Chainsaw file sizes?!

[Cider]

My head hurts.

The grisly old woodcutters round here swear by using the file for the next size up chain for dealing with dry redgum - apparently it makes for slightly less of an edge but a longer lasting tooth. I'm not really here to start a debate over the merits of this, but I wanted to try it for myself with an old chain. My MS362 has 3/8" chain, so the next size up would be .404".

I went in to the local chainsaw service guy (with my saw) and asked for a regular file for the 3/8" chain and one for .404". After a brief chat on the subject he confidently sold me a 7/32" and a 1/4" file.

I get home and find the original Stihl file that I was supplied with the saw (and have been using) is 13/64".

Then I start googling and read things like:
Chains with a pitch of 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch generally take a file that's 5/32 inch, or 4 mm
Chains with a pitch of 0.325 and 0.404 take files that are 3/16 inch and 7/32 inch, respectively

So who is right?!

 

[scottr]

My head hurts.

The grisly old woodcutters round here swear by using the file for the next size up chain for dealing with dry redgum - apparently it makes for slightly less of an edge but a longer lasting tooth. I'm not really here to start a debate over the merits of this, but I wanted to try it for myself with an old chain. My MS362 has 3/8" chain, so the next size up would be .404".

I went in to the local chainsaw service guy (with my saw) and asked for a regular file for the 3/8" chain and one for .404". After a brief chat on the subject he confidently sold me a 7/32" and a 1/4" file.

I get home and find the original Stihl file that I was supplied with the saw (and have been using) is 13/64".

Then I start googling and read things like:
Chains with a pitch of 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch generally take a file that's 5/32 inch, or 4 mm
Chains with a pitch of 0.325 and 0.404 take files that are 3/16 inch and 7/32 inch, respectively

So who is right?!

Hey Cider, I have used 7/32" diameter files on my Stihl 3/8" pitch chains and liked the results .

 

[KenJax Tree]

He's right. 3/8lp for smaller saws like top handles takes a 5/32" file but .404 uses 1/4" or 7/32 and standard 3/8" use 13/64"(stihl) or 7/32.

3/16" is for .325, 7/32 is too big.

 

[Bwildered]

My head hurts.

The grisly old woodcutters round here swear by using the file for the next size up chain for dealing with dry redgum - apparently it makes for slightly less of an edge but a longer lasting tooth. I'm not really here to start a debate over the merits of this, but I wanted to try it for myself with an old chain. My MS362 has 3/8" chain, so the next size up would be .404".

I went in to the local chainsaw service guy (with my saw) and asked for a regular file for the 3/8" chain and one for .404". After a brief chat on the subject he confidently sold me a 7/32" and a 1/4" file.

I get home and find the original Stihl file that I was supplied with the saw (and have been using) is 13/64".

Then I start googling and read things like:
Chains with a pitch of 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch generally take a file that's 5/32 inch, or 4 mm
Chains with a pitch of 0.325 and 0.404 take files that are 3/16 inch and 7/32 inch, respectively

So who is right?!

For stihl chain the recommended file for 3/8 is 5.2mm, .404 is 5.5mm, I haven't any idea what that is in imperial.
Thansk

 

[ironman_gq]

Stihl chain uses 13/64 but many people use a 7/32 like the rest of the 3/8 chain on the market takes. Doesn't really matter which you use, I use the 13/64 when I'm cutting soft wood and once in a while will go in with the 7/32 to open up the gullet.