Favorite brand of saw file

[Tucker943]

?

 

[cory]

pferd

 

[SkwerI]

I haven't experimented with many other than the Stihl and Oregon files available locally. The Oregon files suck, I buy the Stihl.

 

[Husabud]

Stihl or Pferd

 

[sotc]

Pferd

 

[Jed]

Save Edge from Portugal. They machine those things with absolute precision, and you won't find a cheaper file! I use the double-bevel and triangle sort of files for a square grind.

On round files, I don't really care, but I definitely don't like Pferd. Also, I find myself--maybe for the first time--actually disagreeing with the mighty Brian about Oregon. Why don't you like em'. I'll bet it's cause they don't cut as fast as the Stihls. Still, you gotta admit that the Oregons are darned durable!

Willie only likes Pferd cause they're cheap from Baileys.

 

[SkwerI]

I don't like Oregon files because they are too soft and won't cut the Stihl chain I use. I'm sure they work ok on the softer Oregon chain.

Now Willard will be along in a minute to disagree with me as well and claim that Oregon chain is as hard as Stihl.

 

[Tucker943]

I haven't experimented with many other than the Stihl and Oregon files available locally. The Oregon files suck, I buy the Stihl.

Brian, we musnt forget that you run stihl chain only. Oregon files and stihl chain don't mesh well.

 

[Jed]

Brian: Still strikes me as odd. Our shop runs Stihl chain exclusively, and only buys Oregon and Stihl files. You're the man regarding everything else, but I'm with Willard on this one.

I'm pretty sure the Oregons are made in Switzerland--same as the Stihls!

 

[treesmith]

pferd

Stihl or Pferd

Pferd

+1

 

[Al Smith]

Pferd for most .That stuff Baileys sells Arbor pro maybe for Stihl chain .It isn't as aggressive as pferd and works better on that hard as a rock Stihl chain .

 

[MasterBlaster]

Soooooo....

Oregon sucks and all the rest are 'bout even.

/thread.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Pferd

 

[wiley_p]

The ones in the blue and white box, looks a mad goat or something for the logo. I like them.

 

[Tucker943]

Anyone ever use Total? They work abiut as well as a carrot.

 

[sawinredneck]

You couldn't shove an Oregon file up my backside! I've no use for them at all!!
I just got some Timber Savage files, the small ones are too soft and bend, the larger ones don't have enough cutting area to work effectively but cut nicely!
I'm back to Stihl and Pferd, mainly Stihl because it's local!

 

[Tucker943]

Been awhile since I used timber savage. They seemed coarse if I remember right.

 

[sawinredneck]

Really coarse! Good cutting, but the bending thing didn't sit well with me at all! I've spent too many years in machine shops/mold building, I understand heat treat a bit better than the average Joe!

 

[sotc]

The ones in the blue and white box, looks a mad goat or something for the logo. I like them.

 

[GASoline71]

Pferd. When I don't have any of those, I go down to the Stihl dealer and get theirs.

 

[HolmenTree]

I don't like Oregon files because they are too soft and won't cut the Stihl chain I use. I'm sure they work ok on the softer Oregon chain.

Now Willard will be along in a minute to disagree with me as well and claim that Oregon chain is as hard as Stihl.

I don't dare make such a claim Brian because it's not true I use both Stihl and Oregon chain, and to be honest I hate when the brittle Stihl looses a good chunk of it's working corner when it hits something very hard. Then it's a marathon to file it back to shape, the Oregon is a little more forgiving and you have a little more tooth left with less to file.

I remember a little over 30 yrs ago when Stihl started to push saws in our logging camps. The loggers refused to use the hard to file Stihl chain. The Stihl rep told the guys the problem was the Oregon files, but from finding the Stihl files didn't speed things up any on the Stihl chain the rep lost all crediability.
I use both Oregon and Stihl files and both files are Swiss made, I have different cuts of each brand of file, some course some fine. I like the course Oregons to bring a rocked out chain back to life.

Lately I have not been up to date on the product, manufacturing techniques change like the weather. I know Oregon was making alot of product for Stihl over the years. The latest Oregon chain I bought [73LGX] has a wicked almost square ground edge to it but still in a round configuration. It seems to hold a better edge then the older LG before touching up with a file.

 

[top_notch]

Stihl because its at our local saw shop. Never really tried much else.

 

[Tree Reb]

I used Pferd for years until I got a stack of Vallorbe cheap from a Stihl dealer that was closing down, Swiss made.

Can't remember if they were better than Pferd or not now but I've still got enough for another year or two.

I did see somewhere that Oregon make them now, not sure about that.

 

[Magnus]

I use Pfered, Oregon, Wallorbe and Öberg.
I also have some from Nordfor I bought a long time ago.

When I file I file one stroke then turn file 180 degrees so I don't push the crap in to file.
After each tooth I wipe it of on a cloth. When it gets dirty after 20-30 filings I wash it.
After it is washed a couple times and is getting dull I dip it in apple cider vinegar and set it with cutters up for a couple minutes. Then blow it of with compressed air and it is good to go another 3-4 rounds of washing. I probably get 250 filings if each file....

Each file is cut different and is better for something than others.
The surface left after filing is what gives edge, and the best surface is pfered.

 

[flushcut]

Pferd for maintaining the edge and save edge for repairing the edge for .325-3/8" and Stihl files for the LoPro. I think save edge cuts quicker but not as long lived as Pferd.