Square ground chain?

[Flint Mitch]

I made a few cuts with a square ground chain over @chipper1 and have been thinking about it since. Never ordered chain online before and I can't get square ground chain locally. Actually I have a large Husky and a different Stihl dealer both within about 4 miles and neither ever heard of square. I'm wondering the best place to order a loop so I can try my hand at keeping it sharp

 

[huskihl]

Loggerchain.com

 

[Flint Mitch]

Loggerchain.com

I was actually just looking at the site

 

[Patrick62]

Stihl can get it, and I bet the Husky guys can too.
I am part of a Stihl dealer here, and did some looking thru the catalog recently, and one can get half skip and full skip, but full comp seemed to be unavailable. I talked with my regional rep and he said it probably would be a low demand. I can get and have ordered a 25 ft roll of the stuff..

Now, a few years ago I got a 100ft roll of the half skip square ground (RSLHK) and used it on a 28" bar. Recently, I found another loop of that stuff and cut some, and had forgotten how well it cut! Which caused the purchase of a grinder this week.

Hand filing the stuff is hard, I have tried. Good luck!

 

[Flint Mitch]

@chipper1

Do you file your square?

And was that full skip I used? I don't remember which saw it was on, but it was smooth and fast!

 

[Patrick62]

There was mention, and pictures on this site of a fella who showed his method of filing square. a different philosophy, but he could get them sharp.
I have tried with the "goofy" file. pretty much gave up, get a grinder. I can file round pretty well.

It is a GUY thing that we want to have a fast chain. And a fast pickup, fast bike, fast jet ski. fast airplane, well maybe not all of the above.

 

[Biigg50]

I use square chain on an old Stihl 041 Super. I don’t remember all the details of this chain but I do know it’s an Oregon and it is a full skip. It stays sharp much longer and isn’t all that hard to file once you get the feel for it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[chipper1]

@chipper1

Do you file your square?

And was that full skip I used? I don't remember which saw it was on, but it was smooth and fast!

Not unless I have to, pile of files to choose from, but I grind it unless its something special.
@dsell has some he just listed that's skip 84dl x .050. The stuff you ran here was full comp Oregon exl, not sure which saw, probably the ported 7900 or the ported 2166.
If you want some chains converted bring them by.

 

[svk]

I’ve bought Stihl RS square (I think it’s called RSL) locally and have also purchased from Oregon CL from Loggerchain.

Filing it is pretty easy unless you rock it. Worst case you can convert it back to round ground with a grinder to clean up damaged teeth.

There used to be a few guys on the net who ran Silveys and would convert any full chisel chain but they more or less dried up.

 

[Leeroy]

@Flint Mitch , unless you're using a long bar I think you'd like semi skip.
In my opinion it cuts as fast and smooth as full comp, with less teeth to file.
Full skip feels strange to me, especially on small hardwood limbing.
Buy a 100' roll so you force yourself to learn how to file it!

 

[Flint Mitch]

Not unless I have to, pile of files to choose from, but I grind it unless its something special.
@dsell has some he just listed that's skip 84dl x .050. The stuff you ran here was full comp Oregon exl, not sure which saw, probably the ported 7900 or the ported 2166.
If you want some chains converted bring them by.

I guess I could convert a couple to try out. I'll have to see what I have for fresh loops. I'm sure I have something that'll work
I believe it was on the 2166

 

[chipper1]

I guess I could convert a couple to try out. I'll have to see what I have for fresh loops. I'm sure I have something that'll work
I believe it was on the 2166

Bring it on.

 

[Brent Nowell]

@Flint Mitch , unless you're using a long bar I think you'd like semi skip.
In my opinion it cuts as fast and smooth as full comp, with less teeth to file.
Full skip feels strange to me, especially on small hardwood limbing.
Buy a 100' roll so you force yourself to learn how to file it!

I personally use full skip on anything 20” and up now, although I still have full comp on my 24” bars when they are used up they will be replaced with full skip.

Leeroy nailed it, way less teeth to sharpen.

 

[svk]

I guess I could convert a couple to try out. I'll have to see what I have for fresh loops. I'm sure I have something that'll work
I believe it was on the 2166

Or if you start sharpening with a square file, after about three sharpenings it will be fully converted.

 

[Flint Mitch]

Or if you start sharpening with a square file, after about three sharpenings it will be fully converted.

How well would it cut during the conversion sharpenings?

 

[svk]

How well would it cut during the conversion sharpenings?

Not sure. I read here that other guys were doing it.

As long as you have the top and corner of the cutter sharp on a full chisel chain it will cut.

 

[chipper1]

Not sure. I read here that other guys were doing it.

As long as you have the top and corner of the cutter sharp on a full chisel chain it will cut.

Even when I convert one I don't take the round portion in the gullet out. No reason to as long as you have enough side plate to cut as deep as the depth gauges are set they are fine. When I clean the gullet out on a square chain with my round grinder I remove a lot of metal under the sharpened portion of the side plate so I don't have to for a few sharpenings.

How well would it cut during the conversion sharpenings?

If those last chains we did up worked well, then you'd really like the square even when it's not fully converted.

 

[Flint Mitch]

Even when I convert one I don't take the round portion in the gullet out. No reason to as long as you have enough side plate to cut as deep as the depth gauges are set they are fine. When I clean the gullet out on a square chain that with my round grinder I remove a lot of metal under the sharpened portion of the side plate so I don't have to for a few sharpenings.

If those last chains we did up worked well, then you'd really like the square even when it's not fully converted.

Do you have any plans tomorrow? I could come out and help clean some of that mess up then grind a few chains? I have 2 brand new 72dl and 2 84dl I'd like done. Both Husky brand chisel

 

[chipper1]

Do you have any plans tomorrow? I could come out and help clean some of that mess up then grind a few chains? I have 2 brand new 72dl and 2 84dl I'd like done. Both Husky brand chisel

That would work, but not until around 4.

 

[Flint Mitch]

That would work, but not until around 4.

I can do that. I'll give you a call 3:00ish then head over. I'll be around the house all day, so if you get around before then just let me know