Chain hygiene

[Del_]

A sharp chain is self cleaning!

I never clean a chain. I just sharpen them and run them.

Most dirty chains that I've seen were run way after they were dull enough to need sharpening.

 

[GrizG]

That's rich... I'm seriously picky about the o-ring chains on my bikes.. Not so much about saw chains... Makes me want to get a bath-tub next to the sharpener.. Thanx for the heads-up.

Dr_Anon mentioned ultrasonic cleaners... I threw some chains in mine and it was unbelievable how much crud came off them. After that, as usual, I dunked them in bar oil and let them drip over night. Between the cleaning, sharpening and lubing they looked like new chains (albeit with shorter cutters). I wouldn't do that for those one-chain sharpening sessions but when I've got a pile of them I might. The ultrasonic cleaner doesn't add significant time as I can be working on sharpening while more chains are being cleaned!

I've found the ultrasonic cleaner is good for small engine carbs, derailleurs, and even a fancy cork screw that was frozen up... why not chains?

 

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

As the internet says "Ain't nobody got time for that."

It's not going to make them last any longer...so I don't see the point in spending the time/energy on it.

 

[Ol' Brian]

I blow off the chain with compressed air before and after filing, thats about it.

Same here. IF I think about it. I usually don't think about it. Who am I kidding... I never think about it.

 

[snobdds]

I'm envious of the guys that just run sharp chains and get the self clean function. I cut a lot of pine, fir and spruce. My chains are resinous when they need sharpening.

Mine go in a pail of diesel before cleaning.

My hands are too delicate for having sticky fingers.

 

[Jonny Quest]

When I pull a chain off, I drop it in a bucket of diesel. When I remember, I pull the chain(s) out of the diesel bucket and hang 'em on a hook and let 'em drip dry. Then I file 'em when I get around to it. New chains and newly-filed chains get dropped into a shallow bucket with some cheap-o bar/chain oil overnight. Hang 'em on the hook and let 'em drip back into the oil bucket. Good to go.

Over-the-top? Probably. Necessary? Probably not.

JQ

 

[Del_]

I'm envious of the guys that just run sharp chains and get the self clean function. I cut a lot of pine, fir and spruce. My chains are resinous when they need sharpening.

Mine go in a pail of diesel before cleaning.

My hands are too delicate for having sticky fingers.

No doubt we are cutting different wood. I'm cutting probably 75% hardwood in NE GA.

If your chains are resinous I'm sure mine would be too.

 

[lohan808]

Depends on what I am cutting. I'm northern Georgia. Before sharpening sometimes a spritz of brake clean then drag a file. Cutting Pine sometimes for work. Those chains get some diesel on occasion if'n their really gummy. Most I cut are hardwood- oak, maple, gum, the occasional sick dogwood. Those chains will get an obligated once in a while dunk in the diesel before storage. Spray on some chain lube after a drip dry and put them in a to go soup bucket.

 

[Farmer_Nate]

I never clean my chains, except with whatever bar oil in the tank (the term "bar oil" being used rather loosely) that runs over them during use.

If I were going to get serious about it,

1) I would clean them a bit before sharpening to make them easier to work with
2) then clean them spotless AFTER sharpening, to get all the metal dust and filings and the rest of the gunk off.

 

[fields]

Next to a new chain, mine are almost as clean as new... after cutting, they get soaked in ammonia, if the crud is stubborn, I brush the chain with a wire brush then soak again. After sharpening, I spray them with some type of lubricating spray to keep rust off them. Probably way overkill, but when they are yours, you can do whatever you want with them... LOL...

I never heard of cleaning them after sharpening... i always thought the crud was supposed to be removed before sharpening... Learn something everyday!!

 

[Farmer_Nate]

Next to a new chain, mine are almost as clean as new... after cutting, they get soaked in ammonia, if the crud is stubborn, I brush the chain with a wire brush then soak again. After sharpening, I spray them with some type of lubricating spray to keep rust off them. Probably way overkill, but when they are yours, you can do whatever you want with them... LOL...

I never heard of cleaning them after sharpening... i always thought the crud was supposed to be removed before sharpening... Learn something everyday!!

I am no authority, but the idea is to make the chain last longer... I guess... and the bar as well. Not sure the statistics here, but if it makes one feel better, clean um with a pipe cleaner and pat dry. My time is worth more than the chains, in my case. Not being snooty, but I ain't gonna spend my time that way.

