Stihl chain grind angles, 60/30/15 (?)

Plasmech · Jun 13, 2009

I've been sharpening all my Stihl chains at 60/30/15

60=top plate angle
30=vise angle
+/-15=vise tilt angle (front-back)

is the +/- 15 for the vise tilt angle correct, or should it be zero? For some reason I thought it was +/-15 but now I read somewhere that it's actually zero...any help would be appreciated, thanks!

(using an Oregon 511a)

MCW · Jun 13, 2009

If it is full chisel chain Stihl specifies 0° whereas others specify 10°. However I've found Stihl chain cuts better if sharpened at 10° (file guide angle/vice tilt angle) although I have limited experience with Stihl full chisel (only used RSC).
I've never sharpened any chains at 15° but am curious to know what chains require those specs - I've never seen any but presume they're out there

nmurph · Jun 13, 2009

i think rs/rsc is 0°. i think the only chisel that is otherwise is Oregon's, and it specifies 10°.

huskystihl · Jun 13, 2009

nmurph said:
i think rs/rsc is 0°. i think the only chisel that is otherwise is Oregon's, and it specifies 10°.

I think your off on that one. I sharpen semi chisel at zero and full at 10. If i'm wrong than so be it because the rsc cuts great and holds an edge forever at 10

huskystihl · Jun 13, 2009

MCW said:
If it is full chisel chain Stihl specifies 0° whereas others specify 10°. However I've found Stihl chain cuts better if sharpened at 10° (file guide angle/vice tilt angle) although I have limited experience with Stihl full chisel (only used RSC).
I've never sharpened any chains at 15° but am curious to know what chains require those specs - I've never seen any but presume they're out there

Our shop stihl grinder only goes to 10. I don't know of any chain that i've used anyway thats required 15

Plasmech · Jun 13, 2009

The chain I'm about to do next is a 33RSC3. I opened up that little piece of paper in the 'ol box that usually takes a highway directly to the trash can and I see that we're looking at:

a: 30
b: 60
c: 90 (or zero)

So it looks like RSC is in fact ground at a 0 degree vise tilt angle. I've been doing it wrong for months! Doh!

Thanks for the replies.

mowoodchopper · Jun 13, 2009

huskystihl said:
I think your off on that one. I sharpen semi chisel at zero and full at 10. If i'm wrong than so be it because the rsc cuts great and holds an edge forever at 10

Cant say about stihl chain exactly but I sharpen all semi chisel at 0 and all full chisel at 10 because it cleans the 90 degree corner out better!

Plasmech · Jun 13, 2009

mowoodchopper said:
Cant say about stihl chain exactly but I sharpen all semi chisel at 0 and all full chisel at 10 because it cleans the 90 degree corner out better!

Is RSC semi or full chisel?

mowoodchopper · Jun 13, 2009

Plasmech said:
Is RSC semi or full chisel?

RSC is full chisel to my knowledge plasmech, I had trouble with the same ??? on angles when I got my grinder also. The way I have learned to handle this is not by the chain #s its to complicated!
Semi chisel chain the top of the cutter is not squared off , full chisel the top of the cutter is squared off a 90 degree. The semi is rounded, thus semi chisel does not come to a sharp point like the full chisel.
I only use the 10 degree tilt on full chisel as the Angle helps sharpen the very tip of the cutter which on full chisel , rsc included , is crucial!

Hope that helps I am no writer!

Plasmech · Jun 14, 2009

mowoodchopper said:
RSC is full chisel to my knowledge plasmech, I had trouble with the same ??? on angles when I got my grinder also. The way I have learned to handle this is not by the chain #s its to complicated!
Semi chisel chain the top of the cutter is not squared off , full chisel the top of the cutter is squared off a 90 degree. The semi is rounded, thus semi chisel does not come to a sharp point like the full chisel.
I only use the 10 degree tilt on full chisel as the Angle helps sharpen the very tip of the cutter which on full chisel , rsc included , is crucial!

Hope that helps I am no writer!

I put my .375 pitch 33RSC3 in the grinder today and noted that the factory did NOT sharpen to 60 degrees. Looks more like 75. Is this normal? It's definitely not 60, yet the little paper with the fine print says 60. Weird.

mowoodchopper · Jun 14, 2009

Plasmech said:
I put my .375 pitch 33RSC3 in the grinder today and noted that the factory did NOT sharpen to 60 degrees. Looks more like 75. Is this normal? It's definitely not 60, yet the little paper with the fine print says 60. Weird.

RSC3 is a little diff than plain rsc, rsc3 has single hump drive links mfor reduced kickback, also has diff tie straps, I cant say on the angles for sure just do your best to match them !

huskystihl · Jun 14, 2009

Griffbm3 said:
I agree on that point, it definately cleans it out better... But, I have gone back to 0 degrees for one reason only. I got REALLY tired once, and ended up with the opposite angle on 30 CHAINS. I tilted the wrong way without even thinking about it for 30 chains. It was a rainy day, and that was about a full 1/2 of my 72 link RSC at the time... Man that was a pain in the butt to fix.

