So I've been watching alot of Buckin Billy Ray's sharpening videos. I want to give it a go at square grind filing. I'm going to order a double bevel file from Baileys. Now forgive my ignorance, but do I need to get a special "square grind" chain? Or can I use the stock stihl green chain? Thanks
Square Grind Question
- Thread starter AlotL1keVegas
- Start date
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You just need full chisel cutters to be square filed or ground. Goofy file fits the round side plate better or convert the cutters over with a triangle, hexa or double bevel file. I use a mill and a mill bastard file. It takes longer.
Vallorbe makes very good long lasting files ,depending on what kind you prefer, just a example of hand filed square, be patient, and practice , angles all depends on the type of wood ur cutting,
Just to clarify, are you saying that my "green" chain won't work with a double bevel file? And that I would need to get a "yellow" chain?
I never said that.
Chisel chain with a square corner, is the preferred chain for best performance , for square grind or filed .
Sloughfoot
ArboristSite Lurker
Correct, your Stihl green or any other semi chisel/round chain doesn't have a square corner to file to. You can buy chisel chain that comes filed/ ground round and transition it to true square with the first sharpening or buy square ground chisel like Oregon 72 CL, my go to chain. Lightly touching up a new square ground chain with your double bevel file will give you a feel for the angles, make it a bit sharper too. Emphasis on lightly.
Yellow or green has nothing to do with whether it’s semi chisel or chisel. Stihl offers both chisel and semi chisel with and without safety rakers.
James Sawyer
ArboristSite Operative
Square ground chain definitely cuts faster but I've found it's not that easy to learn to hand file. If you are falling timber its fast and I prefer it over chisel. But the thick bark like on some of the tree here in the PNW, limbing, knots etc....it may not stay sharp as long. Square ground is the fastest chain to lose it corner from my experience. If you're just cutting firewood maybe not the best choice. I think for the experience give it a try, but I would start with a factory square ground chain to begin with... such as Oregon chain... not the Stihl green. Stihl chains are harder steel then the Oregon or Husky chain thus hard on files being that files are $12-$15. I think you're better off with Oregon or Husky. At least that way you can always go back to your standard chain if it's not what you expected. Hard wood such as oak or other woods not so sure how it would hold up, but it does cut nice with what I use it for. I mostly run chisel and round chains, it's just easier and cheaper from my experience. I don't run it on my smaller saw generally I run in on my 32- and 36-inch bars. Square ground is very aggressive chain and come with those concerns running it.
So this is just opinion when learning but if you get some square ground chain out of the gate and use it as a guide for handfiling for try and duplicate the angles maybe a good idea rather then playing a guessing game and then you have a square ground chain also to use later
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