Heck man, to hear it spinning at 14 grand, what else?
Does anyone else find it amazing how many people simply cannot sharpen a saw?
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Heck man, to hear it spinning at 14 grand, what else?
I concur. No matter how long I run each saw in the woods each chain that got used gets touched by the file.
Regarding technique, I have found that If I lock my elbow against my ribs and move my whole upper body to file I can keep the desired angle and pressure much more even.
Or, think that you just buy a new chain when they get dull...............................................................
In todays world that happens far too often. I get a lot of really good usable chain because of just that. Just last week a fellow I know dropped of 2 chains for 20" bars, they had Oregon stamped on the tie straps and 73 on the drivers. He said these chains won`t cut fer ****, I looked at them, brand new never sharpened. I could see the depth gauges were way too high and told him if I dropped them the chain would cut just fine, his reply was keep them I`am buying Stihl chains from now on. I set them up to be filed and they had .005-.009 drop below the cutters, cut them all down to .035 and filed the chain profile to suit me. Put them on identical 044`s and wouldn`t you know it, they cut really nice.
Just striking the match to start the fire.
Trx250r180
Saw polisher
i cut with this chain for several hours sunday ,was real happy with it ,it is still sharp ,was hand filed 
Clean the gullets out right down to the tie straps any you would be even more happy with it. Nice job on the corners bye the way.
branchbuzzer
Undiagnosed
I was out cutting firewood a few years back with a friend and another guy he invited. After a while when it's time to refilll his friend takes off his chain, winds up, and slings it half-way up the hill. "wtf?" we are both thinking... "What's wrong?" sez I.... "That one's dull", he sez, and pulls out a new one. We went up to get it after he left...brand new before the guy started.
Took me a long time to learn what I know about sharpening. I know that there's lots more that I still can learn (and open to learn it).
Back to the analogy about driving a car without being a mechanic, or using a computer without being a programmer, I don't think it's a big deal for someone to use a chainsaw and have somebody else sharpen the chain for them.
There's lots of ways to sharpen chains, and people just need to find something that works for them.
Some guys know more about chains, some guys know more about chainsaws, some guys know more about trees, etc.
Philbert
Back to the analogy about driving a car without being a mechanic, or using a computer without being a programmer, I don't think it's a big deal for someone to use a chainsaw and have somebody else sharpen the chain for them.
There's lots of ways to sharpen chains, and people just need to find something that works for them.
Some guys know more about chains, some guys know more about chainsaws, some guys know more about trees, etc.
Philbert
Trx250r180
Saw polisher
thanks ,i do the gullets about every 2nd to 3rd sharpening ,i usually hit dirt somewhere in the log ,so i can dull a few chains a day sometimes ,so gullets can wait till i have a couple stairs in there for work for me
I was trying out the hand filed just because ....i am still experimenting with the file ....i was happy with it ,i don't know if it was the clean wood i was cutting ,but my edge seemed to hold real good on this chain ,all my cutters were not perfect but it cut good ,the grinder is nice for making them all even again if needed ,the dress on my grinder stone is not identicle to a file ,so it took me 4-5 small strokes to reshape the cutters to the file shape ,i am going to keep this chain on this saw and see if can hand file it till it's used up just to see if i can
gunrac
ArboristSite Operative
Man vs. Machine.......
How can you not fine tune w/a grinder? How can you not like a perfectly sharpened chain? DONE CORRECTLY, it is a better job done, then hand filing, not to mention 3+ times faster, IMO. Every cutter, sharpened to the exact same length, and exact degree of angle.......just touch up the raker's, an your in. Like I seen mentioned in another thread and strive to do myself, you need only to...... just kiss the cutter's.
I only run full chisel an my philosophy may not hold true on semi. I don't know. I'm sure someone will chime in.
I do mainly residential work, so I've hit about anything you can think of, in a tree. On a really wrecked chain. "Seem's like it's always the 32". I may have to sharpen it 2 maybe 3 times, in order not to crystallize
or burn up the chain. I have an older Oregon, an it's a bit slow, so I need to be extra careful not to take off to much at once.......Also, keep my stone clean an prepped.
If you need to drop your chains off at a saw shop, just look at the chains they have already done. If the cutter's blued or burnt, there hacker's, go somewhere else. A lot of these type of fella's won't even gauge or touch the raker's.
You know that question will bring up all types of personal preferences about chain brands and cutter types, right?
In GENERAL, for the same brand and type of chain, I think of taking a smaller, shallower bite for hardwood and frozen wood; and a steeper, more aggressive bite for softwood.
Start with a 'standard' top plate angle of 30 degrees, and a depth gauge offset of .025 inches.
For only hardwood or frozen wood, you might use a less aggressive 25 degree top plate angle (with 0 degrees being perpendicular to the bar).
For only softwood you might try a more aggressive top plate angle up to 35 degrees, and a depth gauge offset of .030 inches.
These settings assume that your saw has the power to pull these chains. Adjust as appropriate. You can also see why 30 degrees is chosen as an 'all-around' setting.
Square ground chain is it's own animal.
Because constantly changing the angles wastes a lot of the cutters' life I don't encourage people to go back and forth a lot. I suggest that they grind/file and keep separate hardwood and softwood chains if they go back and forth between different types of wood and want to have special chains.
