Your thoughts on square filed chains.

[Den]

I've never tried square filing a chain.
Someone on youtube had alluded to a special unique chain to use specifically for square filing, and I think this is a misnomer. From my understanding, any full chisel chain can be square filed... semi-chisel cannot be square filed.
Square filed chains are the fastest cutting, but also the quickest to dull. Is this right?
Any other thoughts on the pro's and con's of square filed chains?


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[huskihl]

Any chain can be square filed but not certain on how good it works on semi chisel.
And stay-sharpness is entirely based on the cutting angles. Most guys that file make the leading edge too sharp and it dulls quickly, giving it a bad name. If filed for longevity, it’s still faster than round and will stay sharp longer

 

[Franny K]

Why not just buy a loop and experiment. Or what model chain were you considering modifying? There are grinders for sharpening it instead of files. There is plenty folks already have typed into this forum and similar ones.

 

[3000 FPS]

Yes Den full chisel is what is normally used to convert to square filed chain.
It does cut faster but I personally consider what the cutting conditions are going to be when selecting a chain.
If up in the moutains cutting pine square works great but if I am cutting up some dead standing elm I use round filed chain. In my case I have grinder for round and square so that is what I use.
I also use square filed when milling. It does a pretty decent job there too.
I started by filing square and converting some of my round chisel so try it and see what you think.

 

[big10pointer]

Yes Den full chisel is what is normally used to convert to square filed chain.
It does cut faster but I personally consider what the cutting conditions are going to be when selecting a chain.
If up in the moutains cutting pine square works great but if I am cutting up some dead standing elm I use round filed chain. In my case I have grinder for round and square so that is what I use.
I also use square filed when milling. It does a pretty decent job there too.
I started by filing square and converting some of my round chisel so try it and see what you think.

Square filed is noticeably faster and dulls noticeably faster. If your careful about cutting only clean wood and touch it up every refuel it will save some time, not sure if it's worth it for firewood though.

 

[huskihl]

Square filed is noticeably faster and dulls noticeably faster. If your careful about cutting only clean wood and touch it up every refuel it will save some time, not sure if it's worth it for firewood though.

Doesn’t dull quicker if it’s filed right

 

[Harmon]

If square ground cuts 15% faster than round ground chisel would it not also get wood dull 15% faster, though a guy might have also cut 15% more wood? Cutting the same hypothetical standing, green, coniferous tree?

 

[Franny K]

Doesn’t dull quicker if it’s filed right

I could buy in 3/8 square ground from at least Oregon, a few sequence, choices would that start out at filed right? I could then just file or send it out to be round after that.

 

[rwoods]

Don't believe the equation is linear. Ron

 

[Den]

I'll be cutting dead white oak, pretty dirty stuff, some of which is already on the ground.
I'll probably watch some youtube video's on square filing, and then experiment the best I can.

 

[Harmon]

Of course it is not linear but cutting dead and filthy wood on the ground with chisel chain, round or sqare grind will show a linear correlation to having to sharpen with great frequency...

First tree service i went to work for 20 years ago used sqare ground bulk chain and the boss would hand out round (and rusty!) files. A new chain was a joy but after 45 seconds of cutting (usually dead spruce) it was time to.... re invent the wheel, call it... I thought this was standard practice for quite a while.

that being said round filing a square tooth with a decent file isn't a terrible time, square filing any tooth is some higher level skill even with gadgets. I belive there is a reason most fellers runnin square grind their chains.

 

[SteveH]

I'll be cutting dead white oak, pretty dirty stuff,

The dirty stuff is no good for square-ground chain. Well, not for any chain, but square will dull quickly.

When I bought my first chainsaw, way back in the 70s, the guy at the store who sold it to me said I would be happiest with square-ground chain. So, not knowing anything, I bought a few loops and used only that for a couple of years. Then at some point, I bought some [round] full-chisel from a guy with a saw mill who was also an Oregon dealer. I did find that my square chain had to be sharpened and/or touched up at least twice as often as the round chisel. Of course, before too long I did learn why. I gave up on the square [all hand-filing] eventually. Good stuff, but the round chisel works so well for me on all my cutting and is so easy to sharpen and keep sharp.

 

[huskihl]

I could buy in 3/8 square ground from at least Oregon, a few sequence, choices would that start out at filed right? I could then just file or send it out to be round after that.

