Alternative to sharpening your chain

[THALL10326]

Everyone knows new chains attract rocks, so it doesn't matter how well they cut you're sure to rock it in a couple of minutes anyway.

Seems that way. I like it when they really rockem out, that one is done, get a new one, they do..

 

[spacemule]

ALOT!! On 30 grand I'll pull 15 grand in profit. Sounds outragous doesn't it. Way I see it a 25.00 chain will cut a cord of wood. A cord of wood around here goes for 250.00. A 25.00 chain will saw up a small tree that they charge a grand to do. So do I feel bad, not at all...

Nah, I don't think it's a lot. A shop and tools and insurance and upkeep aren't cheap.

 

[Tree Sling'r]

If you guys believe chain is the greatest out of the box, you either need to learn how to file or have someone else grind your chains. I am amazed by all of these comments in this thread. Send me a chain, I'll show you what sharp is!!!!

 

[THALL10326]

lo pro 3/8's or full 3/8's....sorry don't do .325 here. i'm getting the feeling my roll of vxl is going to get opened up and put on one of the S25's for a vid if no one does it by this weekend(when i will have the time to). i'm gonna tell yah there sure is alot of variables here even between two posters hands to the way a guy takes care of his grinding wheel on his machine.

he would probly spend 15-20k on the chain wholesale

Awesome, do the vid. I know I'm sounding like a prick but I'm really interested in seeing how a sharpened chain compares to a new one. I've cut with many guys who hand file their chains and they cut ok. I never could see where a sharpened chain cuts better than new, if they do I'd like to see it. Fire that va didy o machine up and flim some chains cutting, I'm all for being corrected, letter rip,

 

[srcarr52]

If you guys believe chain is the greatest out of the box, you either need to learn how to file or have someone else grind your chains. I am amazed by all of these comments in this thread. Send me a chain, I'll show you what sharp is!!!!

Stihl RSLK is the sharpest fresh out of the box chain I've used but it's like a fine wine... It only gets better with age and proper care.

 

[hoeyrd2110]

Awesome, do the vid. I know I'm sounding like a prick but I'm really interested in seeing how a sharpened chain compares to a new one. I've cut with many guys who hand file their chains and they cut ok. I never could see where a sharpened chain cuts better than new, if they do I'd like to see it. Fire that va didy o machine up and flim some chains cutting, I'm all for being corrected, letter rip,

i hope i can haha! remember i'm still somewhat fresh to filing so it make take a few files to move ahead of a new chain. i feel like i should do a new,filled,grinder comparo lo pro of course. i'll get it setup and shoot it this weekend

 

[THALL10326]

If you guys believe chain is the greatest out of the box, you either need to learn how to file or have someone else grind your chains. I am amazed by all of these comments in this thread. Send me a chain, I'll show you what sharp is!!!!

Well tell me Slinger, how much faster is a sharpened 33RS72 than a new 33RS72 out the box, we talking twice as fast, a 3rd faster, a 1/4 faster, a 1/8 faster, a second, seriously, not being smart, just how much faster is that sharpened 33RS72???

 

[Zombiechopper]

Really. I know of no one that files a brand new chain or checks the rakers. Ole feller I've been selling and putting on new chains for over 20 years. In my 20 plus years I've never had one person ask me to touch it up with a file or check the rakers. They, like me, assume since its new its probably already sharp and the rakers are right. I've yet to find a new dull chain in a Stihl box or one with the rakers outta wack. Let me tell ya what I have heard over and over, "nothing cuts like a new one". I hear that all the time.

I know there are folks than can hand file a chain and it cuts great, better than new, I've yet to see it, possible I guess but to actually see it, never have. I've heard it said but never seen it. Sadly for every one person that can file good there are a 100 who can't. Few human hands can hold the angles like a machine can. I got many customers who hand file their chains a few times and then bring them back to get the angles striaghtened out with the grinder. That goes on all the time. The human hand just isn't that steady or accurate, the machine is.

