Advice requested about older style Stihl chain

[LabLover]

This is an older but in good condition Stihl 3/8 pitch standard chain from my "new" excellent condition 032 AVE.

I am unfamiliar with the links that have three bumps, are these "rake" links designed to clean out the cut? It would seem these would slow down the cutting? I was wondering if I should grind them down or maybe replace the chain with a new one?

If anyone has experience with these chains I would appreciate any tips or input you might be able to offer.

 

[Andyshine77]

Those are bumper safety links. They help prevent the chain from biting when it's going around the tip, this helps prevent kickback. Saw chains technically don't have rakers.

 

[Andyshine77]

And no chain will cut well if not sharpened properly, the teeth on that chain need some work.

 

[vhmtach38]

I have grounded them down with a bench grinder.....they’re for safety reasons.....or amateurs.

 

[Philbert]

Those are ‘reduced kickback’ tie strap bumpers. I don’t like the term ‘safety chain’ because they will still cut your leg off (and not feel bad about it!).

Some guys seem to be bothered by them; we have cut a lot of wood with them. Not great on long bars (24” or longer) due to reduced chip clearing; and not as good for bore cutting. But they give a smoother cut (what they were originally designed for) on smaller diameter limbs.

Only ’trick’ is to take the tail down (to the witness mark) as you adjust the depth gauges.

I would sharpen and run that chain!

Philbert

 

[Franny K]

They have since figured out how to get the risk of kickback down with a bumper drive link instead of that method. Save that for a conversation piece if you are asking for advice.

 

[HarleyT]

For more hits on a search here, type in the words "triple hump".

 

[Philbert]

They have since figured out how to get the risk of kickback down with a bumper drive link instead of that method.

Again, there are different 'low-kickback' / 'reduced-kickback' designs. And some guys on this site feel that their manhood is threatened by them. The bumper tie straps, that the OP illustrated, were originally developed to fill in the spaces between cutters to provide a smoother cut; the reduced kickback effect was an unexpected consequence. The smoothness part still applies when cutting smaller diameter limbs, and, especially, on the end of a 10 foot plus pole saw.

The disadvantages are not significant, in my experience, when cutting logs with a 16-inch chainsaw, as the chips clear that distance in about 0.02 seconds. I have also bore cut with them, although, this may be slower. If you prefer the other styles: fine. But wasting / throwing out a $20 STIHL chain for that reason makes no sense to me. Neither does spending 20 minutes at a bench grinder to grind them off out of spite. In the past I have (half-jokingly) said, 'box them up and ship them to me!'. It has become a running joke with my mailman as a few members have taken me up on that offer and sent me 35 pound, 'Flat Rate' boxes full of chains.

A lot of guys also do not know how to sharpen their chains well, especially the depth gauge part, so they blame it on '@!$#*&! safety chains!'

As @Franny K notes, there are also the bumper drive link style low-kickback chains that do not interfere with chip carrying capacity the same, but still take a few extra file swipes when maintaining the depth gauges. I have seen guys win races at GTG's with these, over 'specially filed' chains, due to technique.


Then there's 'Shark Fin' style bumpers that look like a 1950's Cadillac!



Philbert

 

[farmer steve]

For more hits on a search here, type in the words "triple hump".

All I got were pics from F 1 fiddy.

 

[Whiskers]

Whatever happened to that dude

 

[LabLover]

Those are bumper safety links. They help prevent the chain from biting when it's going around the tip, this helps prevent kickback. Saw chains technically don't have rakers.

Thank you!

 

[LabLover]

And no chain will cut well if not sharpened properly, the teeth on that chain need some work.

Interesting, I sharpened them earlier in the morning of the photograph with a brand new Pferd sharpener... I did a little wood cutting then about 20 Canary Island Date Palm fronds. Tell me what you are seeing that says it needs work?

