I know only enough to be dangerous, so...
Is the concern with using diamonds to sharpen steel only a problem at the high speeds of a grinding wheel? There are plenty of diamond sharpening stones for steel wood working tools, but they are for hand sharpening speeds. Maybe that is the difference?
I'd really like to know more about the metalurgy of a chain saw chain. So...
When a chains is "rocked out", and the cutters are hard to sharpen, is it because the cutting edge becomes "cold work hardened"? I hear this is done with some wood working tools to enhance the hardness of the cutting edge.
What kind of steel is used in chain saw chain? A2 steel is used in high end wood working tools - very long lasting edges, harder to sharpen, but not quite the finest edge possible. A series steels harden by heating and cooling in Air (twice if memory serves).
O1 steel is heated, then cooled in Oil to harden it. W1 Steel is heated and cooled in Water to harden it. O, W and High Carbon series steels are tempered by heating to 450 degrees (or so depending on the level of tempering desired) and cooling slowly in air.
I could see a chain tooth hardening if it is an A series steel and over heated with a grinder, but only getting softer if it is another series steel.
So, is there a metalurgist amongst us that can set us straight about what is really happening, and what sort of steel we have on our chains?
Thanks