# Brush cutter saw blade question



## JTM (Nov 20, 2016)

I have a Husqvarna 345FR. The saw blade that came with the unit was the Scarlet. After a few sharpenings the blade is done. I purchased some Maxi blades and they certainly cut better. It was recommended that a round file be used to sharpen. After a few sharpenings they are toast as well. The pic shows the two cutters. One on the left has lost the top point. The one on the right shows the business end starting to trail the gullet. Can I dress these blades up with a flat file? Should I be using a flat file instead of round? I am cutting small trees at ground level and I don't mind hitting it with a file if it runs in the dirt or a rock.


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## Conquistador3 (Nov 21, 2016)

Honestly there's nothing wrong with how you sharpen your blade. Circular saws are just like that: if you can get ten sharpenings out of them, consider yourself lucky. 
You could try a carbide tipped circular saw. These things are supposed to go longer with no sharpening required. I have one in the shed but I haven't tried it yet and as it's a Japanese market special I have zero idea what brand it is. All I know is I paid €20 for it, which seems fair enough to me. 
Tsumura, the chainsaw bar manufacturer, also sells these carbide saws in different sizes but they are considerably more expensive.


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## JTM (Nov 21, 2016)

Thanks for the response. I'll just stick to the all steel blades and try to catch them on sale.


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## Franny K (Nov 21, 2016)

I am not familiar with the names of the blades you mention. I see the scarlet here http://www.husqvarna.com/us/accessories/saw-blades/saw-blade-scarlet/578442701/ I sharpen those with a round file, it does not say what diameter though, they sure show a rounded file profile when new. I think the blades I get have sharpening pictures on the cardboard packaging. I can not tell from your picture how that blade origionally was profiled. I use the kind that sharpen with a round file. After a while they really need the teeth set to cut anything over an inch or so. Hitting a rock with much of any force generally will cost 10 minutes of labor and half the life of the blade for the 24 tooth round file type blade. The 60 tooth blade that came with the Honda brush cutter has taken a few gentle rock hits in softer sedimentary rocks better than I expected. It is not the round file type.

I find cutting at ground level is best done with a to handle chainsaw on the knees. Move debris away from the base, cut in such a manner as the cutting chips are coming out from the center as much as possible. I mean plunge in where there is the least dirt, then go around. Another line of attack it to cut it a bit high first, remove brush so rocks can be seen better.


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## JTM (Nov 21, 2016)

The maxi blade has a flat profile but the instructions say you can sharpen with around file.


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## ANewSawyer (Nov 21, 2016)

I believe that there are two kinds of blades, Stihl calls them chisel tooth and scratcher tooth. The chisel looks a little like chainsaw teeth to me and is definitely sharpened the same way. https://www.stihlusa.com/products/trimmers-and-brushcutters/trimmer-heads-and-blades/circularchisel/
The scratcher is sharpened with a flat file and is nigh impossible to sharpen properly for a layman. https://www.stihlusa.com/products/t...ers/trimmer-heads-and-blades/circularscratch/

Just with a glance, I would say that the scarlet blade is sharpened like a chainsaw tooth. It looks to me like you are holding the file to parellal (can't spell) to the blade. It should look more like a chainsaw cutter, imo.


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## ANewSawyer (Nov 21, 2016)

Here you go!


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## ironman_gq (Nov 22, 2016)

I picked up a couple on Amazon for around $10, carbide tipped and seem to be really well made. They were the Renegade Razor 8" 56 tooth blades. Very happy with them cutting tag alder and wrist popple up to 4" diameter.


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## catbuster (Nov 24, 2016)

You're sharpening it wrong. Sharpen it like a chainsaw cutter. They last a lot longer that way.


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## JTM (Nov 24, 2016)

No, I am sharpening correctly with the round file size specified which does seem small when compared to the profile of the cutter. After several sharpenings the point begins to trail the rest of the cutter face significantly or lost altogether. I just took them back to original profile with a flat file which should make for a few more sharpenings.

I don't think I'll go with carbide tipped though. I'm sure they work great but don't feel comfortable using them close to the ground where there's the possibility of hitting rocks.


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## ironman_gq (Nov 28, 2016)

They shine near the ground where you might hit rocks, worst I've seen is a chipped cutter but they stay sharp much longer in dirty wood. As long as you've got your PPE on a chipped cutter can't do any more damage to you than a standard blade flinging gravel.


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