I was cutting up a big white oak and i hit metal a few times. Sparks flew. I sharpened the chain using my stihl 2in1 sharpener and it starting cutting crooked. Would getting it sharpened on a machine get it back to normal? The teeth look ok. Some that were more beat up got filed more, would having some teeth slightly shorter cause crooked cuts? One thing i did that was new was face the tip of the bar and file each tooth in a row by turning the sharpener instead of doing all of one side then the other. I used to alway lean over the powerhead. That doesn't seem like it would be the reason but i didnt try it the old way.
I hit metal and now make crooked cuts
- Thread starter onedash
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
If the top plates are uneven length or filed at different angles ( both probable with a damaged chain AND changing sharpening methods) it will cause a chain to pull in the cut.
ValleyForge
Liberty Farms
A machine will fix it if the person working it is good and they measure the cutters to find the shortest and set the machine to that. I hit metal all the time in one area of my farm, so bad that I’ve actually lost cutters….
I just hit the longer less damaged teeth with a few more file strokes until they get evened up with the shorter/damaged ones. Could do similar with a grinder......
Thats when you might want to throw it away and put a new chain on. And if you think metal is bad wait till you hit rocks. I usually can fix chains that hit nails but not rock or concrete. Try one more time sharpen the side more that it is pulling away from in other words if it pulls left work on the right more.
Put a new chain on the saw and call it a day. Have your mower shop properly grind the destroyed chain, and save it for future embedded fence wire, and no trespassing sign nails.......
Couple of things to note.
if you have re sharpened it, did you also file the rakers using a raker guide ?
As the tooth is filed back the height of the tooth is less than before, the raker also needs to be lowered to compensate for the lowering of the cutting tooth.
if this is done, and its still cutting in a curve, the chain will cut to the sharpest side.
so maybe there is still some damage on the tip/ edge of the cutting tooth, ie its slightly rounded over, and all the damage has not been removed from the cutting tooth.
pictures also help.
its possible to have a chain cut straight with different lenght cutting teeth, not idea, but you can do it if each raker is correctly set, and the teeth are all sharp, not as efficient as them all being the same, but if you have a few damaged teeth, or one side is bad, then if you get the above correct, the chain will cut straight.
if you have re sharpened it, did you also file the rakers using a raker guide ?
As the tooth is filed back the height of the tooth is less than before, the raker also needs to be lowered to compensate for the lowering of the cutting tooth.
if this is done, and its still cutting in a curve, the chain will cut to the sharpest side.
so maybe there is still some damage on the tip/ edge of the cutting tooth, ie its slightly rounded over, and all the damage has not been removed from the cutting tooth.
pictures also help.
its possible to have a chain cut straight with different lenght cutting teeth, not idea, but you can do it if each raker is correctly set, and the teeth are all sharp, not as efficient as them all being the same, but if you have a few damaged teeth, or one side is bad, then if you get the above correct, the chain will cut straight.
Bah, rocks aren’t bad…try an old electrical ceramic insulator buried in. 6’ diameter Monterey Cyprus,,,with a 42” comp chain…
He used a stihl 2 in 1, it takes the rakers back at the same time
Rakers are as critical as a razor sharp chain, keeping the teeth all the same length is BS its all about the filing and rakers being managed after sharping cutters
In my experience, different length top plates don't cause chain cutting to the side...I've had chains with significantly different top plates from side to side because I hit stuff and had to sharpen one side quite a bit more than the other. Chain did not pull either way. Even though it makes sense in my head that different length cutters would cause the chain to pull...it doesn't seem to happen in practice.
I don't pay attention to cutter top plate length at all. I sharpen each tooth until all damage is gone and the tooth is sharp. Then I move on to the next. At the end I file the depth gauges with either the Stihl progressive stile or the West Coast Saws progressive style gauges.
The only chain I've ever had cut crooked was an Archer chain brand new out of the box. After a sharpening and depth gauge file, it cut straight. I do use progressive depth gauge gauges and keep them all the same length relative to tooth height, so I feel like that's probably more important than cutter length/height.
I don't pay attention to cutter top plate length at all. I sharpen each tooth until all damage is gone and the tooth is sharp. Then I move on to the next. At the end I file the depth gauges with either the Stihl progressive stile or the West Coast Saws progressive style gauges.
The only chain I've ever had cut crooked was an Archer chain brand new out of the box. After a sharpening and depth gauge file, it cut straight. I do use progressive depth gauge gauges and keep them all the same length relative to tooth height, so I feel like that's probably more important than cutter length/height.
ValleyForge
Liberty Farms
Except the OP said he used a 2 in 1 sharpener and they set the rakers automatically…So it has to be something else…
It's cutting crooked because it's still dull after it was sharpened.
Well there’s definitely something wrong with the filing then , never cared to much for those 2&. 1 systems , freehand filing and using a raker gauge is a fallers go to .
ValleyForge
Liberty Farms
I agree….grind the chain back to spec and start over. I hand file when the saw is on my bench but I like the 2 in 1 pit in the woods, they really work good when you’re tired or in crap weather….the only quirk I’ve found with them is the chain has to be very tight in the bar. I pull the chain tight on the bar, sharpen it, then put it back where I like it.
OP - Do you sharpen by number of strokes or until each tooth is sharp?
Number of strokes that’s a myth of bogus proportions, no such thing only thing that matters that you have a razor sharp tooth then use a raker gauge to each tooth
Attachments
Thanks for catching that, I must have needed another coffee without realising it.
Sounds like the OP has not removed enough of the damage to make both sides equally sharp.
That sucks.Bah, rocks aren’t bad…try an old electrical ceramic insulator buried in. 6’ diameter Monterey Cyprus,,,with a 42” comp chain…
Similar threads
Latest posts
-
Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)- Latest: Squareground3691
-
-
-
Want to Sell Parts for Husqvarna, Homelite, Stihl, Dolmar, Walbro, craftsman….- Latest: Chainsaw Collectors
-
-
-
