Are these dealer sharpened chains OK?

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At best I can only do a half-assed job sharpening my own chains so once in a blue moon I treat myself by dropping a few chains off at the local power equipment dealer for (hopefully) a better job. This last batch I took to a place I've never used but was assured their tech has a machine he uses. I picked them up today and was putting one back on a bar when the tooth just didn't look right. All the teeth on 3 chains are like this - mostly squared off, no undercut area underneath the top of the cutter. Is this what I should expect?
I would consider this chain to be trashed. Yes it can be resharpened but with a significantly shorter overall life. I would expect the business owner to make good on what has happened to your chain and your wasted time. You don't need to show him that it won't cut. He should have new chains for sale. If he balks compare the teeth on those new ones to what he did to yours. I would approach him with you expecting a new chain and settle for half price for a new chain.
I have seen some shops farm out the sharpening. Regardless of whose incompetence it was the owner is responsible.
 
Your pictures are the exact reason you should invest a bit of time and learn how to sharpen your own.
No more relying on others to do a hopeless job and charge you for it and waste your time and money twice as you have to then search to get someone else to do it.

Its not that difficult, just requires a bit of time and investment on your behalf, once you learn how to, you will wonder why you didnt apply yourself sooner.
Exactly, takes a bit of time and commitment but hey, if millions of others can do it.......
 
i dont know how old i was , when i finally really learned that dealers that sharpened chains, were only there to sell new chains. i should of learned it sooner. i guess i was a little slow out of the starting gate. its kind of like being married, your going to pay for it. one way or the other. that is flat out shameful charging someone for a grinder sharpened chain.

$8 for sharpening a chain
$35for a new chain
= $43 total sale/


or $30 for a basic file set. and you will see them a gain. when they need to buy another gallon of bar oil and fuel mix.

spend less and take your time to find a sane stable wife.
 
i dont know how old i was , when i finally really learned that dealers that sharpened chains, were only there to sell new chains. i should of learned it sooner. i guess i was a little slow out of the starting gate. its kind of like being married, your going to pay for it. one way or the other. that is flat out shameful charging someone for a grinder sharpened chain.

$8 for sharpening a chain
$35for a new chain
= $43 total sale/


or $30 for a basic file set. and you will see them a gain. when they need to buy another gallon of bar oil and fuel mix.

spend less and take your time to find a sane stable wife.

I've been buying 24" 3/8" Oregon Skip Tooth full Chizel chains for under $20. I sharpen 15 or more times a year, which is how long a chain last me per saw. 15*8 + 35 = $155. That's 7+ chains. If that doesn't motivate someone to learn to hand file, then they got to much money for me to be even talking to or be in their social orbit.
 
I've been buying 24" 3/8" Oregon Skip Tooth full Chizel chains for under $20. I sharpen 15 or more times a year, which is how long a chain last me per saw. 15*8 + 35 = $155. That's 7+ chains. If that doesn't motivate someone to learn to hand file, then they got to much money for me to be even talking to or be in their social orbit.
You only sharpen 15 times a yr and your chains last a yr :oops:.
Many times I'll sharpen more than that in a week or even a couple days, just depends what I'm doing.
Also a chain doesn't always last that many sharpenings, especially when I'm cutting stumps as many times I cut them below flush, a handful of nice sized stumps can eat a chain right up and that's not filing it until you've cleaned off all the damage:cry:.
 
You only sharpen 15 times a yr and your chains last a yr :oops:.
Many times I'll sharpen more than that in a week or even a couple days, just depends what I'm doing.
Also a chain doesn't always last that many sharpenings, especially when I'm cutting stumps as many times I cut them below flush, a handful of nice sized stumps can eat a chain right up and that's not filing it until you've cleaned off all the damage:cry:.

It varies, but is a good approximate. I do like to start the cutting year with a new chain, so there is that... :yes:
 
Thats disgusting but before running the place down there could be a new person not trained and knows nothing about saws, lets go with that for now.
Personally I would never take a chain to be sharpened and I am going from experience, only once i took a chain to a local dealer, he put it in the machine and away it went. When I got home and went to fit it I noticed every tooth was burnt. So temper was lost and chain ruined, yes it would cut for a short time but still ruined. From then on I do my own, to me if you cant keep a tool sharp and maintain it then you shouldnt be running one. There is more to running a saw than just press the trigger
 
Have couple of tanks left on this chain, it is trying to become a skip tooth chain. Sharpening is an art and like all arts it takes practice. My first sharpening attempts made a dull chain worst
 

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before running the place down there could be a new person not trained and knows nothing about saws, lets go with that for now.

if you cant keep a tool sharp and maintain it then you shouldnt be running one.
The irony of these two sentences lol.
 
Thats disgusting but before running the place down there could be a new person not trained and knows nothing about saws, lets go with that for now.
Personally I would never take a chain to be sharpened and I am going from experience, only once i took a chain to a local dealer, he put it in the machine and away it went. When I got home and went to fit it I noticed every tooth was burnt. So temper was lost and chain ruined, yes it would cut for a short time but still ruined. From then on I do my own, to me if you cant keep a tool sharp and maintain it then you shouldnt be running one. There is more to running a saw than just press the trigger
I saw that on one of those "robotic" sharpeners. All the teeth were "burnt blue" when they were done.
 
thats one of those new safety chains, the trees are safe from getting cut. seriously though, if those were newish chains id want my money back and have them replace the chains!
 
thats one of those new safety chains, the trees are safe from getting cut. seriously though, if those were newish chains id want my money back and have them replace the chains!
 
And a few free chains. I don't know much on sharpening but I'm thinking the amount of work to get them right again will definitely take some life off them. Here's some of my dealer sharpened chain. 7.50 a loop chain is either. 404 063 or 404 058
I am sure your chains are correct, but those photos do not do them any justice. they look hinky in these photos. the photo you posted after these ones is much better and show a nice clean edge on the sides and the top which to me indicates a job well done. Sorry if I am incoherent at 0030.
 
Have couple of tanks left on this chain, it is trying to become a skip tooth chain. Sharpening is an art and like all arts it takes practice. My first sharpening attempts made a dull chain worst
Man...stick a fork in that one it's done! :) I am still laughing two or three gulps of beer later.

edit: I am sure it still cuts quite well but damn... you are getting every last cent out of that chain!
 
Best way to learn though it stays with you for life. I went to F. U.
I have failed at more things than most people, therefore I have learned how to do more things than most people.
Not sure why folks are so afraid to try new things, it's got me in some trouble thru the yrs, but I sure have learned a lot.
 
To the OP I am the absolute last person to ask about hand sharpening, but he advice I have heard so far IRT filing guides (peferd stihl and husky variations) as wella s my favorite (get a grinder.) as cheap as the tecommecs are these days, and for what the places charge to sharpen, you could by a tecommec grinder and it would pay for itself inside a year or so. and its consistent. a Jolly compact can be found on ebay for under 200... useually about 180 + shipping. if they charge you $10 per chain to grind thats 18-20 sharpenings. one chain runs $20 for a 72dl full or semi chisel on ebay. so after two chains being sharpened by yourself. (figure one will be totally screwed as you learn) and the second will last you the next three years, you will have paid for the grinder in savings every grind after that is money in the bank in saved chain fees and saved grinding fees.

My advice, go checkout @philberts threads about salvaging chains as well a his other posts in his series. a heck of a lot of hard earned info there that will a save you money.
 
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