Question on keeping your saw sharper when cutting a dirty log.

[Froggy]

Is it true that when a log has got dirt on it that you can't get off and you have to cut into the log. Using the top side of the bar tends to reduce the chance of dulling your chain by throwing the dirt out as you cut through. Keeping your teeth on your saw cleaner. If you cut bottom side first your tooth on your chain will get the dirt first causing the chain to dull faster. I know that in both cases there is going to be a sharpening in the near future., but can you reduce the chances of dulling your chain badly by using the top side of your bar first?
Thanks, BB

 

[Grande Dog]

If the log is dirty all the way arond it's six of one and a half dozen of the other. If it's dirty on one side, you want to keep the dirty side towards you.

Grande Dog
Master Mechanic
Discount Arborist Equipment and Tree Care Supplies

 

[John Ellison]

If you "cant get it off" I guess you dont have a choise, but I would use my axe to clean it or maybe a wire brush if you had a lot of it. I even have to axe the bark off of some standing timber after a hard rain if its in an exposed place.

John

 

[MasterBlaster]

What Treeco said!

Plungecut tha suckar!

WORD!

 

[glens]

If you have to cut both wood and dirt, they should be in that order; whatever is necessary to achieve that is correct.

I like to use my <a href="http://www.estwing.com/spec2.htm">20 oz. Mason's hammer</a> (hasn't looked that good for several years) to very quickly and easily chip an inch-wide path to the wood through the nastier stuff when firewooding rolled-while-dragged goods.&nbsp; I suspect there might be some difficulty with a brand-new sharp tool digging in as compared to one that's seen some aggregate, but that's just conjecture -- I've never used a new one for this particular task.

Glen

 

[jokers]

I cut alot of dirty wood and always keep the dirtiest side up, plunge through the cleaner part then up cut out, finish with a down cut. I believe this is overall faster and more productive than removing bark unless I can just rip it off with my hands.

Russ

 

[Saw Man]

Some good technique advice from the earlier posters.

There is a chain made for such applications by Oregon.
'M' series available in couple different variations.

It's trippple (note the "p's") hard chromed, and is a low volume seller, so it's pppricey costing about 3 times more.
But it works, definatlely saves wear & tear, $$$$, not to mention aggravation.

 

[mlk]

You might consider a carbide chain. A few years ago I cut a bunch of firewood from trees that had had been bulldozed, dragged around and embedded with dirt and rocks. The carbide chain I used (Stihl RD, I think) was slow, but overall I think it was quicker than using regular chain and sharpening or changing chains frequently.