Carbide Chains

[John Paul Sanborn]

A chain file is only a couple of bucks. Also for a typical 20 inch bar you can have 10-12 new chains on hand for 200 bucks. Just re-sharpen them once you get back to the shop. I'd much rather have a few extra chains on hand than one million dollar chain.

For everyday use I can see that, though I know a number of guys (D. Murphy) who do storm stumps and find the reliability of a carbide chain on a +30 in bar invaluable.

I've not tried it so my opinion is based on others experiance

 

[treesquirrel]

For everyday use I can see that, though I know a number of guys (D. Murphy) who do storm stumps and find the reliability of a carbide chain on a +30 in bar invaluable.

I've not tried it so my opinion is based on others experiance

I can see that. I typically will not cut off a stump so low I'm in the dirt but sometimes objects in the base of a tree will destroy my steel chains. But it happens so infrequently I can't justify mega $$$ for a special use carbide chain.

My most memorable incident of an object inside a tree was cutting into a horseshoe which was about 4 inches deep inside an old oak. I was bucking up the trunk of an old oak that was about 5 feet DBH. I was just curious about what the heck I'd cut into so we split open that section and found the horseshoe. The property owner had no idea whne or why it was hung on the tree. Judging by the growth it has likely been in that tree longer than I have been alive.

 

[CJ-7]

I agree that in most cases it doesn't make sense to use carbide chain. I just wonder if the chain saw people will ever come out with a carbide chain that does make sense. In a woodworker's shop, including mine, you won't see anything but carbide sawblades, and they are just cutting wood. But then, a cutting tip on a chain is a while lot different from a tip on a table saw blade. Not looking for smooth, just fast.

 

[BlackenedTimber]

Carbide!

I did a bunch of work in a housing development back in the woods of upstate new york. The fella who cleared the properties just dropped everything, and pushed the whole trees into a pile in the corner of the property. He did this at every home site in the development. The houses that were being put up were 2+ million bucks each, so the HOs didnt really enjoy seeing this massive pile of brush and trunks behind their houses.

I bought 4 carbide chains, 2 for my 440 w/ 28" bar, and 2 for my 066 w/ 36" bar. They cut great in dirty logs- these were sometimes covered with dirt from where the dozer pushed up the pile. I did actually have one of my guys cut all the way through a 4" rock without realizing it. He should have felt it, as he trashed that chain.

All in all, worth the money if you have the need for carbide. They do cut slower than regular full chisel or chipper chain, but they will cut some real nasty wood that would otherwise destroy a regular chain.

Got em hanging up in the garage now, haven't had a need for them since. They paid for themselves in one day cutting through that mess though.

:greenchainsaw:

 

[stihlhere]

thats what i thought i like to cut stumps off close to ground as possible but not cutting in dirt. i run a 32 inch bar for stumping as i do alot of oaks. and 45.00 a loop for stihl rsc is killing me not to mention all the time spent sharpening. last year i took out 27 pine stumps old growth longleaf 4and5' at base some bigger full of dirt in bark at ground level. i have a huge oak waiting on me now it is about 12' or more at ground level.
how many stumps could i cut with out sharpening???????
I bet these would be great for clearing trees in old fence rows to and there are plenty of those here in south GA. full of fence wire.

 

[smokinj]

Agreed heat kills the chain. However, if you are aware of dangers then you can still use power sharpner and have no issues. I have used power sharpener for over a dozen years. (I have some Kool Grind in shop as well which does help with the heat issue)

cyclone wheels grind cool

 

[jefflovstrom]

These chains were mainly made for fire fighters to cut through roofs.
Jeff

 

[TreeClimber57]

thats what i thought i like to cut stumps off close to ground as possible but not cutting in dirt. i run a 32 inch bar for stumping as i do alot of oaks. and 45.00 a loop for stihl rsc is killing me not to mention all the time spent sharpening. last year i took out 27 pine stumps old growth longleaf 4and5' at base some bigger full of dirt in bark at ground level. i have a huge oak waiting on me now it is about 12' or more at ground level.
how many stumps could i cut with out sharpening???????
I bet these would be great for clearing trees in old fence rows to and there are plenty of those here in south GA. full of fence wire.

