The Sharpened Chain (maybe)

[The Thriftdrifter]

Just wanting to get some feedback on this chain, does it look sharp? are the chips chunky enough? The cutters have all been measured and filed to the same length, the rakers were filed down using a Husky file guide. Anyone know what type of chain this is, and what chain would you fellas replace this one with when the time comes? The saw is a Husqvarna 440e, cross cutting in poplar. Call me a noob looking to be set down the right (sharp) track.

 

[Little Al]

With the double lump by the raker it's a safety chain ( in Stihl speak " Green) there should be name on the tie straps & numbers on the drive links, will then give you a brand /type, if you are cutting clean wood a non safety Chisel. Mucky wood non safety semi chisel. The chain you have appears Semi Chisel by the slightly rounded cutter corners I would suggest you buy a new chain & the you will be able to compare the cutting ability of your & the new chain

 

[Thommo]

You need to file lower into the tooth so that if you look at the side of the cutter it will be a C shape. This will make the chain self feed or bite in better. You might need a smaller file too.

 

[mohick]

You ain't there yet, making nothing but saw dust!! But with that saftey chain with the stupid double rakers thats prob about as good as your gona get get a good achain and you will see the dif.

 

[mohick]

You ain't there yet, making nothing but saw dust!! But with that saftey chain with the stupid double rakers thats prob about as good as your gona get get a good achain and you will see the dif.

 

[SawTroll]

You need to file lower into the tooth so that if you look at the side of the cutter it will be a C shape. This will make the chain self feed or bite in better. You might need a smaller file too.

A too large file in combination with a guide meant for a smaller one likely would leave a result like we see here....

The exact chain model and file size involved would be interesting to know, and also if a guide was used for filing the cutters.

 

[dsell]

Looks like Stihl Rapid Micro 325.

 

[heyduke]

It isn't possible to tell if the chain is self feeding well without a vid, but actually your chips look very good, one of the better jobs of hand filing i've seen here. it is "safety chain" and that means you had to spend a lot of time and effort to lower the depth gauges. i'd suggest that, if you feel confident with your abilities, next time you buy professional type non-safety chain. it might interest you that http://www.baileysonline.com/ has chain on sale for a few days, $100 for ten loops. regarding most of the comments above, you might notice that no but you had the cajones to provide photos of their work, so take their advice with healthy skepticism.

here's a 3/8" .050 chain i sharpened a few days ago. the cutters were sharpened with a timberline, the gullets and depth gauges were shaped with an oregon 311 type grinder. and yes, it self feeds like its hungry and makes fat cornflakes like your excellent chain:

 

[The Thriftdrifter]

A too large file in combination with a guide meant for a smaller one likely would leave a result like we see here....

The exact chain model and file size involved would be interesting to know, and also if a guide was used for filing the cutters.

Had a look on the chain and manual. H30 husq.

Pitch 325"
Gauge 050"
Drive links 66

File is 3/16 - 4.8mm
Guide is 325" -4.8m (Husqvarna combination guide)

The guide was used for both the cutters and rakers (it was rather time consuming filing those rakers)

Might try and post some clearer photos of the chain.

Any recommendations on pro semi chisel chain, brands?

I'll have a look at Baileysonline, thanks heyduke.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Not real crazy about the fold overs...

 

[heyduke]

Not real crazy about the fold overs...

they are the best low-kickback chain, in my opinion. if you don't have a grinder, they are useless. you could spend hours filing them down. however, they have no weird bumps or fins and they are almost as light as a normal chain. with a properly set up grinder it takes maybe for or five minutes to set the depth gauges. don't get me wrong. i wouldn't pay money for one, but this one came on a new poulan saw. after i spent a few minutes with it it cut well. or as we say here, "i seen worse."

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Yeah, I've got some of them too, just rather have the straight ones...

 

[heyduke]

File is 3/16 - 4.8mm
Guide is 325" -4.8m (Husqvarna combination guide)

The guide was used for both the cutters and rakers (it was rather time consuming filing those rakers)

Might try and post some clearer photos of the chain.

