Hi,
I have a chainsaw, with (today) 3 blunt chains.
I have a handfile for sharpening which works fine, but takes forever.
Local guy charges a fiver a chain, which I think is a bit rich, but seems to be the going rate!
I just found these
Question: Anybody got tone? Are they any good? Any comments?
David
Three strokes per tooth on an 18" chain is
I'd avoid these as often they'll use a dry disc grinder and the tooth gets a bit hot, this seems to make the chrome layer peel off.
Not me
Don't know
I've found diamond files are great for honing, the trouble is most the time you stop to sharpen a chainsaw it's because grit in the wood bark (or floor :-() has done some damage. You need to sharpen out all of this damage until the shiny edge of the cutter disappears (sharp edges don't reflect light). My feeling is a sharp file gets back to the undamaged metal fastest without undue side effects, I'd expect the small cuts taken by this diamonds file to take a while even in a drill. Not to mention how unwieldy it would be.
Don't be afraid to discard a file if it gets blunt, rotate it as you pause between teeth to even out the wear, use full, straight, strokes and a firm pressure to ensure a good cut without skidding.
Obviously it takes a bit of practice but a quick resharpen on the saw several times a day is still the most effective, compared with the time taken to dismount and replace a chain, which still needs sharpening later.
AJH
Some tips based on my 20 years of cutting firewood with my Husqvarna chain saws. I make sure the chain is always tight ie you should just be able to pull it wearing protective gloves.
2 grease the nose sprocket every day you use it. 3 the chain will pick up a film of resin and dirt after 5 minutes use you will see the brown film appear on the teeth--wire brush each tooth--takes less than 5 minutes-miracle-the chain will go through wood like a hot knife through butter. 4 pick up a sharpener that clamps to the bar that way you stand a chance of getting a true tooth profile-discard worn files they only cost 80 pence--make sure you use the correct diameter file its critical. 5 get the chain professionaly sharpened each season--I dont bother now but it saves time in the forest when the saw wont cut straight. 6 the chain needs sharpened when the saw starts to veer off from the right angle--it cuts to the sharp side. 7 always use fresh petrol-it goes off--so does this new fangled organic 2 stroke oil. 8 always wear eye protection the chips are murder on your eyes-Im sure you have discovered this already. 9 check the oiler is working every few cuts by pointing the nose at the wood it should spray oil. 10 you can use gear oil as chain lube in an emergency.
An old guy once told me. There are two things in life you never lend out, your chainsaw & your wife, Cos sure as hell, they both come back f****d.
mory.
OK, even with gloves pull it forward though.
No thanks
Build up on the teeth points to poor oiling or dull teeth.
I normally advise the roller type for a beginner.
Yes but this normally means there is some severe damage other than dulling of the cutting edge.
Never had this problem, what I have know is for a saw to be stored with petroil and the petrol evaporates leaving oil fouling the carb.
The loss of shine or sagging of the chain shows up overheating through lubrication problems.
If you want to small of cat's pee, I use osr cooking oil.
Yes there are two things that cause problems with a saw in normal use, blunt chain and dirty air filter. Using the wrong mix is the main mistake made, it shows up quite quickly now only unleaded is available. I guess the next major reason for failure is driving over the saw ;-).
I was always amused at the arguments that ensued when a seized saw was brought in under warranty, when it was stripped down you could see all the tell tale signs plus all the oil that had been tipped in to free it up :-).
AJH
And the other one is getting it stuck in the tree :-)
What does 'dulling' mean...not heard that one before.
Steve
Losing keenness
what...as in blunt?
Steve
In my book a "dull" blade is one still sharp enough to cut you easily but not *really* sharp any more. A blunt blade is one that will still cut but you aren't likely to lose a finger.
not sure that distinction applies to chain saws though!
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