Sharpening: part 2, square chisel chain.

Tree 09... Yer, a humble man bro, but yer downplaying yerself way, way, way too much here. Square filing is dang easy to learn how to do in a manner that will keep pace with round grind, even if it usually takes years to learn how to do quickly. The only trick for that is just to keep at it.

Jake wanted me to do that one, and I chose the triangle because I thought that it would be the easiest of the three square files for a beginner to pick up cold turkey; but I'm rethinking this now. I really wanna do one with the double-bevel, and the goof file. You use significantly different strategies for each of these, but... they can be greatly simplified by using a homemade 40 degree chisel angle (not top-plate angle) gauge.

I'll try to get a vid up man, it ain't nothin.

Dude, picco is easy-PEASY with the goof file. Cuts like a scorned woman too.
 
Sorry man, I just saw your other questions....

Hardwoods... don't matter... old wives tale. Just relax the side plate angle a bit and use higher rakers or it'll stick like mad on the diagonal cut in Oak and stringy Birch and stuff like that. Still cuts a ton faster and will not dull faster than round, I don't care who ya are or WHERE you're from.

Yeah, dude, that's a good question about the goof. So, ..... no... to be honest, one cannot exactly call goof filed chain a true square grind. But here's the thing... it is freakin DEADLY, done right will not prematurely dull, and (done right) will cut in on the bias cut (dutchman cleaning) with equal laser incisiveness.

Dude, I gotta go... I could ramble yer ear off on this stuff, but I gotta go right now. I'm gonna jump on here more frequently God willing and I'm gonna try to make some super easy vids.
 
Next really stupid question(s), can you use a regular triangle file? I have some of those, and looking to buy some files in the midwest is proving challenging. I guess I'm confused with why the "triangle" files are hexagons. Do you kinda only hit the top or the side at a time, and kinda have to go back and forth, but it also has a 120 degree to properly form the corner? Would a normal triangle file dig too much in the corner? Would simply knocking down the edge of the file with a grinder suffice, or is there some other geometry of the file that I'm not seeing?
 
Short answer...no. Longer answer...no 'effing way.
:)

www.treestuff.com

Save Edge Double Beveled Chisel File

Used for sharpening square chisel chain, the Save Edge files are the sharpest, longest lasting files on the market. The flat side of the file can be used to maintain your depth gauges. A shar
www.treestuff.com www.treestuff.com
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #157
There are a bunch of options if you Google double bevel chisel bit file. Only way to go.

You've got me all stirred up. I'm going to have to go and square file the RSC on my 395 now.
 
Kyle: What propitious timing! Please, please, please: kindly disregard everytning that I said about making a video, and go with this guy instead for at least these three reasons:

1) He is almost certainly (not a hard sell) vastly more intelligent than myself. 2) He almost certainly does not believe that the Corona virus in a conspiracy, and 3) almost certainly believes that Donald Trump is an idiot. 4) :|: He makes a better video that I could ever possibly make in my wildest dreams. 5) Dude! Watch how his chains BLAST branch collars off as if Spruce was made of Play Dough. 6) Dude, watch how his "relaxed side plates" blast through hardwoods.

Coupla other points on which he and I differ: 1) Madsen's already debunked his "corner to corner" (although it DOES happen to make a very pretty chisel) as a myth. 2) I, like he, used to believe that 30 degree top-plate angles with square would cut even faster/better than traditional 15 to 20 degree top angles, but at length, have found this not to be true. Also... the wicked side-beak DEFINITELY has it's place in certain woods, although one would never file them in as pronounced a way as the ones that he produces in his video to serve as "bad examples." However... obviously... the dreaded "top beak," never, never, never... won't cut at ALL.

 
Lol no, i tried to buy it there, but i wasn't gonna call and all that. I'll either try bailey's or Madsens, it would be good to further my supplier horizons. I need to get some other stuff too, so that would be good. Going to start making my own chains, so those would be the place to go. I did get stuff from westtech rigging this past year, will definitely be using them for future hard rigging needs. Learning about certain suppliers makes someone more well rounded, much like surplus center for hydraulics and motors.

@Jed Thank you for finding that, i just got home but will watch that tonight. I would still like some info on where the goofy file comes into play, as I'm not understanding how that makes a different shape than a round file, so my understanding of the whole process seems to be lacking. I understand how it's supposed to be shaped with the triangle and double bevel file, but saying a goofy file gives similar results is totally messing with my dinosaur sized brain :lol: And finally, just because your political leanings are different than mine doesn't prove anything when it comes to intelligence or saw chain. If it was a question about welding, my opinions and info would be useful, because i have spent my life thus far learning as much as i can about it and performing it at a high level, you have done the same with square filed saw chain, something i literally know nothing about.
 
Good video Jed and good pictures. Dude talks funny tho. That appears to be a goofy file Kyle. He makes it look easier than it probably is.
 
Oh I'm sure he's making it look easy, and that saw is like a laser. I think he's using a double chisel tho.
 
Good thread, but idk.

Ya gotta remove chain from saw (at least in that vid), ya gotta buy new files, gotta learn how to do it (apparently no small task), gotta cut into tie strap (never a good idea), gotta reinstall the chain, gotta avoid dirt like the plague (even more so than with round file chisel). Idk, it sounds like a chit load of extra work. A perfectly filed round chisel saw will cut softwood like that saw in the opening scenes of the vid, imo. Imma sticking with what I know, for now
 
Very nice macro views.
He speaks funny because of his Swiss accent.
If you don't mind to hear it in French, here's an other of his vids with the goofy file. This file has a rounded side instead of the double chisel bit file (2 small flat surfaces separated by an angle in the middle as in the vid showed by Jed) and that gives a curved side edge but still an acceptable angle at the corner.
 
Last edited:
The “talks funny” comment was my attempt at humor. Probably only a few here could understand my hillbonics. Anyway I think he explains the procedure with the use of graphics quite well. I might have to give it a try. Thanks for the videos.
 
No doubt a sharp sqr/sqr filed/ground chain is going to cut faster than a similarly filed/ground sqr/rnd chain ... For a guy falling clean timber only yeppers sqr/sqr... For a guy doing yard trees and a lot of buckin with not so clean timber I’ll stick with sqr/rnd ... several years ago I was running some Chainsaw-guy silvey ground / raker machine chain but determined it wasn’t cost effective ... YMMV
 
I'm definitely interested in hearing how square filing n00bs make out with it. Seems like everyone either round files, or has square filed forever. It'll be interesting in seeing the trials and tribulations, or maybe ease(?) of starting from scratch.
 
The sqr/sqr simington grinders are around $1000 last I looked ... Silvey is no longer in business ... I monkeyed around with sqr/sqr a few years back and just stuck with sqr/rnd chain ... easier to file and takes more of a beating from my limited trials ... A guy falling for a living on the PNW or BC might run it exclusively however I would reckon they own a grinder
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Eric H-L
I can’t put a new chain on my saw!
Replies
8
Views
379
CurSedVoyce
CurSedVoyce
J
Filling Hollow in Tree?
Replies
13
Views
778
Jager
J
Jomo
Meticulous Chainsaw Maintenance
2
Replies
44
Views
3K
stig
stig
Knotorious
This Method for Tying the Alpine Butterfly Has Changed My Life for the Better! Try It Out if You Haven't Already!
2
Replies
37
Views
5K
Tommy_B
Tommy_B
Benjo75
Anyone make their own chains?
2 3
Replies
59
Views
4K
Magnus
Magnus
Back
Top