I think this filing thing is more self satisfaction that its cutting again than how well its really cutting. It feels good to be sawing, chain goes dull, touch it up and its cutting pretty good again. Feels good yes. Cutting better than it was new, I doubt it. If it is awesome, I know my new chain is cutting like what, ya got it baby, a new one, cheers!!!!!!!!

Let me tell ya Tommy ole boy, I do touch em up right outta them boxes and I drop them rakeroos a smidge too. And dang it, they sure as heck do cut faster after I have hand filed em several times. Part way through the life of a chain they get faster than a new york car salesman on meth. I tells ya what ole feller, I seen some magnifying glasses at walmart for ya to help you with yer sharpnin, and I think you need a tall glass of something that burns real nice to steady them hands. That'll straighten ya right out.

Let me tell you another thing young feller, the best cuttin chain sure as poop ain't a new one, it's an almost worn out one. If you sell em all new ones they'll never know what a good chain really is. I feel sorry for them I truly do.

 

[fearofpavement]

I know of other sawyers that replace dull chains with new ones they spin off a roll. Personally, I file my chains. Never would consider filing a new chain before cutting with it. It would be sharp enough for my purposes. I typically touch up a chain every tank or two. As others say, less than five minutes for a 72dl or 68dl bar.

 

[Justsaws]

At $0.17 per link even I would buy Stihl chain. How much you pay for the fancy oils?

At $400.00 a 100' roll being $0.24 a link something seems..........................

$278.80 per 100' would be some sweet old timey pricing.

Wait a second, how old is this thread?

Nope, went and checked, thread was started today....wait a second how old is this computer?

Nope, computer is to new, where is this land of old timey pricing?

Ah, the "Northwest", nevermind.

 

[Tree Sling'r]

Well tell me Slinger, how much faster is a sharpened 33RS72 than a new 33RS72 out the box, we talking twice as fast, a 3rd faster, a 1/4 faster, a 1/8 faster, a second, seriously, not being smart, just how much faster is that sharpened 33RS72???

Not sure of the model Thall, but I run full chisel, semi skip 3/8 .063 Stihl. With that being said, I always grind New chain before I use, due to the fact that out of the box is too dull. Even the first grind is not great. The fastest, smoothest chains for me are my 3-4 grind. I can square file too, but it takes longer than 5 minutes, round too, but I run nothing shorter than a 32".
All I can say bud is that it is a lot faster and smoother. Send me a chain and I will grind it and send it back. :msp_thumbup:

 

[Philbert]

Doug,

You are not crazy. I have met several of people who do this.

- Many rental shops put a new chain on saws with each rental so that customers can't complain.
- Some people like the way their new chains cut.
- Some people have had bad experiences with hardware store sharpening jobs.
- Some people don't like to sharpen.

If you get $4 for your used chain, and would have to pay $7.50 to get it sharpened, your 'indulgence' only costs you $3.50. You may feel that your time is worth more than that. It might cost you that much to drive to the saw shop to drop it off and then back to pick it up. It's not like you are throwing the chain out (like some do), it is getting re-used by your CL customer.

Like many others, I sharpen my chains. Took a little time to get good at it. Heck, I scrounge abused chains and get satisfaction out of bringing them back to useful service. But I still throw out those dull utility blades in my Stanley knife. Suppose I could sharpen those too!

Philbert

 

[THALL10326]

Not sure of the model Thall, but I run full chisel, semi skip 3/8 .063 Stihl. With that being said, I always grind New chain before I use, due to the fact that out of the box is too dull. Even the first grind is not great. The fastest, smoothest chains for me are my 3-4 grind. I can square file too, but it takes longer than 5 minutes, round too, but I run nothing shorter than a 32".
All I can say bud is that it is a lot faster and smoother. Send me a chain and I will grind it and send it back. :msp_thumbup:

Ok, I'll send you this one, you send it back,LOLOL I guess the main reason I get tired of sharpening is due to getting chains in like this all the time. I saved this one as a talk piece, have a look see. This is the kind of chains I get all the time. I take one look and say nope, get a new one. I don't know how to post pics on this new AS system but hopefully I can post a link to the pic,

View attachment 267223

 

[Hedgerow]

Stihl RSLK is the sharpest fresh out of the box chain I've used but it's like a fine wine... It only gets better with age and proper care.

