BETTER chainsaw chain file handle option

[slabMan]

I just talked to usfs cop yesterday and he thought this kitty is 180lbs +

MORE recent pics of the bad ass 'ghost' [aka killing machine]...nice!



I think I am going to design a "neck saver" for hikers that keeps the ghost from snapping their necks when hiking...Believe it or not, backpacks have saves peoples lives from attacks! ALWAYS put your back pack person in the back when hiking! lol but true story

 

[.358 win]

I am surprised I have not seen this tip yet on this site, but I thought I would give my 2 cents on what I think works better than the typical orange or wood file handles...It is ergonomically better for me to file with a golf ball as a handle vs the 'straight wrist' run of the mill file handles...You can drill a hole nearly the entire diameter of the golf ball and stick the file in that and it holds well and the round golf ball fits nicely in the palm of my hand and relieves stress on my aging wrist and works better for me when filing. It is also a good excuse to use some of the 'pink'and fluorescent golf balls that we find while looking for our tee shots out in the woods of the golf course that have accumulated over the years! lol Hope this helps!
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Good idea..... One fella I golfed with wouldn't get out of the cart. If he couldn't drive to the ball, he threw down another one.. Went thru a lot of them lil suckers.. Plus, he would not separate himself from the cooler in the cart.. After golfing with him I couldn't drive anywhere.. Never stuck a drill in one, but I will now.

 

[slabMan]

And the fluorescent orange or yellow balls are found just about everywhere in the woods of a golf course, because most golfers, no matter how bad they are, will not use non-white balls and those are the ones that have high vis. features for a chainsaw chain file handle! [or even the red striped 'range ball']. I will save the white $5 Titleist for my golf bag!

 

[ray benson]

I am surprised I have not seen this tip yet on this site, but I thought I would give my 2 cents on what I think works better than the typical orange or wood file handles...It is ergonomically better for me to file with a golf ball as a handle vs the 'straight wrist' run of the mill file handles...You can drill a hole nearly the entire diameter of the golf ball and stick the file in that and it holds well and the round golf ball fits nicely in the palm of my hand and relieves stress on my aging wrist and works better for me when filing. It is also a good excuse to use some of the 'pink'and fluorescent golf balls that we find while looking for our tee shots out in the woods of the golf course that have accumulated over the years! lol Hope this helps!
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Been using golf balls for file handles since 2005 or earlier.
https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/file-life.19602/page-2#post-247925

 

[Stihl 041S]

I’ve tried a lot of them - I actually preferred the Stihl branded round files (German) until I tried Vallorbe (Swiss), and now that’s all I use. When they talk about the Vallorbe ‘bite’ compared to others, I noticed it after the first use. Haven’t had a bad one yet, either.

Used to be Grobet Vallorbe, incredible list of size and shape and hardness (74RC!)
Now there is American made Grobet USA…….good……but not like the Vallorbe for sure!!

The Vallorbe are the best. Bar none.

Was talking files with the Gunsmithing Guys at Colonial Williamsburg…….. Vallorbe…….

 

[TRTermite]

Nearly 60 years ago I delivered the paper to Stanley Blecha (Bohemian 100%) He showed me a golf ball he had drilled out. With wide eyes he told me he was drilling it and it exploded. Stanley was going to use it as a shifter knob for his home made garden tractor. He was a Wizard dinkerer mechanic. I never have drilled one but I may do this 'Cuz I use ammo boxes for my saw stuff. A regular handle won't fit while still on the file...
I wonder why Stanleys' G'ball blew up I wonder if he overheated it.... I just know he was serious and I knew him as a 2 year old til he died When I was mid 20s' One of my younger brothers is named After him.

 

[slabMan]

Nearly 60 years ago I delivered the paper to Stanley Blecha (Bohemian 100%) He showed me a golf ball he had drilled out. With wide eyes he told me he was drilling it and it exploded. Stanley was going to use it as a shifter knob for his home made garden tractor. He was a Wizard dinkerer mechanic. I never have drilled one but I may do this 'Cuz I use ammo boxes for my saw stuff. A regular handle won't fit while still on the file...
I wonder why Stanleys' G'ball blew up I wonder if he overheated it.... I just know he was serious and I knew him as a 2 year old til he died When I was mid 20s' One of my younger brothers is named After him.

