Stop and sharpen or swithout chain?

[wyk]

If I brought square ground, I'll swap em out. If it's a round grind, I'll sharpen it in the field.

 

[SawTroll]

I always sharpen. The key is to not let the chain get real dull, then it only takes a few strokes with a good file to have the chain back cutting like new. .....

Yes.

 

[flushcut]

Depends.

It only takes 5-6Min. to give each cutter a couple licks, but if I hit wire, or buggered up a couple teeth bad, I'll swap.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Yep that is exactly what I do as well.

I usually have spare chain with me, but don't use them unless I rock one outn (or hit something hard in the trees, like old wire or spikes) - and just touch the chain on the saw up with a file every other tank or so, or when I feel it is needed.

Ditto.

When I was starting out

Old logger once told me, never sharpen a saw in the field, just grab another and keep going. When you run out of saws, change a chain. If you run out of saws and chains you're having a bad day and should get out of the woods and find a comfy bar stool.

Take Care

Some great advice right there.

I always sharpen. The key is to not let the chain get real dull, then it only takes a few strokes with a good file to have the chain back cutting like new. If I were to totally wreck a chain, I would just grab another saw. I normally take at least five or six when I cut wood.

Sharp or slightly less sharp never dull barring damage.

 

[Officer's Match]

I've got about 18 or so cords on the Stihl full chisel on my Jred 2153 since I first put it on. So yeah, sharpen on saw for me.

 

[fearofpavement]

I found out last year that a chainsaw can also be used as a metal detector.

You would think that as much metal as I have hit cutting wood that when emptying ashes from the stove there would be all sorts of metal junk in there but there never is. Hmmmm, so do I hit every piece of metal in every tree? When I determine the answer to that we'll also have the solution as to where socks go when you put them in the dryer.

 

[o8f150]

a lot faster and easier for me to just switch chains

 

[NORMZILLA44]

Chopperfreak, good deal man, yes it goes along ways to do the extra lookig, or chipping for sure with that ax. I have found nails, rocks, wire, or just a little dirt hiding in the bark. Besides like these guys said too, I dont have a grinder, so if I pull and swap a chain, it get's forgotten in my shed. But for a faller who can't have a bunch of extra saw's close, it makes sense like my buddy does, and carries extra chains. Or guy's that prefer it, well it will work too

 

[Philbert]

I try to bring 3 chains per saw, and swap them out as needed. This way I can keep cutting while in the field, and sharpen back in my shop. I do carry files and guides if the cutters only need a touch up during a break. But even with the PowerSharp chains, I like to have an extra chain in case one gets damaged beyond something that a simple field sharpening will fix.

The only problem I have with with switching to a new chain is that I don't have a grinder. This means I have to put the dull chain back on the saw to sharpen it later.

Get ahold of a spare bar, even if it is an old, scrap bar that you can mount in a vise and use for filing extra chains off of the saw. It does not have to be the same length or mount as your regular bar. I have one .050 and one .063 gauge bar for this purpose. I drove out the nose sprockets so that I can use them for filing any pitch chain. You can even mount an Oregon or Granberg filing guide on them if you use those.

well i can't yet afford to have extra chains for my saws so i file them when they need it.

You should be able to scrounge a few extra chains, even if they are used ones, for not a lot of money. I have rescued and rehabilitated a number of chains for free, that others have discarded. Not sure if you need 3 different size chains or can swap some between your saws, but if one gets buggered up beyond what you can field file, that saw is down, and you might spend more money on gas at $4/gallon driving back and forth than picking up a few basic chains at $15 - $20 each, or less when on sale.

Philbert