My carbide chain hit a nail !!!!!

[goanin]

I used it for the first time today. At one point, when I went into the wood it hit a nail. The saw wasn't at full throttle. The chain looked unharmed, and I don't know if it got dull.
I'm pissed! It worked ok after it, but I can't help but feeling like I'm gonna work with a not so sharp chain without knowing it. You konw what I'm saying?

Any encouragements?
Is it so tough that if didn't break I have nothing to worry about?

 

[derwoodii]

I with ya a new chain is so sweet and its so sad when you dig some dirt or hook an object. I often dig dirt or touch concrete n nails with my carbide it takes a lickin but keeps going better than standard.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

All is not lost. If it's dull, sharpen it. There's your encouragement. :biggrinbounce2:

Ian

 

[Rookie1]

Its got to be hard to shapen,no. Ive thought about about getting a carbide chain for cutting pallets. That way if I hit a nail it would still be good.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Look at the edges of the cutters, is the carbide chipped? It should be obvious if it is. If so, then yes, it is "dulled". Carbide will chip rather than wear/bend/smash etc so look for chips out of the carbide.

If it's the same 'carbide" as used with metal-working then it can be sharpened with an abrasive wheel, no need for the diamond wheel that Stihl calls for.

 

[derwoodii]

This blokes from Portugal kinda same tough conditions as Israel and OZ
His chain was spanked I reckon not full quid or a smaller profile cheap chain

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=141372

 

[goanin]

Look at the edges of the cutters, is the carbide chipped? It should be obvious if it is. If so, then yes, it is "dulled". Carbide will chip rather than wear/bend/smash etc so look for chips out of the carbide.
for.

It isn't chipped. It hit the nail for 1.5 seconds, and I didn't press it hard.
It kinda looks new.. Is that a good reason to believe it is ok?
(I know I sound like a drama queen)

 

[CountryBoy19]

It isn't chipped. It hit the nail for 1.5 seconds, and I didn't press it hard.
It kinda looks new.. Is that a good reason to believe it is ok?
(I know I sound like a drama queen)

If it's not chipped and there are no carbide teeth that are completely missing then you're good to go. Carbide doesn't really dull at all, it just chips away so if there are no noticeable chips in it then it should still be nearly as sharp as it was new.

 

[smokinj]

Really the only advantage of have carbide is so you can go through crap like nails. Keep cutting till you have to sharpen that chain. You paid for it, so use it like you stold it!

 

[fields_mj]

I don't have a carbide chain (yet), but I use it a lot in my machine shop. When you hit hard stuff like nails and concrete it will chip or break, not wear, or bend. That's one advantage of carbide. The other is that it does take a LOT longer to wear it down and get it dull when cutting abrasive materials like Aluminum, wood, and such. That's why your circular saw blades are carbide tipped. The carbide does wear and dull, but it's a LOT harder than hardened tool steel (or hard crome), and thus it takes a lot longer to wear down and get dull.

In short, the carbide is a lot harder than that nail (nails are pretty soft steel), so if it didn't chip a tooth, then it should be fine.

Mark

 

[skidsteer.ca]

If a stump grinder wheel will buzz all day in the dirt, I don't think 1 nail would make any difference. Did it saw right through?
Ken

 

[goanin]

Did it saw right through?
Ken

I didn't cut through the nail. Just touched it..

 

[TonyX3M]

I didn't cut through the nail. Just touched it..

Even you cut thru it, its not a big deal until you hit the concrete or some re-bar! Do you have coupla of, sets ? Use the older ones on stumps that you dont trust- and btw- if you have an Army/ Navy depot close by - and you can get access to mechanics- teyll do an excellent job on em