PLATINUM12
New Member
Haven't found the answers for some questions I have between searches and Youtube, so I want to start a thread talking about the technical side of saw chains to get some insight on best practices.
Brand new chains always cut the best. But that is shortly lived depending on the conditions it is being used in. I haven't yet found a great formula for sharpening chains, so before we get into that, I have some questions about how the chain actually works.
Full Chisel Chains:
1. Is the entire top plate of the cutter doing most of the cutting?
2. How much of the side plate is doing the cutting?
3. How critical is it that the gullet needs to remain as sharp as the top plate?
I run a Stihl MS362 with 25" bar, and I generally run the Stihl saw chains, both full comp and full skip. I also have the carbide Stihl chain, which is more of a semi chisel, but I'll discuss this one later.
When a brand new chain has been worn enough and needs sharpened, I notice that the top plate cutter has a slight downward slope that has worn into it. When I use the Stihl 2 in 1 hand file, I use it according to directions, but the round file doesn't do much at all for the top plate, since its not tall enough (Yes I'm using the 3/8" Stihl file). It will sharpen the side plate a bit, and the gullet, and file down the raker as well. This is what leads me to believe the top plate is the most critical part of the cutter to be sharp, because after filing, my results aren't much better. At full throttle, the chain pretty much just glides over the wood, not taking any bites into it. At lighter throttle, it will start to grab more wood, but this is not an efficient way to cut at all.
I also have a basic electric grinder (Harbor Freight) which doesn't work too bad. It is able to give it a new edge for the top plate, but grinding each cutter side results in uneven griding because one side is being ground differently than the other (despite grinding it at the correct angle). However, after using this, this gives me better bite in terms of cutting. Sometimes, after grinding a new top plate edge, I then use my 2 in 1 file to make the edge a bit more refined.
As a landowner, I am not in a race to get things cut up, I value durability more. I generally have always sharpened at 30 degree angles. I tried 35 and it just wasn't biting enough for me. This weekend I tried sharpening at 25 degrees to see what the results will be next time I cut. Will this angle hold up better than 30 degrees? I cut anything from rotted pine, to fresh oak, cherry, and maple, so I would like the best all-around option.
On larger trees over 2' in diameter, after making regular log cuts, I cut with the grain/longways to cut the logs into manageable pieces for firewood. What is a better chain/angle option for making these kinds of cuts, without going to the extreme of an actual 'ripping chain.'
I notice the full skip chains will dull a bit quicker, but they require less time to sharpen. I likely won't buy another full skip chain for this sized saw and based on my general cutting needs.
I haven't yet bought the new Stihl Hexa chain, but it seems like the Hexa file is taller and would offer better sharpening of the top plate. I'd also be interested if these chains keep their edge longer than other circle ground chains.
I'm open to hearing about square ground chains, in terms of benefits, downsides, etc.
Semi Chisel/Carbide Chains
I had great success last fall running my Stihl carbide saw chain. I was able to cut up around 50 dead pines and still had solid cutting power. This also included quite a bit of dirt time, probably at least a few minutes collectively of being run in the dirt based on the rotted trees I was cutting up. This is more of a semi chisel/thin kerf chain. Only downsides are it isnt a fast cutter, and I don't have a means of sharpening it. The other issue I had was chain stretch, where I had to remove a link on two occasions to keep it usable. My bar I ran was also worn down a bit, so I think that might have had something to do with it heating up.
For this size of saw, semi chisel chains aren't very popular, but they definitely hold their edge much longer. I run the picco chains on my pole saw and MS180 for limbing, and they do a great job of having a usable cutting edge even when contacted with dirt a bit. My Stihl 2 in 1 sharpener tends to do a better job of sharpening these chains because of the semi chisel shape, and lower profile of the cutting plate.
Beyond that, I personally never clean or oil my chains. Is it really worth it to clean the chain when you remove it, and then soak it in oil after you sharpen it? If so, what kind of cleaner/oil are you guys using?
TL;DR: I want to get better cutting performance and life out of my saw chains instead of having to dog my saw hard to get the chains to bite better as the sharpness dulls during use.