Well, they are a lot of money. How many stumps.. ? Depends on condition - how much dirt, stone, etc.. kind of wood, size of stump. I have cut a few with mine on the one job I used it, and have not yet sharpened it. Having said that, it would be one ugly cuss to sharpen I would guess, would eat my stones .. likely need diamond stone of some kind. If you do enough dirty stumps and are killing a dozen chains a year, then go for it and try it. Pure economic sense if you are killing that many chains.. if you only do occasionally then as said before a waste of money. If you do go for it, let us know what you think in your application.

 

[stihlhere]

I'm bidding a large contract job for several oaks guy talks like 8 or 10 if i land it i will be ordering some new equipment including a carbide chain and i will definitely post results.

 

[BlackenedTimber]

I have never had to sharpen my carbides- they lost some cutting efficiency with use, but nothing too dramatic. The dude at my local saw shop said he would sharpen the chains for a buck a cutter tooth. Reasonable imo if you are willing to make the initial investment for the chain, if you can warrant the purchase. Flush-cutting stumps and fence-liine work (worked in an old apple orchard for a few weeks... carbides worked great) are a good reason to invest in carbide. I cant stand filing my chain every other cut when your working in nasty wood.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

The dude at my local saw shop said he would sharpen the chains for a buck a cutter tooth.

That is real goodd, I looked into it a few years ago and it was closer to two bucks a tooth here.

 

[TreeClimber57]

That is real goodd, I looked into it a few years ago and it was closer to two bucks a tooth here.

Wow, thats almost as much as buying a new chain.

I am just saving mine, and if I need it I will use it again.. and hopefully not have to sharpen for a long long time.

 

[stihlhere]

AMEN BROTHER
time is $$$$$$$$$$ and sharping chain after every cut and throwing away every 3 because of wire not to good.

 

[pdqdl]

Machine sharpening, without a coolant, takes the temper out of the tip of the cutter, making it dull faster.

I am surprised to hear you say that. My experience is different.

Folks with no sense about sharpening chain pull too hard on the stone and really cherry that tooth. When that occurs, it cools real fast and is actually made harder (and more brittle) than before it was ground. At this point the chain cutting edge will outlast the "unburned" edge, but it will defy sharpening by a file.

It is the extra hardening that really sets most experienced chainsaw users off, in my experience. Once hardened up, they can't hand file at all, and they resolve to never machine grind again.


On the flip side, if the machine grind operator just heats the tooth a little bit too much, it will soften the tooth with the results you predicted.

I like the steel wheels with impregnated "Borozon". They don't make a dusty mess, they always have the correct profile, and they cut the steel without heating it up (unless they are worn out).

 

[TreeClimber57]

That is real goodd, I looked into it a few years ago and it was closer to two bucks a tooth here.

I check here today for fun, was $172 Cdn for 91 tooth chain to buy new carbide from Stihl.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I am surprised to hear you say that. My experience is different.

I guess i should have added the caveat for knowing what you are doing yes a good operator can do an outstanding job, especially with a bench grinder and a jig.

 

[pdqdl]

I wasn't taking up with the grinder vs. file thing: I know better than to start that old line up again.

I was pointing out that in my experience the grinder hardens the teeth more often than it takes the temper out. You probably never come near a grinder often enough to know how hard it is to file the teeth afterwords (when done poorly).

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

You probably never come near a grinder often enough to know how hard it is to file the teeth afterwords (when done poorly).

I've paid shops for regrinds that turned out crappy. In my experiance you have to hunt for a good shop, some just send the new kid to do it ans makework.

Most of my chains are small loops, except fot the 32bar for my 385 and the 36 on my Alaskan mill. Both have full skip on the chains, cuz I'm lazy.