To clean chainsaw chain

[galde]

A chain that is sharp and adequately oiled will clean itself in use. I always make sure that chains that I sharpen are squeaky-clean before I file or grind. A chain that has been run dull will get caked up with crud, and any crud wil load up a grinding wheel or file. I also want the chain to be clean so I can properly inspect every tooth and also tell what I am doing when sharpening. Cruddy chains take trip through my USC before sharpening.

 

[Whitespider]

I'm a cheap-azz, I use my chains until the cutters are so short they start breaking off... and then the chain gets hung on a nail to be used as a "dirt" chain if'n I need one to cut a root or some such. If, after the "dirt" work is done, and there's enough cutters remaining to be worth sharpening, I'll blow the dirt off with compressed air before filing. Compressed air on a chain that's been used in dirt is as close as I've ever come to "cleaning" a chain.

 

[7sleeper]

I'm a cheap-azz, I use my chains until the cutters are so short they start breaking off... and then the chain gets hung on a nail to be used as a "dirt" chain if'n I need one to cut a root or some such. If, after the "dirt" work is done, and there's enough cutters remaining to be worth sharpening, I'll blow the dirt off with compressed air before filing. Compressed air on a chain that's been used in dirt is as close as I've ever come to "cleaning" a chain.

+1

7

 

[medic8852]

how about a rusty chain....I'm working on cleaning up the old david bradley, would like to make at least a cut or two with it before hanging on the wall, lol. The chain is 1/2" i'm guessing and has a moderate amount of rust. Cutters and rakers look real good, so sharpening shouldn't be a problem, but i'd like to get this chain cleaned up as best as possible to be able to make a pass or two with it for fun...

 

[fearofpavement]

how about a rusty chain....I'm working on cleaning up the old david bradley, would like to make at least a cut or two with it before hanging on the wall, lol. The chain is 1/2" i'm guessing and has a moderate amount of rust. Cutters and rakers look real good, so sharpening shouldn't be a problem, but i'd like to get this chain cleaned up as best as possible to be able to make a pass or two with it for fun...

Cut some wood with it and then see if it hasn't improved its appearance. That'll probably clean it up quite a bit in and of itself...

 

[GASoline71]

how about a rusty chain....I'm working on cleaning up the old david bradley, would like to make at least a cut or two with it before hanging on the wall, lol. The chain is 1/2" i'm guessing and has a moderate amount of rust. Cutters and rakers look real good, so sharpening shouldn't be a problem, but i'd like to get this chain cleaned up as best as possible to be able to make a pass or two with it for fun...

The only time I have ever soaked a chain... is some old 1/2" and 7/16" chain I got some years back. Some rusted links that wouldn't move. SOaked 'em in diesel for about a week. Busted up that rust no prob. I have some of the 1/2" on my Homelite 770G. Works fine.

Nowthen... to the original topic... As far as "cleaning" chain after sharpening. That makes no sense whatsoever. So after sharpening a chain on your tailgate or on a stump in the middle of cuttin', do people actually stop to clean chain before cuttin' again? That's silly... just sharpen and go bury it back in the wood. EZPZ.

Overengineering at it's finest.

Gary

 

[Guido Salvage]

In my mind there is a fairly wide gap between good maintenance of tools and OCD. The purpose of the chain is to cut, if it is properly sharpened and well lubricated it should need no additional attention.

If you do this to your chains, how much time do you spend on the dis-assembly, cleaning and reassembly of the individual parts of the saw? Seems like you are leaving scant little time for lumberjacking...

 

[lumberjackmoe]

What I wrote

GASoline72. I wrote I clean, then sharpen, then soak. I do not take the time to remove the chains from the saw. I am handed about 7 chains from a fellow that buys white oak logs, grades them, then sells them to buyers. At times he will cut off the end of the logs. He said that I can have all cut offs shorter the 4'. I currently have 59 rick split and stacked in the field out in back of my house and about another 18 rick to split and stack. I get about 1-2 rick of logs a week. I sharpen his chains as a favor to him in return for the logs. He use to have the local Stihl dealer sharpen his chains but the dealer would burn the teeth and take the temper out of the steel and thus the chains would not hold the sharpening very long.This guy will not roll the logs when he is cutting the ends off, and so he will nick a stone now and then. I take them and kiss them with a grinder and return them to him. I feel this is a fair exchange.
Thank all of you for your replies. I think I will stop cleaning the chains, thanks to all of your input, and clean only if the links do not flex.