Any recommendations on pro semi chisel chain, brands?

I'll have a look at Baileysonline, thanks heyduke.

couple of ideas, on a .325 chain that is that worn you might want to try a 5/32" file like you would use on lo-pro. it would give you more hook. file guides don't let you lower the gullet (the bottom of the cutter) but you can do that free style if you pay attention and have more patience than me. also, my apologies, i didn't notice that you are in kiwilandia when i recommended baileys.

have a look at this:

https://www.timberlinesharpener.com/

even though you still need a grinder for damaged or excessively worn chain.

all that being said, you did a good job with your file and guide, though if you were accounting for your time i suspect a new chain would be a lot cheaper.

regarding chain brands and models, look at baileysonline.com. you will find professional chain there (non-low kickback) in both oregon and woodland pro which is usually carlton brand. i tend to prefer the carlton chain since it is a little less expensive and usually has longer top plates. anyway, just look for a chain that has nothing but cutters and drive links, no bumps or fins. with that type of chain it is easy to set the depth gauges. i frequently get low kickback chain in my shop. i use it to reinforce cement around my fence posts. both oregon and carlton (which are made by the same company) should be available in new zealand.

hope this helps and keep up the good work.

 

[Philbert]

'H30' is narrow kerf Husqvarna chain. Pretty much the same as Oregon Type 95 (until recently, they came from the same factory); e.g 95VPX or 95 TXL (new). Carlton K1NK-BL would also fit. STIHL does not make a chain in this size, and you will be really disappointed in the performance loss, if you replaced it with full width .325 chain, as it takes a larger 'bite', using more of your saw's power.

Hard to see the cutters, since your photos are a bit fuzzy, but it looks like you are getting some decent chips. You want sharp edges on the top plate and side plate cutting edges. It looks like your depth gauges are filed off flat, which means that they can dig in and rob some power, compared to the rounded profile on new chains. If you want to be fussy, try rounding these over with a flat file and compare how it performs.

If you are using the Husqvarna filing guide on Husqvarna chain, and the correct file, you are probably getting the right file depth - semi-chisel chain looks different than full chisel chain due to the lack of the prominent leading point, and that looks 'funny' to some guys used to the other stuff

It's not 'safety chain' - it will still cut your leg off. It is 'low kickback chain'. And the stuff you have has the bumper drive links, which cause less of a performance issue than older styles with the bumper tie straps (they could interfere with chip clearance on larger wood) - so I would not sweat it. According to Bailey's, .325 narrow kerf chain without the low kickback features is only available from Tri-Link, which many people consider a lower quality chain. I don't think that it is available with a full chisel cutter either.

Again, judge it by how it performs in your wood and your cutting!

Philbert

 

[heyduke]

'H30' is narrow kerf Husqvarna chain. Pretty much the same as Oregon Type 95 (until recently, they came from the same factory); e.g 95VPX or 95 TXL (new). Carlton K1NK-BL would also fit. STIHL does not make a chain in this size, and you will be really disappointed in the performance loss, if you replaced it with full width .325 chain, as it takes a larger 'bite', using more of your saw's power.

Hard to see the cutters, since your photos are a bit fuzzy, but it looks like you are getting some decent chips. You want sharp edges on the top plate and side plate cutting edges. It looks like your depth gauges are filed off flat, which means that they can dig in and rob some power, compared to the rounded profile on new chains. If you want to be fussy, try rounding these over with a flat file and compare how it performs.

If you are using the Husqvarna filing guide on Husqvarna chain, and the correct file, you are probably getting the right file depth - semi-chisel chain looks different than full chisel chain due to the lack of the prominent leading point, and that looks 'funny' to some guys used to the other stuff

It's not 'safety chain' - it will still cut your leg off. It is 'low kickback chain'. And the stuff you have has the bumper drive links, which cause less of a performance issue than older styles with the bumper tie straps (they could interfere with chip clearance on larger wood) - so I would not sweat it. According to Bailey's, .325 narrow kerf chain without the low kickback features is only available from Tri-Link, which many people consider a lower quality chain. I don't think that it is available with a full chisel cutter either.

