Can Square Chisel Be Re-Filed To Round?

[paccity]

all my .50 and .404 starts square the crews chains go round real fast. they don't hand file square,i've tryed to teach but allwell thats what the 510 silvey's for. my personal chains go about halfway before going round . square of the roll on my personal saws always get about 10 knocked off the rackers right away. i like big bites in softwood.

just saw a miss type, to late to edit. so. all my .375 and .404.

 

[RiverRat2]

What would happen if you filed half of them round and left the other half square?

Even better, file one side round and leave the other side square, see if it cuts straight?

I know tis dumb, but it just popped into my head.

And seeing if anyone ever tried just for giggles.. :msp_biggrin:

I can see yer still out there in that vacant field??????

What little bit of off the roll square i have feels slower than round. Never put the stop watch to it though. I know my round filed is faster than off the roll square.

get a good chisel bit double bevel file from Save Edge,,,, Like Dennis says touch up the cutters before you ever use it,,,, Follow the existing angles,,, you wont believe the difference,,,,

http://www.saveedge.com/chainsawfiles.html

 

[Metals406]

I sent a new Stihl chain that I re-profiled to square, to Stephen in OK, to see what it did in hardwood. It's what I call my "work-chain", because I don't spend a whole lot of time on it to make it absolutely perfect -- so there will be some inconsistencies on the teeth and perhaps raker angle as well.

From what he told me, cutting Cherry, my chain was faster out of the three tested.

I'm a huge proponent of cleaning gullets out big time, on the raker and tooth side. Chip flow helps, I don't care what the grind is.

 

[J.W Younger]

I file my CL using the factory angle. If a few teeth get buggered i just round file em and continue cutting. I tried goofy filing in the woods but don't like the way the file grabs when i go back and re do it with a double bevel.
Not sayin this is right just what works better for me.

 

[RiverRat2]

Clean Gullets

I sent a new Stihl chain that I re-profiled to square, to Stephen in OK, to see what it did in hardwood. It's what I call my "work-chain", because I don't spend a whole lot of time on it to make it absolutely perfect -- so there will be some inconsistencies on the teeth and perhaps raker angle as well.

From what he told me, cutting Cherry, my chain was faster out of the three tested.

I'm a huge proponent of cleaning gullets out big time, on the raker and tooth side. Chip flow helps, I don't care what the grind is.

Yes many folks tend to forget or overlook cleaning out the gullets,,, Especially on square grind chisel...... they definitly shoud be cleaned out with the apporpriate round file to aide in improved chip flow!!!!!! good point dude,,,

 

[Metals406]

Yes many folks tend to forget or overlook cleaning out the gullets,,, Especially on square grind chisel...... they definitly shoud be cleaned out with the apporpriate round file to aide in improved chip flow!!!!!! good point dude,,,

If folks want to prove it to themselves, they can cut with a clogged up, uneven gullet area -- and examine their chips. Then thoroughly work over the gullet; I go as far as to recess the bottom of the tooth as well, making the working area of the tooth first in contact.

They'll see a big difference in chips, and the chain will cut faster.

 

[mdavlee]

I go to the extreme on cleaning gullets out on square chain. I would take the one in the picture out a couple strokes the next time it was sharpened. I usually take it back past the side plate about 1/32" or a little farther.

 

[Metals406]

I go to the extreme on cleaning gullets out on square chain. I would take the one in the picture out a couple strokes the next time it was sharpened. I usually take it back past the side plate about 1/32" or a little farther.

You should try bringing the bottom of the tooth farther back like I do. . . It works really good, and means you don't have to do it again for quite a few filings.

 

[mdavlee]

I usually do. I have a 30" chain that's cleaned a good ways back with a 5/32" file. It seems to work better than a 7/32".

 

[Metals406]

I usually do. I have a 30" chain that's cleaned a good ways back with a 5/32" file. It seems to work better than a 7/32".

Yup, you wanna use a 5/32 for doing the cleaning on the tooth.

 

[mdavlee]

I learned that trick from a montanian. The 7/32" doesn't let you clean near as much gullet out. You can get 3/4" long chips in most of our hardwood with a nicely filed chain and a gullet that's been cleaned out back past the side plate. I had some soft maple that pulled 2" chips.

 

[Metals406]

I learned that trick from a montanian. The 7/32" doesn't let you clean near as much gullet out. You can get 3/4" long chips in most of our hardwood with a nicely filed chain and a gullet that's been cleaned out back past the side plate. I had some soft maple that pulled 2" chips.

:blush: Gosh, I wasn't sure if'n ya tried it or not.

I guess some guys wouldn't want to put the little bit of extra filing required into a chain, but I think it's worth it all day long.

 

[J.W Younger]

I learned that trick from a montanian. The 7/32" doesn't let you clean near as much gullet out. You can get 3/4" long chips in most of our hardwood with a nicely filed chain and a gullet that's been cleaned out back past the side plate. I had some soft maple that pulled 2" chips.

Have you tried using a grinder with a 1/8th" wheel?

 

[mdavlee]

I had tried 3/16" files and it worked better so I bought a 5/32" file to try it and it worked even better so that's what I've been using. I need to pick up some more 5/32". I clean the gullets out on round filed chain too.

You talking about a angle grinder or chain sharpener? I don't have a round grinder. I had thought about getting one just for cleaning gullets out.

 

[J.W Younger]

I had tried 3/16" files and it worked better so I bought a 5/32" file to try it and it worked even better so that's what I've been using. I need to pick up some more 5/32". I clean the gullets out on round filed chain too.

You talking about a angle grinder or chain sharpener? I don't have a round grinder. I had thought about getting one just for cleaning gullets out.

Yeah i was talkin about a chain grinder cause i got a couple that need it and i don't have but 2 5/16ths files. The 3/16ths is what i've been using.

 

[mdavlee]

I was wondering if it would work good on a chain grinder. I didn't know if you could get a good angle to clean them out good.

 

[madhatte]

Figured out how to re-grind square to round out of necessity one day. It's not a good idea to get stuck behind blowdowns with only one chain. Stupid wind.

 

[J.W Younger]

I was wondering if it would work good on a chain grinder. I didn't know if you could get a good angle to clean them out good.

Just eyeballin it looks like it would work provided they were not over 1/8ths long or you might have to make more than one pass a side.

 

[John Ellison]

I have always done the gullets with my RSII grinder. Freehand, so its close to your fingers and you have to be careful.

 

[paccity]

Figured out how to re-grind square to round out of necessity one day. It's not a good idea to get stuck behind blowdowns with only one chain. Stupid wind.

yup, cutting your way home is always fun.