Shop Sharpened Chain

[Kenmai]

I read all the info I could find at this site about sharpening my chain saw blades. I have a Stihl Farm Boss. In the past I always sharpened my own blades with some success but I know it wasn't done 100% correct. It made sense to me to "dress" the blades and send it to the shop to get it sharpened. The other day I picked up two blades from the place that sold me the chain saw and is well known in this area for their service. What I didn't expect was to have all the top cutters to have a burr on them and burn marks from too much heat.

I don't see how the cutters can be considered sharp if there is a burr. I'm sure that the burr is from using the electrical grinder but seems that it should have been filed off too. Maybe after the first couple of cuts the burrs will go away. I don't know if I'm expecting too much for $8.00 or this is an accepted practice. There are plenty of place to get the blades sharpened.

There is also the fact that the kid doing the sharpening was rushing to get the blades done because he forgot to do them earlier and I was waiting. Maybe he left a step off. I haven't used the chain saw yet because I want to find out if the blades were done properly or not.

Thanks,
Ken

 

[treeclimber165]

The kid burned your chain. Bring it back to the manager or owner, and show him what was done to your CHAIN (knives have blades, chainsaws don't have blades). Parhaps he will replace your chain since the temper is now gone out of the steel teeth. A MINIMUM of refunding your money and a healthy discount on a new chain is appropriate.

The chain is still useable, but it probably won't hold an edge as long any more. The hardened steel has been heated and cooled, so it isn't as hard as a new chain.

 

[Stump Man]

I bought my own chain grinder which paid off a long time ago. e-mail me and I will give you the name of a company here in Maine that have very good prices on chains and bars.

 

[stihltech]

grinder

The wheel has to be dressed whenever a chain is sharpened, sometimes more often. Just like cutting with a dull chain, it makes a lot more heat on the tooth. I use a grinder mysel at the shop, but you have to take the time to do it right, or you end up with a chain like yours, and, an unhappy customer.

 

[mohick]

One thing for sure your chain saw dosen't have a BLADE it has a bar and a chain!!!

 

[Del_]

One thing for sure your chain saw dosen't have a BLADE it has a bar and a chain!!!

Al

 

[Little Al]

The other thing that can cause trouble is the grinding wheel can clog with metal chips from the cutters if the wheel is not dressed regularly the wheel will burn it's way through the tooth rather than cutting causing the heat & bluing of the cutter teeth most often caused by inexperience or couldn't care attitude.

 

[Welllit]

I've arrived at the conclusion that shop sharpened chains at $8.00 per, isn't as economical as buying a new chain.

Why?

Because I get twice as long a time remaining sharp with a new chain as a shop sharpened chain.

I can get new chains online, delivered at around $15.00 a chain.

I don't have to drive to the shop, 20 mile round trip, wait around while they do the sharpening, to then have chains that only remain sharp for half the time than I can dull a new chain.

My days of getting chains sharpened are over.

Oh yeah, I could do my own sharpening, but I'm too busy with other stuff, like mowing, and I hate the tedium of chain sharpening...

 

[Del_]

I've arrived at the conclusion that shop sharpened chains at $8.00 per, isn't as economical as buying a new chain.

Why?

Because I get twice as long a time remaining sharp with a new chain as a shop sharpened chain.

I can get new chains online, delivered at around $15.00 a chain.

I don't have to drive to the shop, 20 mile round trip, wait around while they do the sharpening, to then have chains that only remain sharp for half the time than I can dull a new chain.

My days of getting chains sharpened are over.

Oh yeah, I could do my own sharpening, but I'm too busy with other stuff, like mowing, and I hate the tedium of chain sharpening...

April Fool's day was yesterday!

 

[ropensaddle]

I've arrived at the conclusion that shop sharpened chains at $8.00 per, isn't as economical as buying a new chain.

Why?

Because I get twice as long a time remaining sharp with a new chain as a shop sharpened chain.

I can get new chains online, delivered at around $15.00 a chain.

I don't have to drive to the shop, 20 mile round trip, wait around while they do the sharpening, to then have chains that only remain sharp for half the time than I can dull a new chain.

My days of getting chains sharpened are over.

Oh yeah, I could do my own sharpening, but I'm too busy with other stuff, like mowing, and I hate the tedium of chain sharpening...

Round here you would go broke fast in our sex rocks Its not the shop sharpened chain that is the problem it's the grinder operator that is the problem. I can sharpen with my grinder as good as new or with a file better than new and will stay sharp as long as new. It takes time in either case not something to rush on. I usually pick a day when i'm tinker happy to sharpen 8 or 10 chains throwing them in my saw parts toolbox so i always have a sharp chain ready! I sharpen the cutters then hand file rakers but I would not consider doing it for 8 dollars all day even though I could make coin doing so!!! I sharped a chain for a friend once rocked out chain when he got it back he said you took a lot off I said i took all the rounded metal off which must be done to have a sharp chain. He still appeared as if i took too much off until he started using it then he looked happy lol.

 

[ropensaddle]

The kid burned your chain. Bring it back to the manager or owner, and show him what was done to your CHAIN (knives have blades, chainsaws don't have blades). Parhaps he will replace your chain since the temper is now gone out of the steel teeth. A MINIMUM of refunding your money and a healthy discount on a new chain is appropriate.

The chain is still useable, but it probably won't hold an edge as long any more. The hardened steel has been heated and cooled, so it isn't as hard as a new chain.

It actually will be harder, so hard in fact, a new file wont shave off metal. However leaving burr is plain inexperience and or lack of workmanship. The wheel shaped up and right guy on the grinder that chain would cut like new still.

