carbide chain

[sloflyer]

I need to cut up old downed oak with my stihl 026. I need to sharpen my chain after about one tankful of fuel. I was advised that with a carbide blade I could probably go all day (4-5 tank fulls) Anybody have any experience with these chains? Also, I can't seem to find anybody that sells the carbide chains on the web. Can anybody advise me of a source?

 

[treeclimber165]

Carbide chain is a specialty item mainly used by firefighters. It doesn't cut as crisply as steel chain, but stands up to nails, shingles and debris better. NO chain will hold up in the dirt. Waste your money on carbide if you like. But I suspect that you are hitting more dirt than you think.

 

[WRW]

Carbide cuts a lot slower than regular chain...a LOT slower. I've heard of sawmills using it for sizing logs and I don't envy them at all.
Are you using a chisel style chain? Any grit in the bark will dull the point that starts the cut and it's all downhill from there. Chipper chain holds it's ability to cut longer in gritty downed wood, is only a little slower than chisel chain, and is a lot less expensive than carbide.

 

[eyolf]

Ditto on what WRW says. If that tree is near a gravel road, it's been eating dust for a long time. It's even in the wood fiber.

The chipper chain you could try is sometimes known as "semi-chisel". Here's a link to carlton's chain:
http://www.sawchain.com/k_series.ht...alfway down and get a look at the "c" series.

 

[RBLEHM]

WE MANUFACTURE CARBIDE SAW CHAIN FOR ALL APPLICATIONS. FOR CUTTING DIRTY WOOD WE HAVE A ROUND FACED STYLE IT CUTS ABOUT 10%SLOWER THEN STANDARD STEEL CHAIN.Please read posting guidelines about advertising, we are a free community and are only kept here by sponsorship!! Thank You

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Its good that you have carbide chain but you guys need to have your CAPS lock looked at.

 

[stihltech]

carbide

The firefighters around here won't even use it. They will either keep a few chains, which we gladly discount, or are using chop saws. You can buy and sharpen a LOT of chains for the price of 1 carbide and a wheel to sharpen it.
As far as cutting a dirty tree, the loggers have taught me a couple of tricks. Never pull the dirt through the log. Also knock some bark off where you start the cut. No cure, but does give you some longevity between sharpenings.

 

[D]

You can sharpen a lot of chains for a price of one carbide chain. If my life was in danger though I wouldn't want somebody using a steel chain going through roofs (asphalt, metal, and tile), nails, wiring, etc. You know and I know as soon as a steel chain hits something other than wood, its dull. The other problem is heat. When you cut through the above issues (stuff its not normally used to cutting) it creates a lot of heat and wears the temper down too. It may cut slower in a side by side test, but when you put them through extreme punishment the carbide on the jobsite will cut faster everytime. By job site I mean, fire related. I wouldn't recommend carbide to the wood cutters, cause obviously it would be slower, although your down time wouldn't be as much cause you won't be sharpening. Just my opinion.

 

[Dennis]

Man, I wish I had caride last night...or was that this morning...2:48 am decided I would show off to some friends with the Rotax...blasted through the first cut...big show....more people showed up...time for the second cut...ripped throught that and went for a third on a single tank of fuel...but what I didnt realize was that I threw the chain bottoming out on the second..cause it was so dark...so,...I ended up eating up a few nuts on the sprocket as well as a really nice groove in the aluminum with the teeth (that Robert has spent about 5 years sharpening) So needless to say I owe him a chain...lol...but I got some serious practice cuts and feel really comfortable with it now.....will race it in Buckley on the 29th of June hopefully...carbide may have saved my wallet.....lol....

 

[Gypo Logger]

Hey Robert, didnt I tell ya that Dennis is a real creep face!
First he fries your oh88, then he fubard your Rotax!
Then he has the gaul to put insult on injury and promises you a new chain, which you will never see!
Dennis, your a creep!

 

[Dennis]

Listen here ya creep....that 088 has never seen power like it has now...we got all the problems resolved last night with pipe length...the 046 kicks @ss....and well...the Rotax still runs good...lol..but doesn't cut worth a [email protected] should only have to replace about 10 drivers...and 3 or 4 teeth...so I am on the hunt for chain...I thougt I hit the jackpot yesterday..a dealer told me he had 75' of it....turns out to be chipper....grrr...had my hopes up...

I talked to Larry from the Log Inn Pub this morning..and he tells me some creep from Ontario called there the other night looking for me and making threats to everyone there...good thing they have call display and are able to track down an address...you should be seeing themsoon johnbuoy...

 

[Tony Snyder]

Back to purpose

Back to reality. Sharpening after one load of hard hardwood is not that bad.

You will be disappointed with carbide chain. It is not like changing from a regular steel saw blade on a table saw to a carbide blade. The disadvantages outweigh the advantages.