Grind cutters down to "witness mark" OK? Safety?

[Billy_Bob]

How far can you grind down the cutters on a chain and still use the chain safely?

Grind all the way down to the "witness mark"? Or something less than that?

 

[Edge & Engine]

I've seen chain ground a good ways past the witness mark with probably 95% of the cutters still on. That said, it did NOT cut well at all, and I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[Tzed250]

How far can you grind down the cutters on a chain and still use the chain safely?

Grind all the way down to the "witness mark"? Or something less than that?

Getting that close watch for broken cutters.

 

[046]

chains that get that worn gets relegated to dirty jobs like cutting stumps.

 

[husky455rancher]

skid chains

 

[CharlieG]

Use for dirty work. Otherwise new chain loops are inexpensive enough to keep you safe. Relegate them to the metal recycling bin.

 

[2dogs]

Stump chains.

 

[redprospector]

You can grind them till the teeth start breaking off and not be in much danger.
A chain seems to me to get faster as it's filed back, to a certain point. After that it starts going down hill pretty quick. So to me it's not worth taking the teeth back that far.
I've noticed (in race chains) that when a tooth breaks off it will stick in the log, taking out several teeth behind it.

Andy

 

[computeruser]

Some of my faster chains are the ones at the end of their lives. Assuming correct angles, they still hold an edge properly, clear chips beautifully, and touch up with a file just fine - lots of room to work. Now, they may worry Woodie a bit when they get ground this far back, but even he will agree that they can cut!

 

[litefoot]

My local Stihl dealer must think the witness marks are the same as crosscut marks on a piece of lumber. Not much left after he gets done "grinding" a rocked chain. He did one chain for me. He will never do another.