 

[LabLover]

Again, there are different 'low-kickback' / 'reduced-kickback' designs. And some guys on this site feel that their manhood is threatened by them. The bumper tie straps, that the OP illustrated, were originally developed to fill in the spaces between cutters to provide a smoother cut; the reduced kickback effect was an unexpected consequence. The smoothness part still applies when cutting smaller diameter limbs, and, especially, on the end of a 10 foot plus pole saw.

The disadvantages are not significant, in my experience, when cutting logs with a 16-inch chainsaw, as the chips clear that distance in about 0.02 seconds. I have also bore cut with them, although, this may be slower. If you prefer the other styles: fine. But wasting / throwing out a $20 STIHL chain for that reason makes no sense to me. Neither does spending 20 minutes at a bench grinder to grind them off out of spite. In the past I have (half-jokingly) said, 'box them up and ship them to me!'. It has become a running joke with my mailman as a few members have taken me up on that offer and sent me 35 pound, 'Flat Rate' boxes full of chains.

A lot of guys also do not know how to sharpen their chains well, especially the depth gauge part, so they blame it on '@!$#*&! safety chains!'

As @Franny K notes, there are also the bumper drive link style low-kickback chains that do not interfere with chip carrying capacity the same, but still take a few extra file swipes when maintaining the depth gauges. I have seen guys win races at GTG's with these, over 'specially filed' chains, due to technique.
View attachment 866668

Then there's 'Shark Fin' style bumpers that look like a 1950's Caddillac!

View attachment 866672

Philbert

Thanks for all the info!

 

[Andyshine77]

Interesting, I sharpened them earlier in the morning of the photograph with a brand new Pferd sharpener... I did a little wood cutting then about 20 Canary Island Date Palm fronds. Tell me what you are seeing that says it needs work?

The file is too high in the tooth making it blunt. Cleaning the gullet out will help you get the file lower in the tooth.

 

[HarleyT]

Old married guys seldom use terms like "triple hump",
or just "hump" anymore.....

 

[LabLover]

The file is too high in the tooth making it blunt. Cleaning the gullet out will help you get the file lower in the tooth.

OK, roger that. The gullet is the area between the tooth and the depth gauge, when you say "clean it out, do you mean file it down a bit or are you saying make sure there literally is no dirt?

 

[toadman]

I can't say I've had trouble getting this type of triple hump chain to cut well, It's not my favorite but perfectly functional, and sharp it keeps up fine with most others.
High/low kickback makes very little difference with a properly sharp chain in normal bucking cuts.
plunge & bore low kickback is slower but easier to control IMO.
Sharpen it properly & it will cut just fine

 

[Howard Justice]

Again, there are different 'low-kickback' / 'reduced-kickback' designs. And some guys on this site feel that their manhood is threatened by them. The bumper tie straps, that the OP illustrated, were originally developed to fill in the spaces between cutters to provide a smoother cut; the reduced kickback effect was an unexpected consequence. The smoothness part still applies when cutting smaller diameter limbs, and, especially, on the end of a 10 foot plus pole saw.

The disadvantages are not significant, in my experience, when cutting logs with a 16-inch chainsaw, as the chips clear that distance in about 0.02 seconds. I have also bore cut with them, although, this may be slower. If you prefer the other styles: fine. But wasting / throwing out a $20 STIHL chain for that reason makes no sense to me. Neither does spending 20 minutes at a bench grinder to grind them off out of spite. In the past I have (half-jokingly) said, 'box them up and ship them to me!'. It has become a running joke with my mailman as a few members have taken me up on that offer and sent me 35 pound, 'Flat Rate' boxes full of chains.

A lot of guys also do not know how to sharpen their chains well, especially the depth gauge part, so they blame it on '@!$#*&! safety chains!'

As @Franny K notes, there are also the bumper drive link style low-kickback chains that do not interfere with chip carrying capacity the same, but still take a few extra file swipes when maintaining the depth gauges. I have seen guys win races at GTG's with these, over 'specially filed' chains, due to technique.
View attachment 866668

Then there's 'Shark Fin' style bumpers that look like a 1950's Cadillac!

View attachment 866672

Philbert

Most informative Philbert! Thank you!