How I Fix A Rusty Chainsaw Chain

[Bob Hedgecutter]

I like "Oil Gallery", makes me want to start packing a monocle and a top hat for my cutting expeditions. "I say, good sir, there appears to somehow be a bit of crud in your oil gallery!"

What do you do for the brake band? I've always avoided sticking screnches into that gap, on the theory that I'd end up compacting crud into that space.

Bend down and pick up a suitable twig that can be utilised as a pick or scraper, in the field it is perhaps more important to clear the inside of the band surface- the one that contacts the clutch drum. The outside between band and clutch cover can be cleaned with compressed air when you get home.
Or you can pack a battery toothbrush ah la Tommy tool time- but only if it has STIHL stamped on it somewhere!

 

[Philbert]

But you neglected to also include the "clean the crud out" bit.
I would consider 15 minutes quite reasonable to remove the clutch cover, clean the inside of it, degunge the brake band, decrud the oil gallery, clear the bar rails AND swap the chain- then reassemble.
Mark of a good sawyer that takes a minute or two to clean out as well as swap dull for sharp.

The other side of that story is wondering if ‘the guy who only files in the bar’ ever does that kind of maintenance?

I take more time at the end of the day, but that goes quickly with a chain swap (toothbrush and an old Sawzall blade).



Philbert

 

[cookies]

at the end of every tank it takes under 5 minutes to swipe every tooth 2x in a stump vise using a 2 in 1...no thinking just swipe swipe and go...if the saw cuts crooked swipe 3x on the weak side...if your in it to make a living then having several sharp loops ready for every job is critical but so is proper saw care

 

[clint53]

One guy told me that he just did not like to sharpen chains.

Philbert

...or never learned how to.

 

[Woodslasher]

When I spend all day cutting on a job site, I'll start the day with 4 fresh chains for the saw, one on it, one in my chaps pocket, and two in my saw box. When I get home from work all the chains that I used get thrown on the grinder and either touched up or re-ground, whichever they require, and I'll blow out the air filter, file any burs off of the bar (if necessary), blow off the saw, flip the bar, put on and tension a freshly-sharpened chain, and put the saw back in the truck for work tomorrow. If the day went well, I'll get back at a reasonable time and have all that done by 10:30. If the day went poorly or I have other things to take care of when I get home I'll be done by midnight. If I was a production cutter, I'd have 15 chains hanging on a peg (3 for each work day) and every Saturday/Sunday I'd sharpen all the ones I used throughout the week.

 

[Philbert]

...or never learned how to.

He was a chainsaw carver. Said he wanted to carve, not sharpen. Didn't like to. Didn't want to. Couldn't find anyone nearby that did a good job. So he would buy chains in quantity to get a discount, then sell them 'used once, never sharpened' through CL. Net cost to him was less than what sharpening cost at the local hardware store. Guys that bought the used chains got a good deal too. Only one who lost out was the guy who sharpened chains at the hardware store.

Another guy was a tree service who said it took too long for his crew members to learn how to sharpen good, and that that cost him money. He wanted them cutting for billable time, not paying overhead for 'down time'. Bought some chains from him off of eBay. The numbers made sense to him.

Third guy is an unknown who buys chains from a local STIHL dealer. He only wants to use new chains, so he worked out some kind of a 'trade in' deal. Periodically, I will see a whole bunch of 'used once, sharpened once' chains in boxes on the counter, at about 30% off new retail prices.

Last group are rental shops. Tired of customers who dip a running chain into dirt, then complain about the @#$%&*! dull chain they got, a number of them provide a new chain with each rental, show this to the customer, and build it into the rental price. Some places will sell the used chains. Some toss them into the scrap barrel. Some places (like Home Depot) will not let you take the used chains due to 'liability', but maybe because they want to sell you new?

Me? I am happy to adopt and re-home used chains!

Philbert

 

[Stateline Sawer]

I get all matter of chains in various condition from customers who want new or when I pick up used saw that has a saw box full of chains. Some wore out and get scrapped, some just need to be cleaned up a bit and sharpened. I wish I knew someone who forged their own knives, I hear chainsaw chains are a good combo of steels to forge with.

 

[jetsam]

I get all matter of chains in various condition from customers who want new or when I pick up used saw that has a saw box full of chains. Some wore out and get scrapped, some just need to be cleaned up a bit and sharpened. I wish I knew someone who forged their own knives, I hear chainsaw chains are a good combo of steels to forge with.

You can use your chainsaws to get wood to fire the forge... use the old chains to forge knives.... use the knives to rob convenience stores to get money...use the money to buy more chains and chainsaws.... why did it take us so long to discover this natural, sustainable cycle??

 

[Stateline Sawer]

You can use your chainsaws to get wood to fire the forge... use the old chains to forge knives.... use the knives to rob convenience stores to get money...use the money to buy more chains and chainsaws.... why did it take us so long to discover this natural, sustainable cycle??