I believe the earlier golf balls were literally wound with a rubber monofilament line. I seem to recall one blowing up when I placed it into the fireplace as a kid. Today's golf balls are a rubber or latex solid core much like a 'super ball' with a dimpled outer cover that is 2 piece and heated to hide the seam- [I am pretty sure]. So you should be safe to drill it, but dont drill all the way through or the pointed end of the file will hit the palm of your hand and doesn't work as well--[lol]. I used a 9/64" drill bit today to make one, but you should be fine to use a 1/8" bit as well, but might be harder to remove when switching files.

 

[ray benson]

Nearly 60 years ago I delivered the paper to Stanley Blecha (Bohemian 100%) He showed me a golf ball he had drilled out. With wide eyes he told me he was drilling it and it exploded. Stanley was going to use it as a shifter knob for his home made garden tractor. He was a Wizard dinkerer mechanic. I never have drilled one but I may do this 'Cuz I use ammo boxes for my saw stuff. A regular handle won't fit while still on the file...
I wonder why Stanleys' G'ball blew up I wonder if he overheated it.... I just know he was serious and I knew him as a 2 year old til he died When I was mid 20s' One of my younger brothers is named After him.

Cut apart many golf balls as a kid over 55 years ago. Older wound balls - wound with a rubber band material and some had a small marble sized ball in the center. Some of the balls had a pressurized liquid in the inner core.

 

[IntegrityCarpentry]

Nicholson makes a screw-on handle that I’ve started using. Different size openings for different files. I’ve got a bunch that I’ve been selling that fit the typical round file tang, as well as the Vallorbe double bevel and 3-square files. Model PH2 works for those - I’ve found the PH4 works well for the Vallorbe chisel bit, Pferd chisel, and most 6-8 inch raker files.

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I should have ordered those last order

 

[GusGus2020]

I should have ordered those last order

We can still work something out!

 

[Fireman Bill]

I’m certainly going to try this. Thank you…

 

[rwoods]

I am a poor sharpener and have so many chainsaw sharpening gadgets that it is embarrassing. That aside, I read this thread because I have been looking for a new type of file handle as my file handles loosen regularly with the sole exception of a Husqvarna handle I picked up somewhere long ago. Though I have known of the golf ball approach for years, I discounted it. This thread encouraged me to try it last night on two chains - both mounted on saws. Long intro to: a golf ball makes a great handle for me, and I probably did my best ever hand filing last night. Much more comfortable and much more control for me than a straight handle plus it didn't loosen.

Ron

 

[slabMan]

I am a poor sharpener and have so many chainsaw sharpening gadgets that it is embarrassing. That aside, I read this thread because I have been looking for a new type of file handle as my file handles loosen regularly with the sole exception of a Husqvarna handle I picked up somewhere long ago. Though I have known of the golf ball approach for years, I discounted it. This thread encouraged me to try it last night on two chains - both mounted on saws. Long intro to: a golf ball makes a great handle for me, and I probably did my best ever hand filing last night. Much more comfortable and much more control for me than a straight handle plus it didn't loosen.

Ron

Glad that worked for you, Ron! Nothing like a sharp cadena that pulls the saw thru the wood with a rooster tail of chips! Be safe brother!

 

[slabMan]

Glad that worked for you, Ron! Nothing like a sharp cadena that pulls the saw thru the wood with a rooster tail of chips! Be safe brother!

At least for me, the golf ball handle allows me to get under the top plate of the tooth better since the handle [golf ball] is tucked in the palm of my hand and it hits the gullet of the tooth better as well.

 

[slabMan]

MORE recent pics of the bad ass 'ghost' [aka killing machine]...nice!
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I think I am going to design a "neck saver" for hikers that keeps the ghost from snapping their necks when hiking...Believe it or not, backpacks have saves peoples lives from attacks! ALWAYS put your back pack person in the back when hiking! lol but true story

And here is the ghost with one of his hoe's...I think she is knocked up now...

 

[slabMan]

Knocked up 9-2023 big girl!