirt to the wood. I try to get all my wood cut up before it freeze's, saves on a lot of chain sharpening.

 

[itn]

i burn through chains when i'm cuttin dead frozen wood thats been on the ground. I was cutting this past weekend in a pile of locust I had skidded up earlier this summer. I had to sharpen about every tree.

 

[gink595]

i burn through chains when i'm cuttin dead frozen wood thats been on the ground. I was cutting this past weekend in a pile of locust I had skidded up earlier this summer. I had to sharpen about every tree.

+1. I had that same experience last week when I went and cut. I sharpened more than I cut.

 

[dingeryote]

What I'm wondering is if snow dulls a chain? Guy I work with swears that it does. I'm not so sure. I would think that with a hot chain, snow wouldn't matter. More if the wood is frozen.

I notice that at this time of year I get much less life out of a chain between sharpenings. I cut the vast majority of my wood during the winter but it isn't always frozen or snow covered just because it is winter.

Would buying a couple loops of Stihl RM or Oregon JGX help with this situation or is it just the way it is?

It ain't so much the snow as it is the frozen wood fiber.
I notice it as well. There's no getting away from the sand here, so my chains dull quick anyhow, but more so in the winter.

And Yes... I am a HUGE fan of the Stihl RM chain.
Have tried the new Oregon "Dirty wood" chain and it was no better than the regular blister packed Husky chain.

The Stihl RM Chain cuts better and longer, and saves ya cash on files.

I am NOT a Stihl Fanboy, but dangit, they got me addicted to RM chain.

Good luck to ya!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[olyman]

as dinger said----frozen wood fibers---and YES--ice dulls chains--go cut a hole in the ice on a river for spear fishing---3 inches length of cut--bad chain----been there--snow---dont think so--

 

[Austin1]

I don't use a Ice Auger.

I don't use a Ice Auger when Ice fishing,I always put on a long bar and cut a square hole in the lake then push it under the ice. I have never found it to dull a chain I don't run any bar lube either. When I do run bar lube in cutting tree's I use Canola, been using it for the last few years.The last part was for those that will scream at me for using a saw in a lake!
But if you live in a area with lot's of sand dirt that can get mixed in the ice then yes it will dull both chain or auger faster.Clean ice just like clean wood, your chain will go a long time before it needs to be sharpened at least two or three tank fulls. I know Southern Alberta gets some serous wind and my ice fishing friends say dust and grit on the lake kills their augers blade.
I hate ice fishing or any type of sit in one place fishing, I go as more a social thing and to scare people with my saw through the ice technique.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[November Wolf]

There is no doubt frozen wood dulls your chain a lot faster, I don't think snow has anything to do with it other than freezing sand and dirt to the wood. I try to get all my wood cut up before it freeze's, saves on a lot of chain sharpening.

I 100% agree with this. This being my first year, I cut all my wood mostly in december and just finished up this past weekend. The wood is all frozen but there was alot of sand frozen in there too. The chains sure did'nt stay sharp for long. And that frozen maple sure is hard.

 

[modn]

I cut a beech tree that was skidded through the woods when we had that warm spell. I dragged it home and vut it up. I went through 2 chains just getting that 1 log done. It was 14" and 40'. No doubt it was loaded with dirt and was frozen, but man I sure hate to put the saw & chain through that!!

 

[Zodiac45]

I think it's definately the frozen wood and not the snow that dulls a chain faster. If snow is a factor at all it's only because it's hiding dirt under it that gets pulled into the cut.

 

[Joshlaugh]

I agree to with the dulling of the chain. I took a couple of my crew out to cut up some downed trees from the September windstorm and try out the new Stihl 250 I bought us and could tell as I cut throughout the afternoon snowstorm that the chain wasn't cutting nearly as well as when I started. We had to touch them up before we quit for the day.

 

[day52]

I tend to agree with Austin1. We have used saws to cut holes for ice fishing for years. No problems! Frozen wood, especially when it has even just a bit of dirt on it will dull the saw so quickly it is unbelievable. Even worse, slip and touch the frozen ground with it, and you might as well shut down and start filing.