What do you do with old chains?

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wat648

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ks
Since I have become a member here, I have learned to hand sharpen my chains, which is good, except now, I will stretch the chain before I ever use up the chain, plenty of tooth left. Surely I am not the only one with this issue and was wondering what you all did with your stretched chains, I.e. Throw away, take a link out or another use?
 
They are stretched to the point the adjuster won't take the slack out.
 
Are they stretching, or are you eating away the backside of the chain tie-straps by overtightening the chain or the saw not delivering enough bar oil? Look at the underside of your chain by the drive links.
 
Never had that happen to me, I'm like Dirtboy, sharpen 'em until the teeth get so small that you feel like throwing the chain away, but I still keep them for the occasional stump and root cutting job - maybe get one or two more sharpenings out of them.....I just hate to do a job like that with a new(er) chain.
 
'Stretching' (actually, enlarging of the rivet holes, and/or wearing of the rivets) is mostly noted on longer chain loops. It happens on smaller loops as well, but the small amounts of wear 'add up' to a lot more on a 120DL chain, than on a 40DL loop.

The 'stretched' links will also hit your drive sprocket slightly off, leading to increased wear. That is why they recommend replacing the sprocket and chains at the same time, instead of running a new sprocket with old chains, or vice versa.

That said: if you don't mind wearing out your $5 rim sprocket a bit faster to get more life out of a $20 to $30 chain, 'standard practice' is to take a link or 2 out of the chain, and run it until your get all of the life out of the cutters.

Philbert
 
A friend took my old chains and decoupaged (or however you spell it) them into a bar top he made. It was tongue and groove wood, and he cut the chains and laid them in the groove. Nice looking bartop.

Ted
 
I have never in my life had a chain stretch that much. Even when I used box store Oregon chains they would outlast the boxstore Poulan chainsaws. Been using Stihl for 8 years now and still have the 3 chains that I bought with my 440. Never had any reason to replace any of them.
 
Using Stihl chains on my 18" Stihl bar. I tighten the chain enough that you can still pull about 3/8" of slack on the bottom side, so I don't think I am over tightening the chain. Maybe not getting enough oil?
 
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