Factory grinds are all over. Can’t really judge the speed or longevity of square chain from the box.

 

[huskihl]

If I were cutting dirty wood I’d be using semi chisel.

 

[Sierra_rider]

I run a mix of both round and square filed chisel chain. My shorter loops of chain I round file, as I'm often brushing with them/doing other cutting that could dull them easier, round filing is quite a bit quicker and easier for me. It's pretty easy to round file out in the field if need be.

I like square filed chain for my falling chain, as it cuts noticeably faster. I also find that square grabs easier, so I like it for scenarios like trying to clean up a dutchman on a sloping cut etc. I hate square filing unless I have the bar in a bench vise, it's not as quick for me.

I've found no difference in how long either style of grind stays sharp. Like I said, I prefer round file for dirty cutting, as it's just easier for me to touch up. Also the factory square grinds suck on new chain. You can get a noticeable improvement by just round filing out the gullet on a factory chain.

 

[hillwilliam]

I've never tried square filing a chain.
Someone on youtube had alluded to a special unique chain to use specifically for square filing, and I think this is a misnomer. From my understanding, any full chisel chain can be square filed... semi-chisel cannot be square filed.
Square filed chains are the fastest cutting, but also the quickest to dull. Is this right?
Any other thoughts on the pro's and con's of square filed chains?


.

You're right that only full chisel chain can be chisel filed.

It's a fallacy that chisel-filed chain will dull faster than round-filed. If you look at the geometry or the top plate of each type, you'll see that a chisel-field top plate is shaped like a chisel, compared to the hollow-ground (and arguably sharper) top plate of a round-filed cutter. An axe will keep what sharpness it has a lot longer than a razor blade.

I have no patience or respect for a dull chain, but I'll typically run a chain all day without reaching for the file I keep right on me. Even when cutting dry spruce for firewood. If I bother to take a close look before I'm finished, the chain will be visibly slightly dull but still cutting fast, about as well as when I started.

Also, a round-filed cutter's side plate necessarily has a hook. When you hit a rock, that hook sustains serious damage. Less so on square side plate of so-called square filed chain.

An exception to the ability to stay sharp is a goofy-filed chain, in my experience. I've goofy filed worn-out chains a lot over the years, and I goofy file racing chains. They cut really fast but not for long.

As to why a good chisel-filed chain is faster than round-filed, it's also a matter of geometry. It severs the wood fibers more efficiently, rather than tearing at them. And it will do so, even if it's a tiny bit dull, because of its geometry.

Myself, I've never called it square filing. The only square angle on the whole business is the one between the bar and the side plate. I suppose that makes it square filed, though.

I got fairly good at chisel filing not long after I first taught myself over forty years ago. I was cutting timber every day and got a lot of practice. I'm a lot better at it now, but I have to say I'm still learning.

 

[Del_]

It's a fallacy that chisel-filed chain will dull faster than round-filed. If you look at the geometry or the top plate of each type, you'll see that a chisel-field top plate is shaped like a chisel, compared to the hollow-ground (and arguably sharper) top plate of a round-filed cutter.

Great post!


I would argue though that the one place that a round file does not hollow grind...........it at the cutting corner.

It is the cutting corner where square grind presents a better cutting face to the wood.

Maybe.

 

[big10pointer]

It.s point at the cutting corner that gets dull easier than round filed especially when used on dry Hardwood, Black locust will dull it quickly.

 

[Batt4Christ]

Yes Den full chisel is what is normally used to convert to square filed chain.
It does cut faster but I personally consider what the cutting conditions are going to be when selecting a chain.
If up in the moutains cutting pine square works great but if I am cutting up some dead standing elm I use round filed chain. In my case I have grinder for round and square so that is what I use.
I also use square filed when milling. It does a pretty decent job there too.
I started by filing square and converting some of my round chisel so try it and see what you think.

What is needed to square file with a grinder?

 

[hillwilliam]

What is needed to square file with a grinder?

A chisel grinder is at least $1,100. I never needed one, but it would have been handy when I was cutting timber full time. I like to think I can do a better job filing by hand anyway, if I pay attention.

I don't think learning to chisel is worth the trouble for most folks, unless you want to get geeky about chains. (I sure am!) For me, it was worth the trouble for years of cutting timber and competing. I've done it for so long that it's easier than round filing for me.