I saw what hhm was fishing for, that's why I thought I should raise my hand and mention my interest as well, even if this thread is a well placed viral promo.
Anyone have a retail?
It is not immediately apparent to me how the geometry of this new self-sharpening chain will cut any better than the old auto-sharp system, or, be more accurate, how it will avoid cutting considerably worse than conventional chain. Conventional tooth geometry depends on, among other things, the edge exposure generated by the proper adjustment of the rakers, or depth gauges. How any edge exposure will be generated with the sharpening stone making the cutting edge and the raker effectively the same height is not explained. What effect that honkin' big stone dresser being dragged through the cut isn't explained either.
What is immediately apparent is the lack of relevance the promotional video has to a typical user on this forum. Premise: it is difficult to get a sharp chain by filing (show a pair of hands feebly and ineptly trying to use a file, infomercial style). That may be true for the inept, but it's not true of an experienced user. It's relatively easy to get a truly sharp chain, if you know what you're doing. If you don't, the video may look real. The video implies that the only way you'll get your chain sharpened with a grinder is to take it to a shop. Those of us with grinders know that isn't true, either.
The video mourns the tendency of chains to become dull by contact with the ground, and shows the user dutifully and repeatedly chewing into the ground, even on logs that are clearly small enough to move. Most of us know not to do that, but the real issue is that if you really do saw into the ground you're likely to have a rocked chain that -- well, let's just say that the 3-5 second sharpening estimate is optimistic.
Dubious geometry, whose performance versus traditional chain is unproven, straw man difficulties purportedly solved, sketchy information, no price . . . hmmm, doesn't look good. Retail? If it becomes a real product, it will be at Lowes. Lowes is Oregon's big box partner (HD switched to their own stuff), the target market for this sort of thing shops at big boxes, and Lowes website does not mention it. I could be wrong, but it looks like a trial balloon to me, not a product that is currently on the market. And the insertion here was clumsy.
Good luck, lads.
Jack
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