Im a grinder. I use a razor sharp II square grinder and like the result. I just swap chains in the woods. Dirty wood I use round and hand file but it has to be a lot of dirty wood before I swap to round.
chain sharpening
- Thread starter chugbug
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MCW
Somebody's talking crap here & it ain't the tree!
Carlton File-O-Plate part #'s for .325" chain are;
.325" Semi Chisel - 65980
.325" Full Chisel - 65981
Worth their weight in gold these little things
Carlton File-O-Plate part #'s for .325" chain are;
.325" Semi Chisel - 65980
.325" Full Chisel - 65981
Worth their weight in gold these little things
Matt (and others) I don't use a filoplate but I had a PM from someone buying up a set of milling gear and he said that the seller said that filoplates don't work on ripping skip chain, That sounds wrong to me - what do you think?
Mac_Muz
ArboristSite Guru
Free hand only. The only trick I use is flipping the saw over upside down to do the harder side first. When that side is right , I flip the saw right side up for the easy side to me. If you are lefty reverse the process.
I simply count strokes, even on knives, which is free hand and by eye.
I simply count strokes, even on knives, which is free hand and by eye.
MCW
Somebody's talking crap here & it ain't the tree!
G'day Bob.
There is a common belief that File-O-Plates can't be used on skip chain but that's not the case at all. Many people think you need an adjacent cutter to index the plate off of. The plate can be indexed off the tie strap/drive link/preset where the cutter on non skip would normally sit. I use File-O-plates on non skip chain all the time and ripping chain is no different
Matt
stihlavarna
ArboristSite Operative
I use this http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=17049&catID=9956
makes quick easy work for an amateur like me.
I going to try it with some of those save edge files, I figure it should be a pretty good setup and not needing any power, which is nice at the jobsite.
makes quick easy work for an amateur like me.
I going to try it with some of those save edge files, I figure it should be a pretty good setup and not needing any power, which is nice at the jobsite.
I always used a file, no handle or guide,
I do however like to shove a wedge inbetween the chain & rail, its like gluing the chain th the top of the bar, good for more better filing accaracy..
i have multiple scars on my right hand & I always get little valleys in my lfet thumb nail from raker filing without gloves.
never liked filing wit gloves... But its always real bloody when you are filing the right side cutters and, SLIP, you either get nailed on your F-U knuckle by a sharp Ltooth, or stabed by a dawg in the back of your hand......
I do however like to shove a wedge inbetween the chain & rail, its like gluing the chain th the top of the bar, good for more better filing accaracy..
i have multiple scars on my right hand & I always get little valleys in my lfet thumb nail from raker filing without gloves.
never liked filing wit gloves... But its always real bloody when you are filing the right side cutters and, SLIP, you either get nailed on your F-U knuckle by a sharp Ltooth, or stabed by a dawg in the back of your hand......
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Good trick about using the other side - I must do that on my mill!
Counting strokes is fine for knives, but knives are different to CS chain. Even if the chain cutters are all perfectly shaped and sharpened to begin with they do not all wear at the same rate. The key to sharp chain is removing cutter edge glint. If I touch up often enough I find around 2 strokes is sufficient but I watch for any residual glint and add extra strokes till the glint is gone and then 1 more for luck.
Mac_Muz
ArboristSite Guru
Yeah, you got that down... With a good chain to start , when dulling happens it is wiser to file a few licks, so not much material is lost.
However, rocks embedded in wood, or other things can really muck up a chain fast.
Some saw owners can muck up chain pretty well to, like by not turning the say to the harder side for them to file first..
Recently I bought a used saw and the hard side cutters were much longer in general, than the easy side cutters.
What I did was set the saw upside in the vise and eye ball for the shortest link over all. When I found it, I grabbed a few wrenchs and chose one that would slip over that one smaller cutter , like a feeler gauge.
Then I filed all the cuters to that size. On the hard side that took something like 12 to 16 strokes on most cutters. Then flipping the saw up right, cleaning up these cutters was more like 3 strokes each.
To me the rules are file the harder side first always, use something as a gauge, so most cutters are similar sized. Use a handle on the file even if it is a stick you pound over the tang. (Most of my file handles are simple pine branches with a flat whittled, so they won't roll fast..)
I used to file with naked files, but stuffed enough tangs up my wrist, that I just didn't like it anymore. I can't do anything in gloves.
................................
BobL, Local to me is a place that cooks steels at -300 below, cryogenics. They do smaller chain for sale and longer stuff on request. They also cook files this same way.
I personally find that cooking chain works to keep chain sharper far longer. I aslo find you NEED files cooked the same way to file.
The filing is still harder to do, but it might be worth it on a mill. It will take you longer to file, but the trade off is longer milling times betwen sharpenings.
Something to think on I guess. The Pro's in the woods don't like the cooked chain because felling and bucking are hell in the rocks and sand of New Hampshire USA. They want what ever is the fastest way to be cutting again, whether that is a new chain, after new chain, or filing, I don't know.
NH rocks is mostly volcanic in nature.. Grainite State is another name for this place. Were have that and other harder rocks....
I agree with this sentiment! I have a very old set of safety trousers which weigh a ton, because the anti-cut threads are so thick and numerous. I know I've done a good job with the file when I can feel the chips impacting my leg through these fibres. It's a very pleasing mini-massage!
