Anyone have much experience with a carbide chain?
There have been a few threads, and several posts on this here on A.S. e.g.:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/carbide-saw-chain.266273/
Some longer threads on another site.
Basically:
1. There are many varieties of carbide saw chain. Some are designed for fire fighters cutting building materials (roofing, nails, sheet metal, etc.) which do not cut firewood very well. Make sure that you select a type that is designed for cutting tree wood.
2. Expensive to buy. Some carbide chains can cost $300 a loop.
3. Expensive to sharpen. Requires a
diamond (
not CBN) wheel ($100+) on a grinder, or a shop that will sharpen them (locally, it is at least 3X the cost of sharpening conventional chains).
4. Carbide is hard - it can chip. Requires tooth replacement, rather that sharpening.
5. Carbide is hard - it cannot be ground to as acute of an angle without breaking (see above), so the cutters tends to cut
slower.
It will hold up better to some types of challenging cutting (.eg. old railroad ties, . . .) so it can be a good choice in the right application. But not as easy of a substitution as carbide blades have been for circular saws, etc.
Philbert