Husky Saw Chain / Raker with big bend in it?

I was given a bunch of saw chains for some bars I won on Ebay and the chains have Husky printed on them but the raker has this big bend in it. I've never seen any saw chain like this before and I'm wondering if these are any good. Every saw chain I've bought (I prefer Stihl chain) has the raker going straight up and down. These rakers don't even look like they can be filed. I'll try to get a picture but I'm guessing some experts here could chime in and educate me on whether these are decent chains and what the function is of the very rounded over raker. Tks.

You can file the raker on this chain. It's OK chain esp. free. I think the bend was supposed to clear chips better. I have some on some of my saws cause it came on them. Would not buy it I think it cuts slower and I don't think it clears chips better than the single post.
Shep

I'm pretty sure the bend is for "safety" and is there so it is hard to file down the rakers. I have had a few of these and you have to use a grinder of some sort to get them down. It's hard to do so and not go to far, making the it chain grabby. They work good new, but it's a pain after that. I'm super cheep so I would make them work

Its the vanguard style of Oregon chain. I have never used it, but some say it cuts ok. I like to use in Oregon LPX for .325-3/8 or VXL for 3/8LP.

Wagnerwerks said:

I'm pretty sure the bend is for "safety" and is there so it is hard to file down the rakers. I have had a few of these and you have to use a grinder of some sort to get them down. It's hard to do so and not go to far, making the it chain grabby. They work good new, but it's a pain after that. I'm super cheep so I would make them work

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Stihl-Pioneer said:

Its the vanguard style of Oregon chain. I have never used it, but some say it cuts ok. I like to use in Oregon LPX for .325-3/8 or VXL for 3/8LP.

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Right, sounds like the "green" Oregon Vanguard, rebranded as Husky.

I used to tell folks that you adjust the raker height on those with vise grips, and bend down. Oregon makes an expensive tool, but the vice grips work just as well.....

Had a few guys believe me........

It cuts like any other chain - when properly maintained. There are certain types of cuts you won't be able to do well with it - but they are more professional type cuts, which typically aren't done with homeowner chain anyway, because in cutting firewood you don't need to.

Confirmed - found some pics of the Oregon Vanguard chain that was mentioned and this is what I was given. I'll give them a shot - they were free so I have nothing to lose although I'm sort of biased about the stihl chains.

Anyway, thanks for the help guys.

Oregon Vanguard chain. Cuts just fine for me.

Looks like this:



I've had no problem filing the rakers, just a lot of metal to remove. Has to be the exact same metal and hardness as the tooth, same link. Will probably go to 30RC when the OEM chain is filed back.

Ed,

This photo really amplifies why the rakers need to be aggressively lowered as the tooth is filed back. I was unaware of the steep drop back, even though I use the chain.

Arrowhead said:

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Thanks

Just visited Oregon's site and it looks like these rakers (or whatever they're called) are not supposed to be filed. So it would seem that once the cutter has been sharpened so that it's level (or below) the raker these chains are then disposed of? From the shape of these I can understand why they wouldn't or couldn't be sharpened.

MtnHermit said:

Ed,

This photo really amplifies why the rakers need to be aggressively lowered as the tooth is filed back. I was unaware of the steep drop back, even though I use the chain.



Thanks

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Good point. I don't have any of this but my Dad does on his 455, and I'll be sharpening that for him soon so I need to learn about it.

I have noticed also that these chains seem to be the standard that will come on the 445 and the 455 ranchers when purchased new. So it looks like someone replaced their chains and got rid of their safety chains. I have a couple of these chains and will re-sharpen and lower the rakers when needed. I also read where someone cut the bend off.

WoodHeatWarrior said:

Good point. I don't have any of this but my Dad does on his 455, and I'll be sharpening that for him soon so I need to learn about it.

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I use a straight edge and feeler gauge, although I'm sure Husky makes a special tool. The tooth also drops 10 deg side-to-side, further complicating the filing.

3000 FPS said:

I have noticed also that these chains seem to be the standard that will come on the 445 and the 455 ranchers when purchased new.

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You are correct, the photo I posted is from a 455. I ordered a 435 refurb yesterday, expecting to see the same chain on it.

MtnHermit said:

You are correct, the photo I posted is from a 455. I ordered a 435 refurb yesterday, expecting to see the same chain on it.

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I doubt it. Vanguard is 3/8. A 435 will have .325 NK

They are a chisel chain.
The rakers are bent like that to protect from kick-back.
The rakers can be lowered, but it takes forever with a file: better to use a rotary tool.
The rakers need to be lower than a "normal" raker bc rakers are designed to penetrate the wood slightly as they pass through the kerf. You aren't going to get that raker into the wood so you must compensate and set it lower.
Never thought about grinding that wing off, but I might give it a try with the angle grinder.
They cut pretty well when prepped correctly, though they are a hassle.
For free, I would get the grinder going...or put them on Ebay.

Have one loop of that on a saw. Which one I'll have to look. Had to just touch 'em with my 6" disc grinder. Hard to take down just a little, ended up taking some of 'em down too much.

Wouldn't buy that stuff on purpose.

WoodHeatWarrior said:

Good point. I don't have any of this but my Dad does on his 455, and I'll be sharpening that for him soon so I need to learn about it.

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They typically come stock on the "homeowner" saws that come with 3/8" chain, so that fits.