Thanks in advance.
Brand new chains always cut the best. But that is shortly lived depending on the conditions it is being used in. I haven't yet found a great formula for sharpening chains, so before we get into that, I have some questions about how the chain actually works.
Full Chisel Chains:
1. Is the entire top plate of the cutter doing most of the cutting?
2. How much of the side plate is doing the cutting?
3. How critical is it that the gullet needs to remain as sharp as the top plate?
I run a Stihl MS362 with 25" bar, and I generally run the Stihl saw chains, both full comp and full skip. I also have the carbide Stihl chain, which is more of a semi chisel, but I'll discuss this one later.
When a brand new chain has been worn enough and needs sharpened, I notice that the top plate cutter has a slight downward slope that has worn into it. When I use the Stihl 2 in 1 hand file, I use it according to directions, but the round file doesn't do much at all for the top plate, since its not tall enough (Yes I'm using the 3/8" Stihl file). It will sharpen the side plate a bit, and the gullet, and file down the raker as well. This is what leads me to believe the top plate is the most critical part of the cutter to be sharp, because after filing, my results aren't much better. At full throttle, the chain pretty much just glides over the wood, not taking any bites into it. At lighter throttle, it will start to grab more wood, but this is not an efficient way to cut at all.
I also have a basic electric grinder (Harbor Freight) which doesn't work too bad. It is able to give it a new edge for the top plate, but grinding each cutter side results in uneven griding because one side is being ground differently than the other (despite grinding it at the correct angle). However, after using this, this gives me better bite in terms of cutting. Sometimes, after grinding a new top plate edge, I then use my 2 in 1 file to make the edge a bit more refined.
As a landowner, I am not in a race to get things cut up, I value durability more. I generally have always sharpened at 30 degree angles. I tried 35 and it just wasn't biting enough for me. This weekend I tried sharpening at 25 degrees to see what the results will be next time I cut. Will this angle hold up better than 30 degrees? I cut anything from rotted pine, to fresh oak, cherry, and maple, so I would like the best all-around option.
On larger trees over 2' in diameter, after making regular log cuts, I cut with the grain/longways to cut the logs into manageable pieces for firewood. What is a better chain/angle option for making these kinds of cuts, without going to the extreme of an actual 'ripping chain.'
I notice the full skip chains will dull a bit quicker, but they require less time to sharpen. I likely won't buy another full skip chain for this sized saw and based on my general cutting needs.
I haven't yet bought the new Stihl Hexa chain, but it seems like the Hexa file is taller and would offer better sharpening of the top plate. I'd also be interested if these chains keep their edge longer than other circle ground chains.
I'm open to hearing about square ground chains, in terms of benefits, downsides, etc.
Semi Chisel/Carbide Chains
I had great success last fall running my Stihl carbide saw chain. I was able to cut up around 50 dead pines and still had solid cutting power. This also included quite a bit of dirt time, probably at least a few minutes collectively of being run in the dirt based on the rotted trees I was cutting up. This is more of a semi chisel/thin kerf chain. Only downsides are it isnt a fast cutter, and I don't have a means of sharpening it. The other issue I had was chain stretch, where I had to remove a link on two occasions to keep it usable. My bar I ran was also worn down a bit, so I think that might have had something to do with it heating up.
For this size of saw, semi chisel chains aren't very popular, but they definitely hold their edge much longer. I run the picco chains on my pole saw and MS180 for limbing, and they do a great job of having a usable cutting edge even when contacted with dirt a bit. My Stihl 2 in 1 sharpener tends to do a better job of sharpening these chains because of the semi chisel shape, and lower profile of the cutting plate.
Beyond that, I personally never clean or oil my chains. Is it really worth it to clean the chain when you remove it, and then soak it in oil after you sharpen it? If so, what kind of cleaner/oil are you guys using?
TL;DR: I want to get better cutting performance and life out of my saw chains instead of having to dog my saw hard to get the chains to bite better as the sharpness dulls during use.
Thanks in advance.