It would not make sense to me to put metal flakes and fine gritty dust from a file or grinder, probably adhered to the chain with lube, back onto the saw after sharpening. If going to all that trouble to clean, then go all out - clean before and after. Just my opinion.

 

[angelo c]

I'll just add an incidental discovery I found ...I soak the chains overnight in ATF.(after cleaning/sharpening)..man I swear that stuff was invented by God...I soaked an old rusty chain overnight then let it hang over my parts cleaner for a year. The darn thing still has some shine to it. ATF FTW...

 

[GrizG]

Next to a new chain, mine are almost as clean as new... after cutting, they get soaked in ammonia, if the crud is stubborn, I brush the chain with a wire brush then soak again. After sharpening, I spray them with some type of lubricating spray to keep rust off them. Probably way overkill, but when they are yours, you can do whatever you want with them... LOL...

I never heard of cleaning them after sharpening... i always thought the crud was supposed to be removed before sharpening... Learn something everyday!!

If there is sap on the chains denatured alcohol works great for dissolving it... I use it to clean sap off the saw itself, my vehicles, hands, and cloths. I buy it by the gallon as I use it with shellac too.

 

[snobdds]

No doubt we are cutting different wood. I'm cutting probably 75% hardwood in NE GA.

If your chains are resinous I'm sure mine would be too.

I just thought you were so good and had such strong saws that the crap just flew off...

Glad to see you're like us mere mortals, Del.

 

[ZeroJunk]

I'm thinking that whatever you do it's all going to be right back the same in about 30 seconds.

 

[Farmer_Nate]

I'm thinking that whatever you do it's all going to be right back the same in about 30 seconds.

Yeah, I thought that's what the bar oil was for: lube and somewhat for cleaning as it gets used up and deposited all over the place.

 

[GrizG]

Yeah, I thought that's what the bar oil was for: lube and somewhat for cleaning as it gets used up and deposited all over the place.

If I may... I'd think that cleaning the chain to remove hard things like dirt, chips from chain damage, file swarf (a combination of steel and chrome) and grinder dust (an abrasive) that put wear on the chain and bar is a good thing. Removing the crud (old bar oil, sap, fine wood swarf from cutting, etc.) would facilitate the flow of the bar oil which would also reduce wear through better lubrication. Cleaning before sharpening also keeps the file and grinding wheels cleaner so they work better. Dunking in bar oil after sharpening and cleaning, and allowing it to drip off, restores the rivet, plate and driver lubrication so you don't have a "dry start" after reinstalling the chain.

Obviously this isn't a permanent state but it could be conceptually equated, perhaps, to never changing the oil in your vehicle engine but simply adding more as the level drops. In a commercial setting with a lot of chains in rotation it shouldn't slow anything down as chains aren't on a saw all the time. For the non-pro/hobbyist it's simply another way to play with the saw.

 

[northmanlogging]

Some of you guys clean your chains? weird...
I keep a couple on the floor of the essavator, covered in dirt, rain, mud, saw dust and whatever spittle from me swearing at stubborn stumps/trees/homeowners/dumbtruck jockeys etc...
They can get more then a little crusty, I'll knock most of the chunks off, put em on as best as possible, run the saw for a few seconds until links loosen up, retighten, continue cutting timber. NFG
Is it hard on the chain? Probably, But I've never worn a link out, and can count on one hand the chains i've broken (all from crazy hard pinches, or saws getting chucked by trees)
Is it hard on the bar? Probably, but I don't buy junk Oregon for a reason, took me 3 years to wear out a stihl bar, even then I put a new nose on it and ran if for another year, I think it got sold with one of my old saws?
As others have stated, keep it sharp, and they will be self cleaning.
Now if one is really gummy from sap, I might wire wheel the teeth before grinding in a vain effort to save on grinding wheel, and I'll wd-40 them if they are stiff before grinding, but thats really the extent of "care" I give them.

 

[northmanlogging]

I was mentioning this to the war Dept... (WTF these people clean their chains?)
She says its much like gurl parts, should be self cleaning, and have a certain bacterial level... PH balanced as it were...

 

[Jeff Lary]

there is so much in life I just don't know about....