How much chain do you use up before you retire a chain?

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Jethro 2t sniffer

Jethro 2t sniffer

Addicted to ArboristSite
. AS Supporting Member.
Joined
Mar 2, 2018
Messages
4,526
Location
new zealand
I always lose mine to stretch, have not been able to justify expense of spinner breaker. I have noticed reduced kerf width can be a problem on well worn chains by additional rivet friction in the cut. I think

Don't need a spinner and breaker a small hammer is a handy tool. It's very easy to do

 
nch209

nch209

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2017
Messages
73
Location
Northern VA
My son sells Stihl and Husky saws. I'm in the store regularly and see what people are buying... It is baffling to me how many people (non-pros) buy new chains instead of sharpening them or having them sharpened. I've thought about having the store offer to dispose of "old chains" when people bring them in to get new ones "like this one." I'd never have to buy a chain again! :)


This used to be me. Why? When I first starting using a saw, I started with a new chain, and the gimmicky tools to sharpen it. Always did a half-azz job, and I'd throw a new chain on and be happier the way it cut. As time went on, and I got smarter and more confident, I upgraded saws, and tossed all the BS tools and used a regular file... and liked the difference. More power, more sharp, more better! Sooooo, now onto current saw 10 years later, more power, better understanding of files and rakers, and with the help of the forum, I run my chains down to the bitter end, and prefer them at the end of their life vs brand new. Heck, I have even been known to take a file to a new chain. LOL!

I need to post a pic the chain I was playing with last, its worn down pretty good, and I even filed the back side==== and idea I got from youtube. Did not see a noticeable change while cutting, but it does look pretty crazy on the bench.... just basically triangle stubs left when looking down on the edge!

So.... I say run em till the end!!!

Just my opinion as a dope homeowner, albeit less of a dope than when I was a years ago tossing chains cause I couldnt get them sharp! LOL!
 
Canyon Angler

Canyon Angler

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Aug 18, 2006
Messages
1,776
Location
Far East Virginia
Spinners are cheap!

Not if you only need to use one once.

I once pinched and got a saw trapped in a tree and had to leave it hanging to get another saw, and doing this bent the chain and made it unusable after that. Bought a kit on ebay to get the rivets out, take out the bad links and peen new rivets on for like $3 and it worked fine. That's the only occasion I've had the need for a spinner in 30 years or so...
 

Okie

Addicted to ArboristSite
. AS Supporting Member.
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Messages
2,199
Location
Oklahoma (USA)
I save my old chains for use in clearing fence rows or cutting a stump close to the ground, etc.

I keep a eye open for guys that don't or cannot sharpen their own chains and I have several chains that are given to me that are good chains, because the guys just went to the saw place and got a new chain installed.

I do keep a heads up for stretched out chains that have been hot. They will ruin a good sprocket due to the DL not be correct pitch.

I do not bother wasting my time showing anyone how to correctly hand file a chain unless maybe they ask and really seem interested. (I would rather they not know and I can get more donor good chains from them as they have new ones installed);)

Really surprised how many firewood cutters and ranchers that cannot sharpen their own chains. (more used chains for me);)
 
Huskybill

Huskybill

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
7,714
Location
Northeast
View attachment 791446 If the teeth aren't breaking off the chains still good.


I save the bar and chain when they get this worn for cutting scrap wood and pallets. When these wornout teeth get ripped off from hitting nails it’s all done. Somewhere I have a Army 50 cal ammo can with wornout chains in it.
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
29,534
Location
MN
Is that the usual angle on a safety chain? You'd burn up a file correcting that lol
I don’t recall.

Oregon chain is fairly soft, I find that it only takes about 3 strokes per tooth to get it to hold your file once you hand file a new chain for the first time.

Last weekend I rocked an Oregon chain that hadn’t been hand filed before. To remove the rounded portion of the cutter plus establish the file shape took some work.
 
Huskitoter

Huskitoter

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Jan 17, 2018
Messages
456
Location
Georgia
Any problem using chains with a couple cutters missing?

I had a couple break on a new loop of txl Sat. when I found some old fencing in a tree. The same thing happened on the previous loop when the teeth were about half length, and it didn't seem to affect it.

Has anyone found txl more prone to break teeth? I never broke any on vp, vpx, or nk20 but switched to txl about the same time I souped up the 350. Don't know if the additional power might contribute to it.
 

Latest posts

Top