Chain problems

[Philbert]

It’s a low kick back chain

Safety chain only affects how it cuts on the very tip of the bar, around the sprocket. I.e. a bore cut.

+1

Most of the 'bad press' that low-kickback chain received was due to the older style, with the bumpers on the tie straps. That style provided a very smooth cut, but reduced chip clearance in larger wood. Your chain has the bumpers on the drive links - I have seen guys win races with that chain!

Not sure if it's the picture quality, but the tooth on the right looks awful.

+1

Looks like it is heavily abraded, like it hit something. Can't see the cutting edges.

Philbert

 

[Travis_32]

Not sure if it's the picture quality, but the tooth on the right looks awful.

Quality I had to crop a picture to be able to post it

 

[Westboastfaller]

I see, You say you do your rakers? Its not hand filed. Perhaps it's been on a grinder once? It doesn't get any newer than that. You be cutting' sand

 

[HarleyT]

"Special" depth gauges???

Are we not allowed to make fun of them????

 

[Philbert]

"Special" depth gauges??? Are we not allowed to make fun of them????

Like I could stop you?

Only found on Oregon 'Vanguard' chains (and copies). Got a better term? Oregon calls them 'ramped' depth gauges, but that does not explain how wide they are.

Phibert

 

[HarleyT]

I used to tell folks that you adjusted those with vice grips.... Just bend the tang over a little.
Or smack them with a hammer.

 

[HarleyT]

I kinda like a nice wide bumper........

If you know what I mean...........

 

[kz1000]

I have a little different answer. When you are at the end of the bar, you may be pushing down lightly but with no real affect. When you are next to the saw you allow the full weight of the saw to be on the chain plus what ever you add of your own. I think that ever saw with a sharp chain will do the same thing.

 

[jakethesnake]

Chain not as sharp as you think it is.

I have a little different answer. When you are at the end of the bar, you may be pushing down lightly but with no real affect. When you are next to the saw you allow the full weight of the saw to be on the chain plus what ever you add of your own. I think that ever saw with a sharp chain will do the same thing.

Get an overhead picture right down onto the tooth. To cut well. Good. That point on chisel needs to be sharp. It can easily look sharp but the leading edge is knocked over
The chain is losing or has lost its edge. When you dog in the teeth are forced to bite. So even an almost sharp chain will cut.

Semi chisel is a little different but a whole lot
Similar. It still needs to have an edge on the outside of the tooth. There’s just no actual point.

 

[jakethesnake]

Looks like semi in the picture. Semi chisel is easier to sharpen as there is no defined point.

 

[jakethesnake]

Westboast may be on to something. Sometimes a fairly new sharp chain can really lose its edge fast when there is sand or dust dirt ingrained in the bark of a tree. A very good cutting chain can start cutting crappy in a cut or two. If not as gritty it would take more cuts but once you lose that edge you are basically done.

Some shops do a crappy job resharpening with a grinder also

 

[Westboastfaller]

I have a little different answer. When you are at the end of the bar, you may be pushing down lightly but with no real affect. When you are next to the saw you allow the full weight of the saw to be on the chain plus what ever you add of your own. I think that ever saw with a sharp chain will do the same thing.

Well don't bring physics into it. Yes it could be 'simple' haha. I would feel better if it's just a dusted out chain. By looking at the one tooth. It's a very new chain so I would say those are the only two things on the table.

 

[hotshot]

I kinda like a nice wide bumper........

If you know what I mean...........

Yep, works kind of like a depth limiter.

 

[hotshot]

Now take a pic of the bar tip too, where the chain makes a 180 degree turn.

Those link bumpers in front of the the cutters will stick out like a rooster comb! Fat chance you could ever make a boring cut with the tip end.

Get a loop of the original Stihl 33RM (NOT the later RM2 or RM3) or Oregon 72LGX & cut with the bar end or tip like you want to, but watch out for kick back as it will be extreme!

 

[lambs]

Give me RS or at worst, RM, but no thanks on the bumpers....to me that's just something I have to grind away in order to file the depth gauges.

 

[rd35]

I sharpened a chain for a customer a few weeks ago that had a unique problem (the chain, not the customer). He had rocked (touched a rock while cutting) his chain in a very non aggressive way. Funny thing was that after lightly hitting the rock, the chain still "felt" razor sharp. However, the chrome plating on the tops of the cutters was ground way back and missing for the first few thousandths along the top of each tooth. So, even though it would sort of cut if you pushed down on the saw in the cut, it would simply free-spin under light pressure. I had to remove a good bit of material off of each cutter to get back to where the chrome plating was present and undamaged. After sharpening it this way, it would self-feed with no pressure. Any extra force on the saw would overcome the power of the engine and stop the chain. (which is exactly the way a good sharp chain is supposed to perform)

 

[Philbert]

. . . the chrome plating on the tops of the cutters was ground way back and missing for the first few thousandths along the top of each tooth.

Essentially, he had a top bevel.

Some racers intentionally remove the chrome from the cutters. but they do this in a more uniform way.

Philbert

 

[ericm979]

When I've had chains with a strip of chrome missing from the tops of the teeth, they can be sharpened but they get dull fast.

 

[Philbert]

I have been accused of not be the sharpest tooth on the loop . . .

Philbert

 

[Wood Doctor]

I sharpened a chain for a customer a few weeks ago that had a unique problem (the chain, not the customer). He had rocked (touched a rock while cutting) his chain in a very non aggressive way. Funny thing was that after lightly hitting the rock, the chain still "felt" razor sharp. However, the chrome plating on the tops of the cutters was ground way back and missing for the first few thousandths along the top of each tooth. So, even though it would sort of cut if you pushed down on the saw in the cut, it would simply free-spin under light pressure. I had to remove a good bit of material off of each cutter to get back to where the chrome plating was present and undamaged. After sharpening it this way, it would self-feed with no pressure. Any extra force on the saw would overcome the power of the engine and stop the chain. (which is exactly the way a good sharp chain is supposed to perform)

I ran into something like this only I self-induced it by removing too much on the raker (depth gauge). The chain can no longer cut any hardwood without stalling out the saw -- not even cottonwood. The only solution is to grind down every cutter, which in this case would be almost half of their length.