 

[Gologit]

Thank all of you for your replies. I think I will stop cleaning the chains, thanks to all of your input, and clean only if the links do not flex.

Good plan.

 

[7sleeper]

..... I am handed about 7 chains from a fellow that buys white oak logs, grades them, then sells them to buyers. At times he will cut off the end of the logs. He said that I can have all cut offs shorter the 4'. I currently have 59 rick split and stacked in the field out in back of my house and about another 18 rick to split and stack. I get about 1-2 rick of logs a week. I sharpen his chains as a favor to him in return for the logs. He use to have the local Stihl dealer sharpen his chains but the dealer would burn the teeth and take the temper out of the steel and thus the chains would not hold the sharpening very long.This guy will not roll the logs when he is cutting the ends off, and so he will nick a stone now and then. I take them and kiss them with a grinder and return them to him. I feel this is a fair exchange.
Thank all of you for your replies. I think I will stop cleaning the chains, thanks to all of your input, and clean only if the links do not flex.

This is a totally different situation! At first I thought you were only doing it for yourself but if you get something in return then I think it is absolutly correct to do it! You are doing a trade and I for my point would want my side of the trade to be perfect so that there is no discussion what so ever! If I was in your situation the chains would also look like brand new!

7

 

[D&B Mack]

Remove chain and rinse in WD 40. Hang to dry. Then sharpen.

I would sharpen before adding WD40. Seems chains will sharpen best when dry.

 

[bcaarms]

Stone or CBN wheel gets gunk on it

If you sharpen with a grinder it does matter. Matters to a file also, but easier to clean off a file.

 

[cujo8]

bcaarms is correct, If you don't clean your chain well before you sharpen it on your electric chainsaw grinder, you'll plug up the pours on the grinding wheels and this hinders the cutting action. When this happens you need to apply more pressure to grinder to make it work and this causes more heat, that can also ruin the chain.
If you don't use an electric chain grinder to sharpen your chain and you mostly only cut clean wood you will most likely never need to clean your chain, but if you bury your chain in the dirt accidentally or cut some wood with a lot of dirt on it, it would be wise to clean the chain once in awhile just to get rid of the dirt and grime that will cause your bar, chain, and sprocket to where out prematurely.

 

[066blaster]

Do what you want or feel necessary. The guys on here will contradict any thing you say anyway. If it's caked with junk clean it. If not just sharpen and go.

 

[Coldfront]

I blow it off with compressed air then file, then back into the wood it goes. If I don't have compressed air I just wipe it off with a rag the best I can.

 

[whitedogone]

If you feel the need to clean chains before grinding and whatnot, cheap dollar store oven cleaner works extremely well.

 

[motti]

What I wrote

I sharpen his chains as a favor to him in return for the logs.

And for that, you are doing a service. In fact, you are doing a better service than anyone else, hence why he is coming to you. If you and your name are attached to this "product", I would make it represent it well. Why wouldn't you want them to look their very best? Keep on cleaning those chains, I say. And that's just from a business/customer service angle.

 

[demc570]

i hand file chain on bar,wire brush first then sharpen,then i i remove the bar and chain to remove any shavings,and wood and oil from bar groves,clean out oil holes,clean chain cover,make every thing clean for next outing.. and clean entire saw each time i sharpen my chain...WORKS GOOD FOR ME-YES LITTLE TIME,BUT I KNOW ITS DONE,AND ALSO GET TO INSPECT ANY LITTLE ISSUES THAT MAY SPRING UP

 

[moojpg2]

I have a parts washer full of diesel so I usually just throw my really beat up or unevenly filed chain loops in there to soak to cut the sap and such off em before I get a chance to fix em on the grinder. It's very convenient if you have the parts washer in your shop, but otherwise I'd say complete waste of time. If I'm filing on the bar (which is the bulk of my sharpening, at or before working) I certainly wouldn't bother.

 

[axe2fall]

I hand file on the bar at the end of the day. The bar can always use a shot of compressed air by the time the chain needs sharpening. So can the rest of the saw. It only takes a minute to pull the chain and drop it in some old gasoline while blowing the crud from the saw. Slosh around and pull out the chain and blow that dry. . . Touch ups in the woods are different.
It seems to me that the file cuts better on unlubricated chain. Files definitely stay cleaner on clean dry chain. Never used a grinder so I don't know.
I also blow the filings off the chain before I start the saw again.
Not the only way, but it works for me.