Semi-chisel vs full chisel

[Ted Jenkins]

This has been debated many times. Two different chains for two different uses. Semi lasts longer with a small sacrifice to speed. They both will cross over some but with some sacrifice. Thanks

 

[mountainlake]

I don't buy full chisel anymore, the little bit you gain in the cut is lost sharpening it more often. Steve

 

[Bubster]

I remember when a 20" chain was around $10-12.Those fewer filings with the semi-chisel really adds up today with a chain costing over $30.One advantage to semi-chisel for sure.Thank you all for the great replies.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

There's also "Micro Chisel " and Chipper chain.

 

[giver]

I put a semi on my ported 254xp the other day and found it painful to use compared to a full chisel but thats just me

 

[sundance]

Yep. The faster she cuts the faster you can put 'er down. Now that I finally have a way of getting almost perfect RS chains in just a few minutes I don't care, I just swap chains when it starts cutting slower at all.

I'm not sure but I think the RS takes less power to cut too.

@CNYCountry : Curious, how does one get almost perfect RS chain in a few minutes?
Thanks

 

[KASH]

The best thing about semi chisel is if you hit some thing hard you dont have to file away half the tooth to get it sharp.any saw I loan out gets semi chisel because I know it will come back with the chain in bad shape.
Kash

 

[mountainlake]

The best thing about semi chisel is if you hit some thing hard you dont have to file away half the tooth to get it sharp

I'd agree, I hate grinding away half the tooth to get back to a sharp point. Those semi chisel chains can be made to cut really good with a good hook angle and the right raker height, Steve

 

[bwalker]

Semi chisel chain cuts rougher and slower. With that said I have used quit a bit for cutting firewood that had been dragged behind a cable skidder. It lasts a bit longer than chisel chain in that regard. Stihl RM with the yellow tie strap is the way to go in that particular scenario.

 

[HumBurner]

I'd agree, I hate grinding away half the tooth to get back to a sharp point. Those semi chisel chains can be made to cut really good with a good hook angle and the right raker height, Steve

Depending on what is being cut with semi chisel much of a hook may not be desired.

That is another advantage of semi, the ability to determine the degree of hook the user wants in relation to the job. With full chisel you rely on the hook to feed. The tooth can be sharp but if the point is blunted at all, no feeding.

 

[bwalker]

Depending on what is being cut with semi chisel much of a hook may not be desired.

That is another advantage of semi, the ability to determine the degree of hook the user wants in relation to the job. With full chisel you rely on the hook to feed. The tooth can be sharp but if the point is blunted at all, no feeding.

Too much hook with semi makes it really rough cutting with little to no increase in efficiency IME.

 

[HumBurner]

Too much hook with semi makes it really rough cutting with little to no increase in efficiency IME.

Yes.

Most people tend to follow manufacturer specs and profiles. Semi chisel can cut effectively at a range of profiles, depending on the need.


I've seen and used semi with nearly no hook at all, the tip of the cutter being flush with the start of the gullet. Cuts, feeds, and make chips just like a factory chain. But, because it has less hook/edge to dull, it holds sharpness longer and increases life of chain.

 

[CNYCountry]

@CNYCountry : Curious, how does one get almost perfect RS chain in a few minutes?
Thanks

If you want to read the whole long story it's here: https://www.arboristsite.com/commun...chainsaw-sharpener.352352/page-3#post-7556407 tl;dr Over 15+ years I tried damn near every jig, guide, hand filing etc and the only way I could get the kind of chains I wanted with files was to spend a stupid amount of time. Was always afraid of burning cutters with a grinder. CBN wheel on a decent grinder wound up being the answer, at least for me. 72 drivers full comp I can get damn near perfect in 5-10 minutes if I just have to take a few thou off (wood dull). Couple more minutes if I have to do rakers but I usually take so little off the cutters they don't need it every time.

 

[mountainlake]

Too much hook with semi makes it really rough cutting with little to no increase in efficiency IME.

Chain with very little or no hook cut like crap, you need a 6 foot bar on the back of the saw to make them feed. Mine get a nice hook and proper
rakers, self feed real nice and hardly any chatter.. Will chatter if the rakers get too low. Steve

 

[bwalker]

Chain with very little or no hook cut like crap, you need a 6 foot bar on the back of the saw to make them feed. Mine get a nice hook and proper
rakers, self feed real nice and hardly any chatter.. Will chatter if the rakers get too low. Steve

I'm not saying you don't need any hook. I'm saying if you get too much semi is pretty nasty.

 

[Huskybill]

I never used semi chisel chain before. I purchased a new 385/32” bar and a new 575/28” bar my dealer setup skip semi chisel. I told him I’m cutting at a saw mill and maybe dirty wood. I was shocked at how good they cut. Took a while to go dull. Longer bars skip semi chisel from now on.

 

[Hermio]

In South Africa, Stihl RM (semi-chisel) chain is almost unheard of. Most dealers look at you with blank stares when you order RM, and ask for a part number. I too was guilty of using only RS (full chisel) chain, because it "cut the fastest". In over 20 years of cutting, I've never had the stopwatch running whilst felling a tree. Some 3 years ago I ran into an elderly chap on YouTube who said that nobody needs "all them sharp edges" of the RS chain cut cut yourself on. He only used RM. I ignored this advice until recently, when I started doing some research on RM chain, and discovered it cuts 93% as fast as RS, but lasts almost 3x as long.

Doing a little sum, I calculated that running for an hour on RS, and changing the chain for a fresh one every 20 minutes (allowing for 3 minutes per "pit stop"), I ended up exactly even running an RM chain. Considering that we cut many hardwood trees with tough, abrasive bark (such as the Eucalyptus), the RM chains just make sense, and I'm gradually phasing out the RS.

My 2c.

In my experience, the RS cuts about twice as fast as RM when freshly sharpened, and maybe after 3 tanks of fuel, it slows down to RM speed. Then I spend 5 minutes sharpening it and I am good to go. And yes, I cut dry wood and run into some dirt on it.

 

[mountainlake]

I think the difference in cutting speed is not very much, semi chiesel comes with the rakers to high and not very aggressive, tune it up a little and it cuts good. Steve

 

[Hermio]

I think the difference in cutting speed is not very much, semi chiesel comes with the rakers to high and not very aggressive, tune it up a little and it cuts good. Steve

Maybe so. But I am comparing factory fresh chains. I am not expert enough to tinker with the settings. I sharpen to factory spec with the Pferd 2 in 1. But, out of the box, RS is much faster than RM.

 

[Cord_Nipper]

I still prefer full chisel even if the woods a little dirty. I’ll just make a pass or two with a file after every tank of gas.
If I’m not spitting out chips the size of dimes I’m not gonna be happy with a chain.

I'm with you.
I usually have two loops loops of any chain I'm using. When one gets dull I'll swap it out.
if I don't have a spare a file will clean it up enough to get me done.