Jason

U should have tried one to see how it cut?

HuskyPete · Jun 15, 2009

Plasmech said:
I put my .375 pitch 33RSC3 in the grinder today and noted that the factory did NOT sharpen to 60 degrees. Looks more like 75. Is this normal? It's definitely not 60, yet the little paper with the fine print says 60. Weird.

Stihl grinds their cutters before the chain is assembled and it is impossible to duplicate their grind angles without running into the tie strap. That is the reason why a lot of people have trouble duplicating the original cutting performance of the chain. I think Stihl has the best stock chains available. Of course those who have experience can exceed the performance of the stock chain because they know through experience what works best. Most of us are trying to learn these skills.:chainsawguy:

huskystihl · Jun 15, 2009

HuskyPete said:
Stihl grinds their cutters before the chain is assembled and it is impossible to duplicate their grind angles without running into the tie strap. That is the reason why a lot of people have trouble duplicating the original cutting performance of the chain. I think Stihl has the best stock chains available. Of course those who have experience can exceed the performance of the stock chain because they know through experience what works best. Most of us are trying to learn these skills.:chainsawguy:

Rsc or rsc3 I go 60 31 and 10 degree and can hit pretty close to the factory edge and it will hold up just as long assuming nobody hammered in a nail ten years ago or the tree isn't full of hollow rot. I don't know what kind of grinder the OP is using but I actually found that my $100 oregon knockoff with oregon grinding wheels does a better job than the overpriced stihl we have at the shop. I've stated before that i'm pretty good freehanding but put the chains on the grinder once a week to square em up and hit the rakers at 30 thous and always have factory fresh chains.

Plasmech · Jun 15, 2009

huskystihl said:
Rsc or rsc3 I go 60 31 and 10 degree and can hit pretty close to the factory edge and it will hold up just as long assuming nobody hammered in a nail ten years ago or the tree isn't full of hollow rot. I don't know what kind of grinder the OP is using but I actually found that my $100 oregon knockoff with oregon grinding wheels does a better job than the overpriced stihl we have at the shop. I've stated before that i'm pretty good freehanding but put the chains on the grinder once a week to square em up and hit the rakers at 30 thous and always have factory fresh chains.

31 huh?

nmurph · Jun 15, 2009

Stihl grinds their cutters before the chain is assembled and it is impossible to duplicate their grind angles without running into the tie strap. That is the reason why a lot of people have trouble duplicating the original cutting performance of the chain.

I've stated before that i'm pretty good freehanding but put the chains on the grinder once a week to square em up and hit the rakers at 30 thous and always have factory fresh chains.

you seem to contradict yourself.

blsnelling · Jun 15, 2009

I grind all chisel at 10*. It puts a sharper angle on the top plate.

4492011 · Jun 15, 2009

Stihl angles

As I have said before Stihl corp needs to update their information on their chain angles. The information that comes with chains tells you to file everything without a 10 degree hook angle yet the angle chart for their USG grinder tells you to put a 15 degree hook angle on all chains excluding ripping carbide and square ground no matter full chisel or semi chisel most of the common grinders only offer a 10 degree tilt angle except the MAXX grinder and the Stihl USG. Attached is the Stihl USG chart. I can not find the chart that comes with chains on the Stihl website.

nmurph · Jun 15, 2009

that USG chart information is particular to the stihl grinder. you can not use those numbers on other grinders. i sent an email to stihl and received a call from a techy who eplained that to me. the information in the box is correct and the angle is 0° for both chisel and semi.

Plasmech · Jun 15, 2009

nmurph said:
that USG chart information is particular to the stihl grinder. you can not use those numbers on other grinders. i sent an email to stihl and received a call from a techy who eplained that to me. the information in the box is correct and the angle is 0° for both chisel and semi.

Yea the .pdf chart is showing 40 deg for the wheel angle. That can't be right on the 511a Oregon.

So zero on the vise tilt it is?

Stihl chain grind angles, 60/30/15 (?)

Help Support Arborist Forum:

Addicted to ArboristSite

Somebody's talking crap here & it ain't the tree!

ArboristSite.com Sponsor

Addicted to ArboristSite

Addicted to ArboristSite

Addicted to ArboristSite

Polar Bear

Addicted to ArboristSite

Polar Bear

Addicted to ArboristSite

Polar Bear

Addicted to ArboristSite

ArboristSite Member

Addicted to ArboristSite

Addicted to ArboristSite

ArboristSite.com Sponsor

Goosme!

ArboristSite Operative

ArboristSite.com Sponsor

Addicted to ArboristSite

Similar threads