Again, judge it by how it performs in your wood and your cutting!

Philbert

philbert-

good eye, i didn't realize it was narrow kerf chain. i did see that it was semi chisel, making the side plates look funny. however, it doesn't match the pictures of 95vpx on the oregon site. his appears to have bumpers. i suspect it might work better with a 5/32" file. no file size is specified on the oregon site: https://www.oregonproducts.com/pro/products/chain/95VPX.htm

i was heartened by the fact that an hombre with a file did a good enuff job to post fotos of the chain and the chips, and they look pretty good.

the narrow kerf feature just makes me more discouraged with .325 chain. i prefer to use 3/8" lo-pro non-walmart (safety) chain. it cuts fast with a 35cc to 50cc saw. and i don't need another $300 roll taking space on the shelf.

by the way, the fotos i posted above were low kick back chain, oregon vanguard 3/8". their only nod to ansi/osha is a folded over depth gauge. and if i needed to file that chain i would chuck it instead. it's a quick job to set the gauges with a grinder and i can shape them the way i want to.

 

[SawTroll]

Not real crazy about the fold overs...

There aren't any on the chain that The Thriftdrifter posted pictures of.

It is not the same kind of chain that you posted pics of (looks like Oregon Vanguard (72V if .050).

 

[SawTroll]

Had a look on the chain and manual. H30 husq.

Pitch 325"
Gauge 050"
Drive links 66

File is 3/16 - 4.8mm
Guide is 325" -4.8m (Husqvarna combination guide)

The guide was used for both the cutters and rakers (it was rather time consuming filing those rakers)

Might try and post some clearer photos of the chain.

Any recommendations on pro semi chisel chain, brands?

I'll have a look at Baileysonline, thanks heyduke.

That all adds up, but there actually are two different .325 guides that take a 4.8mm fole - one for the H30 (95VPX) and one for regular Oregon 20-series .325 (H20, 21, 22, 23, 25 + at least one more). There is no specific reason to believe you have the wrong one though, rather I believe you have the right one.

It may soon be time to consider changing to a 4.5mm (11/64") file on that chain though, as it is filed quite a bit back - stepping down one file size for the last part of the chain often is a good idea(last third or so, opinions vary) .

On the Husky 440 you can just as well stay with the Narrow Kerf/Pixel H30/95VPX, as long as you want semi-chisel. See what @Philbert wrote above, I totally agree!

Those small ramps doesn't interfere much with the cutting.

 

[The Thriftdrifter]

It may soon be time to consider changing to a 4.5mm (11/64") file on that chain though, as it is filed quite a bit back - stepping down one file size for the last part of the chain often is a good idea(last third or so, opinions vary) .

Is the reason for changing to a smaller file as the chain gets shorter, so that you don't file too much of the lower gullet or part of the tie strap?

I must say a big thanks to y'all for taking the time to answer my questions.

 

[Philbert]

. . .there actually are two different .325 guides that take a 4.8mm file - one for the H30 (95VPX) and one for regular Oregon 20-series .325. . .

This took me a long time to find out! Separate Husqvarna guides for narrow kerf chain.

Is the reason for changing to a smaller file as the chain gets shorter, so that you don't file too much of the lower gullet or part of the tie strap?

Top plate of each cutter is angled. So as it gets shorter, it also gets lower. Some people use a smaller diameter file with shorter links. Not everybody.

Philbert

 

[heyduke]

... Those small ramps doesn't interfere much with the cutting.

yes, they probably do cut almost as well as a chain without low-kickback doo-dahs, but as you can see from thriftdrifter's photographs, you have to file an extra layer of steel when lowering the depth gauges. that isn't a problem for saws that live on a shelf in the garage but for a saw that works every day it's less expensive to make up a new chain and throw the old one in the box with all the others. for home owners, this might be a good chain, safer.