Sharpening: part 2, square chisel chain.

[Mick!]

Good bump, I'll be interested to hear.
Having read through this thread it's the image of constantly raped apes that's ruining my Christmas!

 

[Dave Shepard]

It doesn't take many file strokes to convert back to round if you don't like it, or hit a rock etc. I recently converted a round over to square after a bad rock hit. One of those to seeif I could do it things. I could. It took about 20 strokes per cutter. Not bad considering the damage.

 

[stig]

Them poor apes!

 

[Jose A Ruiz]

There is this chain for sthl chainsaws, Duro Tungsten Carbide, it is support to be good to cut roots. What do you know?

 

[stig]

Worthless. Sand will dull it and you can't sharpen it by hand.

 

[squisher]

Worthless is planning on cutting roots with a chainsaw. Jose you've been there and should've learned that lesson. Don't do it.

 

[Jed]

Thought I would bump this thread as I have just ordered my first square ground chain. It is the only skip chain I can buy here in the Uk so I thought I would give it a try

I second what Mick said, Pete. I've finally arrived at a manual sharpening method that actually cuts STRAIGHT as well as fast. For years I could get the square file to scream through the wood, but I couldn't get it to cut straight. SUPER maddening. Suddenly stumbled onto the answer. I'm going to try to get my daughter to teach me how to post a vid. If not... I'll at least send some pics with the usual "thousand words" treatment. Oh, you lucky soul!

 

[Mick!]

Good idea for those with a bad back.

 

[pete mctree]

I second what Mick said, Pete. I've finally arrived at a manual sharpening method that actually cuts STRAIGHT as well as fast. For years I could get the square file to scream through the wood, but I couldn't get it to cut straight. SUPER maddening. Suddenly stumbled onto the answer. I'm going to try to get my daughter to teach me how to post a vid. If not... I'll at least send some pics with the usual "thousand words" treatment. Oh, you lucky soul!

Well, my first chain is in need of some attention....................

 

[Magnus]

Good idea for those with a bad back.

That is the good thing about stump vices and similar you get them in correct height.

This is even better as you get chain in correct position as well so file work its way back in tooth, not down.

 

[pete mctree]

Bump! Any chance of some pics please Jed

 

[Tree09]

And bump again. Just watched a vid from @Jed where the chain he sharpened is 48 percent faster than stock chain. And I'm very intrigued. I'm a part timer, no where near the class that most are here, and it is only my extreme arrogance that i could even think that i could learn this. But...... if i could learn the after awhile, man that would be cool.

But despite me reading everything i can about it, and watching videos, i have some questions. 1, is square filing appropriate for a top handle saw? There's a bunch of fluff and conflicting info on this topic it seems, some people say it's pointless, some say it's a laser, some say it takes more torque, some say it's easier on the saw. So is this something i can use to make, say a future battery saw cut even faster than the 34cc dolmar i run now, and make that saw even better?

2. Jed, you use a triangle (hexagonal) file, some use the double bevel (which I'm thinking would probably suit me best if it works on the small stuff), but what is the goofy file for? And how do you get a square edge with the rounded sides?

3. Is this even worth my time to try? Or is this just too much for a non logger who doesn't fire up his saws for sometimes months? I'm in hardwoods, does that matter? Honestly guys, clue me in here please.

 

[FireFighterZero]

Hahaha!


This thread makes me sad.

 

[Dave Shepard]

I think it takes less power to run square chisel. My 036Pro ran about as well as the 460 I'm running right now with regular chain. Some say it's no good for hardwoods but I cut a lot of hardwood with no problem. You really want to be in clean cutting conditions. Square ground has no tolerance for dirt.

 

[cory]

Good questions, 09

 

[treebilly]

Kyle I’m in the same boat as you on the learning part. I could master it with enough practice but not sure if it’s worth it. Primarily hardwoods and not in the cleanest of conditions most days

 

[Tree09]

Here's the vid from @Jed. I think i would still keep a few "normal" chains to do dirty work, but having a saw that cuts in half the time would be unreal. I had heard it was faster but that's like changing cc levels performance jump. I'm hoping some of our logger/ old timers/ guys who know about this stuff can clue me in. I know it's a skill that takes a long time to master (like most things of value in life) and there's far more there than meets the eye, but that would be game changing to be able to cut that much faster.

 

[Dave Shepard]

I file from the same side of the tooth as I do when round filing. I don't know anyone that does it that way. I am totally ambidextrous, so that really helps. Like I mentioned, my 036Pro was cutting like a 460. Now imagine putting square ground chain, with the rakers way down, and an 8 pin sprocket on a 395xp.

 

[Tree09]

Thanks Dave, so i guess this is worth the effort. Can you do it on smaller chain, say like a climbing saw?

 

[flushcut]

Kyle I’m in the same boat as you on the learning part. I could master it with enough practice but not sure if it’s worth it. Primarily hardwoods and not in the cleanest of conditions most days

Oh, so you're a semi-chisel kind of guy? It's ok there might be another one of your kind around here.

 

[lxskllr]

That would be me. Aside from a couple odd loops, all I get is semi anymore.

 

[Tree09]

Damnit, I'm trying to be serious for once!! No I'm talking about 3/8 picco chisel.

 

[Burnham]

Old timer advice...

Only sharpen square chisel tooth in the very best of light, at the very best comfortable bench height. Keep the chain really tight on the bar, just barely able to move it by hand. Stabilize each tooth with gloved finger pressure so side to side movement is eliminated as much as possible. Don't get in a hurry. Watch every file stroke closely. Use a sharp file. Don't worry about a little scoring of the side connector plates, it has to be so to get all three angles simultaneously correct.

I'm not bad at it, better than many. But after several hand filings it becomes harder for me to keep to the original filing angles consistently. Consider when things begin to look more erratic tooth to tooth, having your saw shop machine grind that chain back to spec. Then you will have a good proper shape to emulate again for some more hand sharpening. Doing that, I've gradually improved, and been able to extend the number of accurate hand filings I can accomplish. If you go that way, tell the tech specifically to go easy...with a power grinder it's mighty easy to cut far more metal away than is required, and that just costs you money for new chain sooner than need be. And guess who's selling said chain to you, generally .

 

[flushcut]

Around here nobody even knows what square ground chain is let alone how to sharpen it.

 

[Frankie]

That was a nice-sounding ported 661 doing the cutting there ...