How long should a chain last cutting firewood?

[Dropsix]

Chain was a brand new Stihl RS .325 chain that I've been using to cut mixed firewood for about 4 weeks. Some of it is dirty but not too bad.

I've been sharpening the chain every couple gas tanks, 2-5 strokes with the Stihl 2 in 1 file.

Chainsaw is a Husqvarna 55.

I'm asking because the chain is now useless and I've only used it about 20-25 hours. I can add a photo later to show the difference between it and the new chain.

 

[moondoggie]

If I dont hit any dirt I can cut about 3 cords of wood between sharpening. If its pretty dirty maybe a cord... or even less than a cord. Have you filed your rakers down at all? Is your bar dressed?

Edit: I see you do file the rakers down. I only file mine down every 4 or 5 sharpenings.. Maybe less

 

[Whiskers]

It all depends on what your cutting. Is the chain dull after 2 tanks? If not, you might be wasting good chain. If the wood is dirty rm chain will also stay sharp longer.

In standing timber I cut with my father in law I can typically run the same chain all day long without sharpening it as long as I don't find a dirt pocket or hit the fence line.

 

[svk]

Stihl chain is tough stuff. I felled, limbed, and bucked 6 cords of aspen plus noodled an additional cord of Norway pine with 3/8 chisel chain and it was still sharp to the touch until I hit a rock.

Long winded thought but I agree with whiskers, you may be filing too much.

 

[angelo c]

I cut a load of dirty skidded hickory this fall that I could get maybe a 8 or 10 cuts or one or two logs worth of rounds out of a filing. Some clean swamp maple(silver maple) I could cut a few cords with. When it ain't throwing chips well it's time to file. Period. There ain't no set times for theses things. It is, what it is....or you rebuild saws a lot.

 

[nstueve]

Need pics of chain. You also need to manually check your rakers to make sure they are actually set to right depth.

 

[fearofpavement]

By the chain being useless, do you mean you've sharpened it until the teeth were gone? Or do you mean it just doesn't cut very good anymore?
If the chain is "gone", it's been used up and needs replacing. If it just doesn't cut right, that can be remedied.

 

[Jet47]

I cut a load of dirty skidded hickory this fall that I could get maybe a 8 or 10 cuts or one or two logs worth of rounds out of a filing. Some clean swamp maple(silver maple) I could cut a few cords with. When it ain't throwing chips well it's time to file. Period. There ain't no set times for theses things. It is, what it is....or you rebuild saws a lot.

Agreed.

 

[Nitroman]

I have cut 5-6 sledloads of wood (18 trees), before sharpening, but this is pristine wood.

 

[treesmith]

Today I sharpened a 461 with 20" RM three times for one 20" cut. It was on the stump of a failed twin stem tree removal, middle was rotten and full of dirt, roots and debris

My climbing saws stay sharp the longest

 

[Big_Wood]

if i'm cutting to sell firewood a chain will last me 3 weeks to a month. if i just cut firewood for myself a chain will last 4 seasons of burning and sometimes into a 5th season if i'm cutting nothing but clean wood. i don't really cut dirty wood though. i actually go ring them standing 3 months before i need them so they dump all their water lol. they season real fast that way.

 

[Westboastfaller]

DuhEEEE.... tree or four

 

[square1]

No exact science to it. My cutter life and bar length adjustment usually get used up about the same time, YMMV.

 

[drf255]

A month and 20-25 hours of continuous use?

While I agree that you're likely sharpening too often, that's not that bad IMHO for a chain. Especially in .325. The smaller cutters dull easier.

My last big tree but here was a 60' X 36" sugar maple. With a ported 066 and an .404 chain, I needed one sharpening for the entire job. And I noodled the big end of the tree just to move the rounds.

 

[rd35]

The fastest cutting chains I have are the ones that only have a tiny little triangle shaped top plate left on the cutter. When the cutters begin to break off because they are so thin there is no metal left to hold the top portion of the cutter on the remainder of the side plate then I toss the chain.

 

[mountainlake]

As above a properly sharpened chain should cut good as new or better until the teeth start to break off. Steve

 

[wde_1978]

Need pics of chain. You also need to manually check your rakers to make sure they are actually set to right depth.

Not entirely true!
He can grind the rakers of completely if he's got a DolKiVarna.

Between 2006. and 2014. while I had one main firewood saw, my Dolmar PS-6400, I got 2-3 years out of a chain cutting anything between 10-20 cubic meters a year of dragged oak and beech firewood logs and some small stuff around the house.
At that point the chain would have only triangles left standing and the kerf it would make would be too narrow for bucking logs - I would get another year or so out of them cutting thin stuff or using them for junk jobs.
Other then my "worn chain" I would only have ONE good chain in use!

The fastest cutting chains I have are the ones that only have a tiny little triangle shaped top plate left on the cutter. When the cutters begin to break off because they are so thin there is no metal left to hold the top portion of the cutter on the remainder of the side plate then I toss the chain.

Totally agree, the chains cut as if they were possessed once they are worn past the witness mark (Dolmar/Oregon), but the kerf begins to be really tight.

My "worn out chains"!


This one lost the battle against a bone dry willow the other day (it is the right one in the above picture).

 

[nk14zp]

It will last until it's dull.

 

[lambs]

NK is quite right. I volunteer for a heating assistance program, bucking donated tops on the tree service's lot. A couple weeks ago I dulled five RS chains in one morning session. Sometimes the wood is just dirty.

This past Saturday I dulled one chain. But a buddy hit an embedded nail with a semi-chisel Husky chain and it was not pretty. I am working on it now for him.

This is why I prefer 3/8 pitch chain and have two grinders!

 

[AVB]

Don't get to run .325 much nearly all my cutting is with .375LP chains. I did recently added a Husky 450 with 20" .325 to my saw arsenal.

I generally only sharpen when needed and not just because a certain amount. With experience an operator will know when the chain is no longer like it should and needs sharping. It just like using any knife sometimes they cut a long time and other times needs constant sharping; just what it is asked to do.

I have found that chains will dull according to what your cutting. Dirty wood dulls chains quickly. Dry season wood normally dull chains faster than green wood; it simply harder and more abravise. Even the type tree can make a big difference in sharping times depending mineral content. I don't like cutting Hackberry here as the bark dulls chains so quickly; the wood itself is not bad. On hitting nails, wire, rocks, etc can really do a number on chains. Even with this my chains usually last 5 to 10 cords of 18" firewood before I need to replace them; of course, I pay close attention to what and where I am cutting.

Others here probably agree if you saw railroad spike in two you might not even get one sharping before replacing a chain; had this to happen once cutting a tree from the city. Kids and some adults are bad about driving metal objects in trees. Either way always have a spare chain or two on hand when cutting in case the worst happens especially if your in a remote location. Sometimes it don't even hurt to carry a spare saw as you may need cut your main saw out of bad unexpected bind.