How I Fix A Rusty Chainsaw Chain

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For guys using evaporust, do you not rince it off with water after soaking? Just straight into spraying with oil?
Agree once again with Red. That hot water rinse is usually a must. The sink turns black as the ace of spades and I usually wear rubber gloves. The overnight soaking is done in a shallow plastic container with a lid.
 
What will remove polymerized Stihl bio-bar oil? I tried about everything and you still need pliers to get the links to move.

I had a chain frozen up with canola oil. A trip through the ultrasonic cleaner with a splash of purple Simple Green fixed it up (don't know if the Simple Green helped, but it probably didn't hurt).
 
I had a chain frozen up with canola oil. A trip through the ultrasonic cleaner with a splash of purple Simple Green fixed it up (don't know if the Simple Green helped, but it probably didn't hurt).
I tried: diesel, acetone/atf, ethanol, gunk engine cleaner, gasoline, paint thinner...........nothing worked.

I had to pry the chain from the bar with a screwdriver.
 
I've seen photos of buncher and harvester operators killed or severely injured from chain shot.
Some of those guys run chains at much higher speeds than recommended. And they have much more powerful engines, so damaged or abused chains are more likely to get ‘launched’.

Philbert
 
Some of those guys run chains at much higher speeds than recommended. And they have much more powerful engines, so damaged or abused chains are more likely to get ‘launched’.

Philbert
Agreed. I don't want one wrapped around my leg.
I skimp on saw parts to keep the total cost of the saw down, but chains I don't skimp on.
 
Some of those guys run chains at much higher speeds than recommended. And they have much more powerful engines, so damaged or abused chains are more likely to get ‘launched’.

Philbert
I don't know many guys changing a buncher or harvester setup for faster chain speeds.
They are FAST from the factory.

300+ hp.
 
I use an electrolytic process in which involves a solution of Sodium Carbonate (plain washing soda) and a 12V car battery charger, running overnight. Afterward I rinse and dry the chain, grind it, and oil it.

Here's the link:

Recently, one of my regular customers, who sends in up to 30 chains at once, had a rusted chain in the mix. I quoted him a "derusting" fee equal to a sharpening charge (so effectively that chain cost twice as much to grind), and he was very happy. Since I charge about 10% of a new chain price for grinding, he effectively saved 80% over buying a new one.
Hope this helps.

Mike
 
I use an electrolytic process in which involves a solution of Sodium Carbonate (plain washing soda) and a 12V car battery charger, running overnight. Afterward I rinse and dry the chain, grind it, and oil it.

Here's the link:

Recently, one of my regular customers, who sends in up to 30 chains at once, had a rusted chain in the mix. I quoted him a "derusting" fee equal to a sharpening charge (so effectively that chain cost twice as much to grind), and he was very happy. Since I charge about 10% of a new chain price for grinding, he effectively saved 80% over buying a new one.
Hope this helps.

Mike

Interesting to see the process work. I was expecting more of a bare steel finish, or didnt he leave it in the tank long enough?
 
once you have a old chain you "saved" lunch itself in a cut and launch off your saw you tend to start throwing them in the trash can...sure changed my mind on that
I feel like this is a much stronger argument than "it's too much work to fix 'em".

I lost a chain one time, and I was trying to cut an embedded railroad spike in half at the time, so I can't really blame the chain for that. But it did make me reflect on some things (I never used one of the old saws without a chain catcher again, in fact).
 
t doing my own chains... I'd gladly spend a couple hours fixing up a trashed $10 loop. The calculus isn't "Oh, this is only $5 an hour", it's "I made this old broken thing work well again". There's satisfaction in that (and it might cut better than the new chain anyway!).
I wish I had time like that. $5/hr, that chain would go in the scrap bin in a heartbeat.
 
What will remove polymerized Stihl bio-bar oil? I tried about everything and you still need pliers to get the links to move.
Fire. Heat it up with a propane torch to soften the crud, not enough to damage anything or remove the temper, and then make a couple cuts with the chain running normal bar oil. Chain will be clear after that.
 

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