Sometimes, I will keep using a file, as I have the time to put up with it not cutting as well as a new fresh file, other times, I get a new one and use it as time is limited.
Old dull file on a chain that needs lots of material taken away = misery.
Old files are still ok to use on wood, or other projects, or doing a prelim swipe on an unknown chain where it may have hardened teeth from being overheated on a grinding wheel, saves a new file becoming a useless sq one in one pass..
Old files are ok for teaching someone how to sharpen well, as little is taken off on each pass, and if their elbow/ arm is waving about, not as much material is taken off when learning, most have only used dull dull dull files anyway, and find what I consider dull to be near light saber status.
Some chains are harder than others, and what might feel like its dull on one chain, cuts well on a softer chain etc.
I like to get my moneys worth out of them, but as mentioned, they are a consumable item, so buy cheap, and stack it deep.
Ive used cheapies, some worked well, some didnt, used stihl, husky, oregon, pferd, vallorbe, and they all worked well, settled on what ever was best value for money at the time by the dozen, so have a few of each in different sizes (thats another world of pain, so label the gear clearly).
Nope, I just tap out the file occasionally, or use a file card, and give the saw a bit of a run out of the wood to move as much dust/ debrits out of the chain and a bit more oil on it and dont drag the file back.
You won't see that all day long unless you take a pictureNow that's what I'm talking about and wanna see all day long!!! Yeehaaa!!! get sum son!!!
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I agree with everything about dragging the file back, it has no real effect at all.
Or unless my saw is in the wood all day long! Casually throwing ribbons for your birthday present, and your present is a free lesson on how to tune a saw chain!You won't see that all day long unless you take a picture
I've never used brake clean, vinegar, orange juice, soy milk, beer, whisky, or even rams p**s to clean a saw chain file! Nor have I ever had to put one under a microscope to see how dull it was! I'm well aware of when a chain tuning file is spent! A saw chain file is a cheap disposal tool that gets discarded as often as a bic lighter or roll of paper towels. Those of us who run or did run a power saw for a living have been through hundreds and hundreds of chain tuning files. In my humble opinion. If you need to get every last stroke out of your spent file that should have been discarded ten tanks of gas ago? You should probably start looking for a cutting job that pays a little better!
Dang brother, obviously you're cutting more softwood than IOr unless my saw is in the wood all day long! Casually throwing ribbons for your birthday present, and your present is a free lesson on how to tune a saw chain!
.That's what I'm saying.
.I'm with you on this. We didn't have a lot when I was a kid, so I tend to not want to throw things away.
Oh I can definitely tell that your cross cutting and not shreading or "noodling" as you say. Your running a sharp chain and throwing some nice ribbons no doubt bro! All am saying is throwing ribbons should be standard. Anything less than ribbons might as well be fine dust, and it's time to tune your chain. Yes, I cut conifers witch produce much coarser waste out of a saw than hard woods and I garrante that I get ribbons out of spruce and cedar like the ones on your picture of the pine. I don't even do that much round filing at all these days. I chisel grind all my chains and touch them up every now and then with a chisel file. And like you brother, I throw long strips when cross cutting. It is status quo as far as I'm concerned. Like I said earlier. Throwing anything less than ribbons (when cutting conifers) is unsatisfactory!Dang brother, obviously you're cutting more softwood than I
Many of the species I cut here the only time you see a chip over a half inch bucking is when you are cutting thru a crotch, many times they are under a 1/4 on a sharp chain, and some species or dead standing can be even smaller.
I've had guys tell me that they can make their chains cut like mine above when noodling(cutting rounds in half from the bark side not the end), but if you look close those aren't "noodles", but cross cut pine, you can see the growth rings.
That's what I'm saying.
I'm not so broke I can't toss a file or 3-4 dozen a yr, if that's gonna hurt the bottom line that much you're in a rough place. That being said, I've been there, and I hope not to be there ever again. For guys trying to save a buck I get that you want to pinch as much out of a dollar/file as possible, but as I've heard said, you don't want to be tripping over dollars to pick up dimes. Besides it's much harder on you and your equipment when its throwing dust, and you are less productive.
I think it hard for people to go from working so hard to save a buck for a long time out of actual need; to then switch gears and realize that time is money( I believe it's also the reason many people struggle with the financial decisions their bosses make).
I remember one day I was heading out on a job with the tractor on the trailer and I forgot my new jug of bar oil(probably cost 5 or six bucks),it was about a 10min drive back to the house. If I drove back I'd burn a gallon of fuel either way out of route, and nearly about 40 min so I pressed on and stopped at a stihl dealer/hardware store and it about killed me to pay like $16 for a gallon of oil(but i was in and out in about 10 min). I managed to finish the job in one day (wouldn't have if I went back) so I didn't have to make the 30 min drive each way to the job again. I grossed 900 that day, the cost of that gallon was very insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but why is it that I still remember it so clearly
Well said! My point exactly!
And files don't cost s**t compared to a worn out over reved power head. Why wouldn't you keep a twelve pack in your saw shop and a few newbies in the glove box?
Its just another part of the job that I always thought was status quo if your going to produce! However, that's how I was taught years ago when breaking in on a power saw. To each his own, but I don't skimp like a simp on something as cheap as a round file! Not when I'm stump scaling or making a $350 to 400 day wage!
That is unsatisfactory! Some people just don't get it! Its tipically weekend warriors that only occasionally run a saw and don't know any better. However, when I see pros running a dull chain it makes me sick! I usually laugh at then tell them call them lazy and yell "FILE" that chian in the dull section and either tune it or swap it out"! Some guys don't care about production I guess? Heck I don't know?Neighbor stopped by with a dull chain, then brought the saw over mounted with another chain. Both were dull as anything I had ever seen. One would hardly mark the wood, let alone cut. Took a lot of strokes and lots and lots of metal was left littering my work bench and around the vise. My arm was about to fall off. $20 bucks! These where both .325 chains (one a green safety chain) that I try and avoid sharpening, but both chains are now back in service and cutting like new again. I stressed he needs to drop these chains off on a more frequent schedule. Glad I had some relatively fresh files.
More saw are taken to an early grave with a senseless dull chains than anything else
Absolutely Agreed!