 

[BC WetCoast]

The kid burned your chain. Bring it back to the manager or owner, and show him what was done to your CHAIN (knives have blades, chainsaws don't have blades). Parhaps he will replace your chain since the temper is now gone out of the steel teeth. A MINIMUM of refunding your money and a healthy discount on a new chain is appropriate.

The chain is still useable, but it probably won't hold an edge as long any more. The hardened steel has been heated and cooled, so it isn't as hard as a new chain.

It's the chrome on the surface of the tooth that provides the cutting edge.

 

[sb47]

That has happens to me every time I have someone else sharpen my chains. They always take way to much material off and it always has burs and burn marks.
I found that it is much better learning to sharpen them yourself. They are sharper and last longer if you do it yourself.
Sometimes I get 5/6 tanks of gas before it gets dull, sometimes it gets dull in five min. All depends on the wood and cutting conditions.

 

[ropensaddle]

That has happens to me every time I have someone else sharpen my chains. They always take way to much material off and it always has burs and burn marks.
I found that it is much better learning to sharpen them yourself. They are sharper and last longer if you do it yourself.
Sometimes I get 5/6 tanks of gas before it gets dull, sometimes it gets dull in five min. All depends on the wood and cutting conditions.

Burrs no good, too much off depends on chain condition. If the point is not renewed the chain is not sharp, so; if it takes half the tooth to do so, then I do. I have seen folks believe their chain was sharp When I knew it was not, just by looking at the teeth.

 

[sb47]

Burrs no good, too much off depends on chain condition. If the point is not renewed the chain is not sharp, so; if it takes half the tooth to do so, then I do. I have seen folks believe their chain was sharp When I knew it was not, just by looking at the teeth.

I always stop before it get to the point where it takes more then 3/4 strokes with a file. Sometimes you can hit a nail or something that will wreck a chain before you can react. Sometimes I'll take the tooth down till the tip comes back or I sometimes only take the same strokes weather the tip comes back completely or not. It depends on if the before and after tooth has a tip. I try to keep the wear (hight) as uniform as possible. I just kinda work with what I have. By using a file you can feel when a tooth gets soft or brittle. Heat is the biggest chain killer, weather be a dull chain or too much heat when grinding a new edge. I'll run a chain till the teeth start breaking off or bending or they stretch out of adjustment.
Dry or green wood can also determine how long it stays sharp.

 

[ropensaddle]

I always stop before it get to the point where it takes more then 3/4 strokes with a file. Sometimes you can hit a nail or something that will wreck a chain before you can react. Sometimes I'll take the tooth down till the tip comes back or I sometimes only take the same strokes weather the tip comes back completely or not. It depends on if the before and after tooth has a tip. I try to keep the wear (hight) as uniform as possible. I just kinda work with what I have. By using a file you can feel when a tooth gets soft or brittle. Heat is the biggest chain killer, weather be a dull chain or too much heat when grinding a new edge. I'll run a chain till the teeth start breaking off or bending or they stretch out of adjustment.
Dry or green wood can also determine how long it stays sharp.

Dirt,rocks is the chain killer,here we enjoy sex rocks. I always always always take the tooth back to renew the edge including tip, I don't take the time for half sharp. My sharpens are good as new, no matter the size of tooth and I sharpen until there done. I at times throw on last sharpen chains for times I know dirt contact is likely. As far as even, I'm using a grinder, so; I inspect the teeth find the worst adjust until that tooth is renewed and grind the rest to it. Dry or green wood makes little difference really, its dirt that dulls mostly but osage orange or getting pinched etc can dull. My climb saw never gets used on the ground, it stays sharp a real long time and its cutting mostly dead wood! I run chain until the teeth are gone and that time varies by many factors but mostly contact with rocks,dirt,nails,horse shoes,wire,bullets etc. I'll use up 8 or 10 chains in 6 months if business is good, its the cost of doing business but they are always sharp as new.

 

[Hoowasat]

My experience with shop-sharpened chains was the driving force on learning how to sharpen them myself. Years ago, I dropped a couple chains at the shop to be sharpened and was told they'd be ready in a few days, BUT they hadn't been touched when I went to pick them up (!!!). So I bought a Stihl filing kit for that chainsaw, read the instructions and watched some videos on YouTube until I thoroughly understood the process. My chains always cut like new nowadays, and I find the filing process to be somewhat therapeutic. I've since acquired several filing kits for different size chains. In the field, I always have a spare chain with me, but I also carry the filing kit, too. That has proven useful because I have had to sharpen chains at the job site. I gave thought to buying a chain grinder, but the volume of sharpening I require doesn't justify investing/maintaining the extra equipment.

 

[CTYank]

Maybe I was lucky back in the day, when I heard about friend's encounter with dealer who ground his chains. Took off big chunks of chain.

I've found that:
1. It's way better to keep a chain sharp than play catch-up. (And I mean REALLY sharp, from guided filing.)
2. Cutter length consistency is way overrated. If they're ballpark-close, they cut fine.
3. Highly advisable to touch-up the depth-gauges regularly. Granberg filing guide lets you do that precisely. Drop them progressively as the cutters get filed away. It's not a fixed depth, y'know. And, they shouldn't need frequent attention.
4. Grinder earns its keep starting the process of restoring rocked chain. Then filing makes it sharp and ready for service.

 

[Hoowasat]

3. Highly advisable to touch-up the depth-gauges regularly.

+1 on depth gauges (rakers). I eye-balled them once and the saw vibrated violently while in the cut. Was a lesson learned.

 

[sb47]

+1 on depth gauges (rakers). I eye-balled them once and the saw vibrated violently while in the cut. Was a lesson learned.

It's easy to tell if there too high. They will get shiny from rubbing the wood. I use my die grinder to take the rakers down and use a gauge to make sure there right. Filling them with a flat file is not as easy as sharpening the teeth.