Square Grinding the almost dead chains

[Duane(Pa)]

1. This REALLY is a good deal
2. It pays to shop around a little.

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Just saves seller from having to delete and create a new listing when they are temporarily out of stock on an item. Common as dirt.

 

[user 122190]

Just saves seller from having to delete and create a new listing when they are temporarily out of stock on an item. Common as dirt.

Good to know. I almost bought it, but now I will wait.

 

[Gypo Logger]

I’m not too proud to say I can’t square file to save my life, but I can round file in the dark. I believe I’ve filled away more chain in feet than Churchill smoked in cigars.
Has anyone noticed that current off the reel chain requires the lowering of rakers to get them to 25 thou?

 

[Huskybill]

It takes me between 30 to 40 minutes to round file a new chain using two different size files my way. The gullet is one size file that fits in the gullet. I open up the gullet as big as I can down to the top of the drive link first. The very top edge of the tooth I sharpen with a file n guide last. Then one or two passes on the rakers with a flat file.
My point is once the saw chain is done my way properly I only do the file n guide on the top edge in the woods if need be. I like going fast when touching up the chain in the woods. No guess work just a chain so sharp you can shave with it.

You can’t properly sharpen the top edge only with a round file without using a file n guide setup. You hold it to the top angle of the tooth, then to the scribed angles on the file n guide, 25 or 30 degrees. So simple.

I understand the vee flat filing of the tooth but what about in the woods how fast can you resharpen it?

 

[user 122190]

You can’t properly sharpen the top edge only with a round file without using a file n guide setup.

I don't know about that. One of the major things about sharpening chains by hand that held me up for so long was this top edge issue. I had to figure it out for myself that sometimes you have to be lightly lifting the file to get under the top edge. Once I figured that out, it was sell the grinder, free hand all the time. The 2nd major for me, that I learned from Buck'in Billy was that the rackers get set per cutter. Or stated differently, the cutters can vary in length from each other, and the rakers fix the differences that might cause chatter or diagonal cuts, etc.

 

[user 122190]

I understand the vee flat filing of the tooth but what about in the woods how fast can you resharpen it?

In my limited experience, it is the same. Why would it be any different? I reprofiled a used nearly dead 66dl chisel skip chain in about 15 minutes. Once it is reprofiled it is a stroke or two or three to fine tune the edge, just like using a round file.

 

[user 122190]

The chizel square files showed up. Very nice, and such a deal too. Now I have to go thru my few used chains and see about doing a proper Square Filing. I would sure like to make a mistake on a dead or near dead chain.

Even better would be nice to purchase a square filed chain and just maintain it, but I have never seen such a chain at the many shops I frequent. Truly a rare thing and only for the specialize user or just us fanatics.

I am kinda excited about this. A new level of user expertise.

 

[Skeans]

The chizel square files showed up. Very nice, and such a deal too. Now I have to go thru my few used chains and see about doing a proper Square Filing. I would sure like to make a mistake on a dead or near dead chain.

Even better would be nice to purchase a square filed chain and just maintain it, but I have never seen such a chain at the many shops I frequent. Truly a rare thing and only for the specialize user or just us fanatics.

I am kinda excited about this. A new level of user expertise.

Call Madsens it’s a really common chain to see out here on the west coast for fallers to use, they do a buy one get one deal.


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[Gypo Logger]

One thing I learned by accident is if you use your file without a handle your strokes are more deliberate and accurate. I think they call it dexterity.

 

[user 122190]

Gave a chain a few strokes. The file is fine, but seems to take metal off the cutters nicely. Even though I have a non square grind, the file moved smoothly in the cutters groove. Before I get started, anybody know the recommended factory angles of an Stihl Square Grind L chain?

 

[Del_]

Gave a chain a few strokes. The file is fine, but seems to take metal off the cutters nicely. Even though I have a non square grind, the file moved smoothly in the cutters groove. Before I get started, anybody know the recommended factory angles of an Stihl Square Grind L chain?

