How Does Dirt Dull a Chainsaw Chain?

[samuelanali]

“Cutting into dirt dulls a chainsaw chain” - I know that. ( In fact, I've lost 4 of my chainsaw chains this way!)

But I'm curious to know the SCIENCE behind it.

Dirt is soft, wood is much HARDER, then how come dirt dulls a chainsaw chain (almost) INSTANTLY?

This question might sound a bit “newbish ,” but I'm sure there're some people here who want to know the same.

So, if you know the answer, HIT ME with it!

Also, any tips on how to prevent a chainsaw from hitting the dirt would be appreciated!

Happy Sawing!

 

[pioneerguy600]

It`s the operators duty to prevent a chain from hitting the dirt, the saw itself has no control over how it is used.

 

[mountainlake]

View attachment 1057297
“Cutting into dirt dulls a chainsaw chain” - I know that. ( In fact, I've lost 4 of my chainsaw chains this way!)

But I'm curious to know the SCIENCE behind it.

Dirt is soft, wood is much HARDER, then how come dirt dulls a chainsaw chain (almost) INSTANTLY?

This question might sound a bit “newbish ,” but I'm sure there're some people here who want to know the same.

So, if you know the answer, HIT ME with it!

Also, any tips on how to prevent a chainsaw from hitting the dirt would be appreciated!

Happy Sawing!

 

[KostasVolos]

Wood may be much harder than dirt ,but by no means is as abrasive.
Dirt is made mainly of two parts in
different percentages :
1 ) Organic matter : Fresh ,decaying or decayed .
Not really an issue for the chain .

2 ) Mineral matter: Ranging in size
from nanoparticles to rocks .
Diverse also regarding their chemistry .Could be limestone ,sandstone,granite and many more.The mineral matter is what
-extremely easily- dulls the chain.

If working low near the ground or
cutting dirty/muddy wood ,
then you may consider a chain
with carbide/ceramic cutters.

No matter how careful one is ,
working near the ground level with a chainsaw ,
the chain eventually will hit the dirt .Not easy at all to have surgical precision when using a chainsaw.

Note:The cutter on the photo hit
most probably a rock ,not just dirt .

 

[mountainlake]

Keep it OUT of the dirt, pain and simple. Steve

 

[Del_]

Dirt dulling chains is a myth and I can prove it!

 

[Bill G]

It`s the operators duty to prevent a chain from hitting the dirt, the saw itself has no control over how it is used.

Kinda like a gun

 

[Bill G]

Dirt dulling chains is a myth and I can prove it!

Please share

 

[056kid]

Looks like you hit bedrock, not dirt.

 

[mountainlake]

To get a chain that dull you should give up running a chainsaw, pure abuse. Steve

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

It sneaks up on it at night.

 

[sb47]

You might as well be asking why sand paper is so abrasive.

 

[Bill G]

It is amazing how bad a chain can look when running a 36" in a 60" gosh darn yard tree and hit steel

 

[birddogtg]

You might want to try bull riding instead of cutting wood,less chance to do that much damage

 

[jimrb]

Chains can be sharpened. If you hit abrasive dirt a lot, cut into metal in a tree, or cut low on a tree that is growing near a gravel road, your chain sharpness will be adversely affected. That last example is proven when you are cutting at night (not recommended) and you see sparks flying. Sparks from the chain hitting granite sand. As others mentioned, dirt and clay is almost always made of lots of decomposing things. It could be leaves or it could be granite, limestone, sandstone, garnet, quartz or other items that can be used to make sandpaper and grinding wheels. Leaves do not make good abrasives but other things in dirt can make good abrasives.

 

[Busmech]

It is amazing how bad a chain can look when running a 36" in a 60" gosh darn yard tree and hit steel

You might want to try bull riding instead of cutting wood,less chance to do that much damage

why do internal combustion engines have air filters? Because dirt and dust is bad stuff. Why do dumb people keep asking dumb questions?

 

[North by Northwest]

why do internal combustion engines have air filters? Because dirt and dust is bad stuff. Why do dumb people keep asking dumb questions?

Because they can !

 

[Bill G]

Because they can !

The thing is not all of them have air filters.

 

[farfromiowa]

Dirt dulling chains is a myth and I can prove it!

I think it is nothing but a conspiracy by file manufactuers to sell more files to gulible people

 

[Del_]

When I got in the tree biz back in the mid 80's we would come across cement in dead and dying trees a lot.

It was a standard practice before that to fill tree cavities with cement.

It would really 'grind down' a chain. Some of it was pretty soft but it still wore the chain badly.

As the tree trunk decayed away internally the cement would accumulate near ground level and make for some really depressing stump cuts with a distinct cement odor.

I've cut cement hundreds of times sometimes at a pretty good height in the tree.