JMHO
Philbert
I recently cut a few loads of Pecan with the same RSL chain and was impressed with how well it held up. It was my first time using a square ground chain I was expecting it do dull quickly. Having tried square, I dont think I will go back to round. I will keep a few loops of semi chisel for the dirty stuff but square will be my default. Currently trying to decide if a Simington grinder is worth purchasing.
I will have to admit that I am no good at it, and I have been using chain saws for a lot of years.
There are some things that I can do well, but hand sharpening chains is not one of them. It looks easy when I see other guys do it.
There are some things that I can do well, but hand sharpening chains is not one of them. It looks easy when I see other guys do it.
Molan Labe
ArboristSite Operative
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^Me too I should not have bought files in the first place and tried to hand sharpen chains... an absolute waste of time and money.
I must be doing something right... my brother from Texas (over 2000 miles away) just sent me 17 loops of Stihl chain to sharpen.
A nicely tuned saw with a sharp chain is a pleasure to run!!
Oh and he did tip me well.... he told me to keep the 3 NIB Stihl RCS 20" loops that were sent up here!!!
A nicely tuned saw with a sharp chain is a pleasure to run!!
Oh and he did tip me well.... he told me to keep the 3 NIB Stihl RCS 20" loops that were sent up here!!!
JT78
ArboristSite Guru
It doesn't surprise me that people don't know how to sharpen chains but it does surprise me how many people will run a saw with a dull chain. It's like trying to use a dull drill bit to drill steel ya just don't get anywhere. It took me a while and a lot of practice to learn to sharpen chains by hand. I can now sharpen square chain by hand which was a little tougher to learn. I wish I could learn to make a good race chain.
bigblackdodge
ArboristSite Operative
I have spent 30 of my 37 years in the woods with one of the Greatest Men in My Life, My Father. I wish I had a $5 bill for every chord of firewood we have cut together. In my early years he did most of the sharpening using a Dremel at the shop, and a file in the woods for touch ups. As I matured, it didn't take me long to realize that using a Dremel was Not for me! I bought a grinder years ago, and I do use it a good bit, as I sharpen for many others now. But I use it mainly to even up the length of the cutters and restore the desired angle for the situation. But I almost always, put them on a saw, and file by feel after that. They will cut just fine straight off the grinder, no doubt. But when touched up right with the proper high quality file, and with the proper technique based on the chain & intended use, the difference is Amazing! Besides, I prefer to have them mounted to file the depth gauges. Makes for a very smooth cutting chain that self feeds well. I believe most saw operators, amateur & professional, subconsciously think that pulling up on the trigger handle....is mandatory for a chainsaw to feed. Nothing wrong with doing so, as I do as well, but only to make use of the saws available power. But most think it's required because they've grown accustomed to resorting to it being the only way to advance the cut. That, is simply from an improperly maintained saw chain. And will lead to premature wear of the Operator, Saw & Chain. I've even had many, fresh out of the box chains, that were grossly under prepared for being put on a Quality Saw and used on a wood. I'm positive a lot of you are thinking I'm Crazy, and that taking that much care is ridiculous and unneeded. And for mostly Softwood, you'd get no argument from me. But 95% of the wood I cut, is Hickory, Oak, Maple, Cherry, Walnut & Ash. Believe me, in Hardwood, it makes a Huge Difference in Cut Quality, Operator Fatigue, and Cutter Longevity.
I would never knock anyone for not filing there own chains. Absolutely nothing wrong with paying someone, who is skilled to do a job, that you'd rather not. It's what America used to be All About!!!! I, however, am the type of person who would rather not 'have' to rely on anyone but myself if possible. It's just preferential difference. I thoroughly enjoy sharpen saw chain. I take a lot of pride in my work. And cutting with one that feeds well, doesn't chatter, vibrate, turn in or out through the cut or leave my arms and back aching? Is all the reason I've ever needed for learned how to maintain my chains to suit my needs.
With all that said. I've never used or touched a square grind chain. Those of you who have, have you used them on much Hardwood? How well do they hold up compared to others? And to those who maintain them, is it really that difficult to learn how?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I would never knock anyone for not filing there own chains. Absolutely nothing wrong with paying someone, who is skilled to do a job, that you'd rather not. It's what America used to be All About!!!! I, however, am the type of person who would rather not 'have' to rely on anyone but myself if possible. It's just preferential difference. I thoroughly enjoy sharpen saw chain. I take a lot of pride in my work. And cutting with one that feeds well, doesn't chatter, vibrate, turn in or out through the cut or leave my arms and back aching? Is all the reason I've ever needed for learned how to maintain my chains to suit my needs.
With all that said. I've never used or touched a square grind chain. Those of you who have, have you used them on much Hardwood? How well do they hold up compared to others? And to those who maintain them, is it really that difficult to learn how?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This past weekend I sharpened 20 chains using my Oregon 511a. A tree trimming service company supplied them all. One of the chains had cutters on the right that were half the size of the cutters on the left. I told the owner about it and he said, "Yep, that's the one that kept pulling right. We kept sharpening the right cutters again and again with a file, and it still kept pulling right."