Everything you need to know about the angles has been shown in the photos posted here.

 

[user 122190]

Everything you need to know about the angles has been shown in the photos posted here.

Photos don't help me. Numbers was what I was asking. Anybody?

 

[huskihl]

Gave a chain a few strokes. The file is fine, but seems to take metal off the cutters nicely. Even though I have a non square grind, the file moved smoothly in the cutters groove. Before I get started, anybody know the recommended factory angles of an Stihl Square Grind L chain?

I’ve seen madsens and others mention 45 45 45, but in my experience using a jig, those angles are impossible.
You want to be touching the tie straps without cutting into them, which is about 35* down. 45* back is probably good for firewood. Maybe more vertical like 35-40, and will last longer. Like a knife, the sharper the grind, the less it lasts.
And roll the file to get your desired forward lean

 

[Del_]

Photos don't help me. Numbers was what I was asking. Anybody?

Remember how the side of the cutter should be almost vertical but with the tip of the top of the tooth being a little bit forward?

If you place the file to get that vertical face correct like in the photos?

Do you see in the photos how the tie strap shows the file has ground into it?

Do you see in the photos how the edge of the file fits into the corner of the tooth?

The photos show a lot and should be your goal to duplicate them.

Best of luck!

 

[user 122190]

I’ve seen maddens and others mention 45 45 45, but in my experience using a jig, those angles are impossible.
You want to be touching the tie straps without cutting into them, which is about 35* down. 45* back is probably good for firewood. Maybe more vertical like 35-40, and will last longer. Like a knife, the sharper the grind, the less it lasts.
And roll the file to get your desired forward lean

Thanks! 45/45/45 is what Buckin was promoting in his first video. He had a streaming session today, and I asked him about this. He said he is still learning. It sounds like he doesn't quite know yet, but will do a tutorial when he has mastered the procedure.

I can see that these angles are going to be a challenge. With the files it is 30/?/0. The 30 is easy as there is a scribed mark on the cutter. The ? is inherent in the files roundness. I'm probably going to run a new H74 Husky chain til it needs sharpening and then dive in on the Square Filing.

 

[huskihl]

Thanks! 45/45/45 is what Buckin was promoting in his first video. He had a streaming session today, and I asked him about this. He said he is still learning. It sounds like he doesn't quite know yet, but will do a tutorial when he has mastered the procedure.

I can see that these angles are going to be a challenge. With the files it is 30/?/0. The 30 is easy as there is a scribed mark on the cutter. The ? is inherent in the files roundness. I'm probably going to run a new H74 Husky chain til it needs sharpening and then dive in on the Square Filing.

Don’t pay much attention to the scribed witness mark. You’ll have more like a 15* top plate looking down at it

 

[Skeans]

Thanks! 45/45/45 is what Buckin was promoting in his first video. He had a streaming session today, and I asked him about this. He said he is still learning. It sounds like he doesn't quite know yet, but will do a tutorial when he has mastered the procedure.

I can see that these angles are going to be a challenge. With the files it is 30/?/0. The 30 is easy as there is a scribed mark on the cutter. The ? is inherent in the files roundness. I'm probably going to run a new H74 Husky chain til it needs sharpening and then dive in on the Square Filing.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[user 122190]

Yesterday I cut into nails in a 100yo pine and really buggered up my chain, which was almost new. I tossed it and today fished it out of the garbage to do a square filing on it.

New files or the new method, I don't know but it really was fast and simple. I'm sure that my 45/45/45 angle varied from cutter to cutter, but not a lot and in wood they might collectively average out. From what I can tell, this filing looks like it is going to cut nicely. I'll know Monday when I will be heading back into the wilderness.

 

[user 122190]

Don’t pay much attention to the scribed witness mark. You’ll have more like a 15* top plate looking down at it

Yep!

 

[Huskybill]

We need a file n guide for sharpening square chains. We could possibly change round ground chains to square.

I’m not sure how much faster the square teeth cut over my sharpening of round chains.