Hell, I can make RSLK cut faster and never touch the cutter... If ya got a saw with enough ass to pull it, take .005 off the rakers and problem solved... But those who sell Stihl's wouldn't know that...
Since they wouldn't be the ones with enough ass to pull it...
:msp_tongue:

Hahahahahaha!!!!
C'mon tommy!!!
Let's hear it!!!

 

[Tree Sling'r]

Ok, I'll send you this one, you send it back,LOLOL I guess the main reason I get tired of sharpening is due to getting chains in like this all the time. I saved this one as a talk piece, have a look see. This is the kind of chains I get all the time. I take one look and say nope, get a new one. I don't know how to post pics on this new AS system but hopefully I can post a link to the pic,

View attachment 267223

Haha, I grind all the chains for the tree company I work for, they too bring back some dandy's!!!!

 

[THALL10326]

Hell, I can make RSLK cut faster and never touch the cutter... If ya got a saw with enough ass to pull it, take .005 off the rakers and problem solved... But those who sell Stihl's wouldn't know that...
Since they wouldn't be the ones with enough ass to pull it...
:msp_tongue:

Hahahahahaha!!!!
C'mon tommy!!!
Let's hear it!!!

While you was screwing around with the rakers I've sawed up the tree, you can load the truck now, I'll be in the house drinking ta ta's,:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[514mach1]

Thall, that chain looks thoroughly used up. But it also looks like the raker is too high for the almost gone tooth. At least they got all the use out of it.

I don't sharpen new chain. But I can pretty easily get them to cut better than new after a couple sharpenings. Not a lot better than new, but noticeably better when ripping (cross cut not much difference from new). I think the faster cutting is because of the larger gap between raker and tooth leaves more room for the cut chip without loading up the tooth.

Oh, I'm another Iowa guy who'd gladly buy those 1 use chains (either .050 or .058 gauge).

 

[ancy]

I guess your talking to me. I'm not putting new chains away and no I don't need to learn anything. You been sawing 5 years, do another 35 and come back, I may listen, not likely by may. That chain your showing was ground too hard and too fast, thats how that happens. Thats why you have to bounce the grinder lightly as you sharpen the tooth, hope you just learned something. Half worn out chain will smoke a new one,ok, show me. I want some vids, I got the stop watch, lets see how much smoke is really being blown here,:msp_biggrin::msp_biggrin:

I was and you still sound like any old Steal dealer out there. I can already see that I've learned more in 5 years than you have in 20, that funny ****!

Sent from my XT881

 

[THALL10326]

Haha, I grind all the chains for the tree company I work for, they too bring back some dandy's!!!!

That chain came from a tree outfit. Some of the teeth are snapped off, the side plates are worn out, it was a POS long before they brought to me. I see em like that all the time. When I do my reply is fast, buy a new one, they do but hate it, I love it,LOL

 

[Philbert]

. . . I'm really interested in seeing how a sharpened chain compares to a new one. . . . I never could see where a sharpened chain cuts better than new, if they do I'd like to see it.

. . . I do touch em up right outta them boxes and I drop them rakeroos a smidge too. And dang it, they sure as heck do cut faster after I have hand filed em several times.

. . . I always grind New chain before I use, due to the fact that out of the box is too dull. . .

Manufacturers have to choose a default or compromise set of angles to please a variety of customers. Has to survive shipping and handling. It makes sense that a few, skilled licks of a file could put a slightly finer edge on a cutter, or change it slightly to better fit the user's taste.

What Zombiechopper is referring to could be a result of a larger gullet after a few sharpening, increasing chip carrying capacity, and a lighter cut mass. Moving closer to a race chain!

Philbert