ever had a chainsaw chain break

[gwiley]

Have you guys had a chainsaw chain break while you were cutting? I have cut a lot of firewood over the years but have never had a chain break.

How soon do you retire your chains? I hand file so mine tend to last a long time before the cutter height is too low. I am wondering whether I should track the chain age/use and toss it at some regular interval to avoid the risk of a break.

How likely is the chain to cause an injury if it breaks? I know this is going to be guesswork - I am just trying to figure out how much to worry about it.

My most common saw is a Husky 350 on an 18" bar - that seems like enough chain to reach out and touch me if decided to part.

 

[lone wolf]

only on the small ms200 t stihl and that's because when other people get it stuck in a cut they wiggle it and bend the chain back and forth that weakens the link and breaks soon after use.

 

[oneoldbanjo]

There is another thread posted this morning about a fellow who got hurt seriously after a chain broke and cut him in the shoulder.


I have never had a chain break - the worst I have had is having a chain come off when cutting around brush that would snag onto the chain and pull it sideways off the bar.

My own opinion about my chain condition is based on the wear on the chain, and not on the number of sharpenings or cutter size. When the chain gets too flexible - meaning that it flexes excessively side to side when it is not mounted on the saw - then it gets retired. I compare the flex to a new chain and just make a judgement call on how worn the links and pins are.

 

[lone wolf]

only on the small ms200 t stihl and that's because when other people get it stuck in a cut they wiggle it and bend the chain back and forth that weakens the link and breaks soon after use.

keep your head away from the line of fire if the chain does come off.

 

[ctrees4$]

I have had a few break while I was cutting.I sharpen my chains with a grinder and will use the chain as long as possible.As the tooth gets smaller I take a little off the drag. Most of the time I will run the chain until it has been sharpened to the line marked for you to keep the correct angle.When the teeth are that short it becomes a firewood chain.

 

[Sawmill]

I had 3 of them break last year. I buy my chains from a local place and they make them up when you buy them. These chains when they broke did not do any damage but the funny part is they were brand new and had not cut hardly any wood. I took them back along with the saw and the roll of chain was bad. It had stress cracks where it was riveted together. I guess I was not the only one that had a problem.

 

[southsoundtree]

While hand filing a chain I found a broken tie strap on one side of a double strap. It was cutting small diameter tamarisk alright. I happened to notice it. It was a crew member's chain, so who knows what abuse it had taken. I was glad to have seen it when I did.

 

[Kong]

Just once, and that was a very long time ago. I was a young guy working for West Virginia University on their grounds crew. A tree had been felled on University property that was being cleared to build a new football stadium. I was sent to cut it up and another guy was supposed to come later and load it up for removal.

All I can tell you about the tree and the saw is one was large and the other was small. The chain broke while the bar was fully imbedded in the trunk of the tree. Nothing flew out and I wasn't in any danger at all, it simply quit cutting, the motor screamed for a split second before I released the throtle. I pulled the saw out of the tree and the limp and broken chain was still hanging in the cut.

I don't know what I hit, never did see it. There was a shower of sparks instantly as it hit and broke - so it could have been a horseshoe in there for all I know. Anyway it wasn't a big deal and its the only time it ever happened to me. I'm not saying it couldn't be dangerous but when you think of how the saw works and the chain gets pulled to the saw only so long as its under tension its kind of hard to immagine a way it could fly back and hit you. Its particularly had to see how it could fly around and hit you in the face, seems to me its spinning in the wrong direction to be able to do that.

 

[TreePointer]

I've had two different chains break off an MS361, 20", .050, 3/8. One broke and was caught by the chain catcher and clutch cover and the other shot straight off the nose of the bar about 20 feet. The chains were new (only 1-2 sharpenings) and were improperly spun at a dealer. No injuries.

 

[Cedarkerf]

Ive never broken a chain but did find a cracked tie strap chain was about 50% worn. In high school forestry class I was hit by a flying chain from about 20 feet away hit my wrist and left a nice little scar. The guy hit a spike in the tree.

 

[avalancher]

I have had only two break on me, and both of them were on my 372.Both broke while in the cut, one when the tip grabbed a branch that I didnt see on the other side, the other broke for no reason at all.Both chains were shot anyway, both were filed down to the witness mark and ready to be retired anyway.Never have been hit by a broken chain, but there is always tomorrow....

 

[rtrsam]

I've had and seen several chains break. Always the same thing, top of a tie strap. Never caused any injury or damage, just inconvenience.

Chains were all toward the end of their life anyhow, and examining them other tie straps had been filed when sharpening, reducing their strength right at the place where the broken one let go.

Oregon brand used to recommend going to the next size smaller file once you got to about 3/4 of the way through the tooth (I remember we used to have a dozen 13/64" files for this purpose, never used them though). The relief angle on the top plate means that as the tooth gets filed back, you'll have to ride the file deeper in the gullet to maintain proper top plate angle, hence the bottom of the file is more likely to gouge into the top plate.

 

[wvlogger]

i broke one on my ms460 about a month ago. I had my 20" bar buried in hickory with a way filed back 72lgx chain. I snaped in the cut on the top of the tie strap. No harm no foul. Went back to the trcuk and got on of my spares and was back to work within 5 minutes.

 

[Stihl-in-Ky]

Yes 24" stihl rsc less than 10 sharpenings in 4" ash limb came back and hit my jeans no cut was on a Stihl 441,later that year an old chain also broke.That was 2 years ago I cut about 10 cords that year this year I cut over 40 cords and no chains broke.Have been cutting wood 35 years and broke the only 2 in one year.

 

[rob066]

I ever only had one chain break. I was cutting off a huge pine stump with a 066. The stump pinched the bar and whamo went the chain. I should of kept the cut open with a wedge. That chain hit me hard across the leg.

 

[stihlcrazy20]

had one this summer came off the stihl 310 and got my friend. it was past the point where it should have been retired. came around and cut his hand. not bad though just alittle deeper then a scratch, so we cleaned it out with the good old peroxide and put toilet paper and camo duct tape on it and were back cutting in about half hour.

 

[slofr8]

I've had a few break and a couple of times they put a hole in my gas tanks.
Dan.

 

[unclemoustache]

In 4th grade I broke the chain on my dirt bike while pedaling. Fortunately the testes had not yet descended, so there was no serious damage.

 

[pat_58]

i broke one chain on my husky 365 while cutting 2 ft diameter maple lying on the ground. hit a nail. no harm. i have read somewhere, maybe from one of the chain or saw manufacturers, to retire a chain when the cutter is down to 4 cm in length, unless other damage or is noticed first.

pat.

 

[Philbert]

What's interesting about reading this thread, is how many people have had 'just one' break on them. Collectively, that suggests that it is a much more common occurrence than I would have expected.

Philbert