Maybe...
The saw chains have the carbon and the harder steel that it takes to forge a stout blade! Never bring a knife to a gun fight! Those convience store owners will wax you! No joke, they are all packing these days! Lol. Need the coal to fire a proper blade, the stuff that comes from Pennsylvania preferred.

 

[SergLab2018]

Some chains are worth saving. Some are not. But, I hope that those in the latter category at least get tossed in the recycling bin!

Light surface rust comes off pretty easy; my 'go-to' was citric acid, which is a lot cheaper than EvapoRust type products. I found that a lot of old, 'rusted' chains were really bound up because the grease around the rivet bearings was dried up; cleaning in some degreaser, or target application of 3-in-One oil loosened up a number of those older loops.

Phiblert

Fully agree

 

[Canyon Angler]

Need the coal to fire a proper blade, the stuff that comes from Pennsylvania preferred.

I like my blacksmithing coal from the Pocohontas #3 vein in West Virginia...

 

[rarefish383]

He was a chainsaw carver. Said he wanted to carve, not sharpen. Didn't like to. Didn't want to. Couldn't find anyone nearby that did a good job. So he would buy chains in quantity to get a discount, then sell them 'used once, never sharpened' through CL. Net cost to him was less than what sharpening cost at the local hardware store. Guys that bought the used chains got a good deal too. Only one who lost out was the guy who sharpened chains at the hardware store.

Another guy was a tree service who said it took too long for his crew members to learn how to sharpen good, and that that cost him money. He wanted them cutting for billable time, not paying overhead for 'down time'. Bought some chains from him off of eBay. The numbers made sense to him.

Third guy is an unknown who buys chains from a local STIHL dealer. He only wants to use new chains, so he worked out some kind of a 'trade in' deal. Periodically, I will see a whole bunch of 'used once, sharpened once' chains in boxes on the counter, at about 30% off new retail prices.

Last group are rental shops. Tired of customers who dip a running chain into dirt, then complain about the @#$%&*! dull chain they got, a number of them provide a new chain with each rental, show this to the customer, and build it into the rental price. Some places will sell the used chains. Some toss them into the scrap barrel. Some places (like Home Depot) will not let you take the used chains due to 'liability', but maybe because they want to sell you new?

Me? I am happy to adopt and re-home used chains!

Philbert

Being a fourth generation tree business owner, I'm 100% with the other tree guy. All of our climbers could do a pretty decent job hand filing, but we kept plenty new and sharp chains in the trucks to swap out. I got out of tree work in 1986, at that time we were paying our top climbers $25 an hour. We charged roughly $85 per man hour to our customers. Dad's favorite question was, "Why am I paying you $350 an hour to have 3 guys standing in a circle watching another guy sit on the ground?" I don't think they would accept it if he told them he would rather charge them $100, 4 men X15 minutes, to sharpen a saw, rather than buy a few extra's at $12 each. Dad would sharpen all the chains after dinner and have them on the dash of the trucks in the morning.

I did a rusty chain in evaporust once and it worked well, only because it was 1/2" pitch for a 3-4' bar. I was trying the evaporust on axe heads, so I dropped the chain in.

 

[Philbert]

Fully agree

Welcome to A.S.!

Philbert

 

[NewToStihl]

What will remove polymerized Stihl bio-bar oil? I tried about everything and you still need pliers to get the links to move.

I know this is a very old thread and you've probably found a good method but I figured I would post anyway. I have had great success simply hitting it with a heat gun for a few minutes. Loosens them up enough to make the chain movable and then they're good to go after a short bit of running.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I know this is a very old thread and you've probably found a good method but I figured I would post anyway. I have had great success simply hitting it with a heat gun for a few minutes. Loosens them up enough to make the chain movable and then they're good to go after a short bit of running.

That may work well with a lightly rusted chain, but some are so badly rusted that they need an overnight chemical soak. The cheapest and best is vinegar. You would be amazed at how much black residue that vinegar will remove. After that, clean up the chain with whatever detergent you want and lubricate it. Some even soak it several hours in diesel fuel.

 

[Philbert]

Seems like different issues?
Rust?
Polymerized bar oil?

I would hope that the hardened bar oil would protect against rust, like the seasoning on cast iron cookware. Lye will remove that.

When standard bar oil (or cosmoline-type stuff) hardens, I have drizzled 3-in-One on rivets and worked the links back and forth.

Philbert

 

[NewToStihl]

That may work well with a lightly rusted chain, but some are so badly rusted that they need an overnight chemical soak. The cheapest and best is vinegar. You would be amazed at how much black residue that vinegar will remove. After that, clean up the chain with whatever detergent you want and lubricate it. Some even soak it several hours in diesel fuel.

Mad Professor wasn't talking about rusted chain, he referenced chains bound up with hardened Stihl Bio-Oil. Heat always works for me in that specific situation.

 

[Tomos770]

Soak it in Coca-Cola over night...