D
Deleted member 83629
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get a carbide chain from stihl you can cut telephone poles with that chain and not hurt it.
Replacement chain for 346XP...one that stays sharp longer in less than ideal conditions?
- Thread starter rustyb
- Start date
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I had a 3/8 carbide coated chain from Bailey's many years ago, and it held a pretty good edge. I also have some chains with solid carbide cutters from a Quik-vent fire-rescue saw. I never used them but I bet they would go on for a while. Has anyone ever used these in non-emergency, non- demolition application? Would four times the price give four times the life? Anyone?
super3
Addicted to ArboristSite
Thanks for the info. Can you explain why I might be happier to get away from narrow kerf?
marsingbob
ArboristSite Lurker
I run Oregon BPX on your saw and bar in dirty conditions and it works reasonably well. However no chain will eat dirt. I think the main thing is to touch up the sharpening often. You can do it in less than 5 minutes. You do not need a perfect sharpening job in dirty conditions--just touch up the edge a little. If you run the chain until it really stops cutting it will take a lot longer to sharpen.
dsell
Addicted to ArboristSite
In my experience, it just doesn't hold up as well. I've told two people in the same situation, same saw as you have, to switch. Both took the time to let me know how much they like the normal pitch chain. They both went with full chisel. One went with Carlton K1L and the other Oregon 33. You could go one step more and switch the saw to 3/8 normal pitch. You're only running 16 inches and that saw will easily pull 3/8 at that length. I sold one of my 55's a few weeks ago and the guy insisted on changing it to 3/8 pitch. His farm is on sandy soil and with the Kansas wind, that spells trouble when you cut trees. Try the normal .325 and tell us what you think, it's not going to be worse than the narrow pitch.
sunfish
Fish Head
3/8 semi chisel will stay sharp longer.
Full Chisel
Slingin' Stihls and runnin' Huskies
I also find 3/8th chain easier and more forgiving to sharpen. But I still prefer .325 on 50cc saws, especially for limbing.
SawTroll
Information Collector
It will be quite a bit slower (and less smooth) than .325 chisel on a 346xp though - each to their own....
I run 20-series Oregon (round chisel) in clean wood or dirty and it works well for me. I was never really impressed with the 95 narrow kerf stuff, for speed or for sharpness. And I could not put a satisfactory edge back on it no matter what I tried.
A 346 will do well enough with 3/8" on a short bar (13-16") in hardwood that it might be worth a try if the loss in speed can be offset by a cutter that stays sharp longer for your purposes.
A 346 will do well enough with 3/8" on a short bar (13-16") in hardwood that it might be worth a try if the loss in speed can be offset by a cutter that stays sharp longer for your purposes.
sunfish
Fish Head
Depends on the saw.
SawTroll
Information Collector
SawTroll
Information Collector
Depends on the saw.
Maybe .325 vs. 3/8" will change on a well ported/modified saw - but chisel vs. semi-chisel won't.
I doubt it though, as there are reports that .325 beats 3/8" even on the stronger 60cc saws, once given the opportunity....
SawTroll
Information Collector
That said - there are a lot of people that will want 3/8" to be superior, because of compatibility with other saws they have etc, and because there are about 10% fewer cutters to sharpen.
If you are in doubt there is only one way to find out for sure what works best with your saw in your wood, and that's the obvious one....
If you are in doubt there is only one way to find out for sure what works best with your saw in your wood, and that's the obvious one....
SawTroll
Information Collector
Worst advice I have ever seen - unless cutting telephone poles actually is the task at hand...
If we asked sawyers in Warsaw what type of extended reach tool they would use to cut telecommunication supports, we would have . . . a poll of Poles using pole saws to cut poles?
Philbert
Philbert
A very likely result IMHO
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