How to square file

[SOS Ridgerider]

I'm a beginner also and I've only used Save Edge and Bahco myself. Can't tell much of a difference. The only thing I can say about the Save Edge files is that they seem to be a little inconsistent. I've had some last me forever, and some go dull right away.
The Bahco files can be had at a great price, depending on where you buy them from.

 

[huskihl]

Bahco and Vallorbe last much longer than save edge for me

 

[Willard]

Yep..
That'll do it...
Green cottonwood has a knack of swelling the kerf back shut on your way through it.
Cleans a chain like a scotch bright pad.

Yep green cottonwood seems like a piece of cake to cut. But in a timed competition feed pressure is everything.

That race on the west coast in the summer of 1988 was my first time competing in B.C. cottonwood. Not the same cottonwood we have here in our cold climate of Manitoba.
I believe it was Herlihy I was cutting up against in the 16" round cottonwood, we were facing other. He was running a 056 Mag, myself with my 064.
Bob Walker was one of the judges and being a Husky dealer and sponsor he was complaining I shouldn't run because I had holes drilled in my muffler even though they weren't visable under the heat shield


By the time I was starting my 3rd cut Herlihy was just finishing his 1st.
But when I had a inch to go at the bottom of that last cut I tried to push it through and stalled the chain lol.
My instant reaction was to tilt the 24" bar's tip up to free the chain almost getting a quick haircut
That mistake cost me a good second and put me in 4th in the end.
7 time world lumberjack champ Ron Hartill who has cut alot of that cottonwood came in 1st with his 100cc Poulan Pro 655.

 

[Wolverine]

I'm liking the Stihl files t4Mike found.

 

[Deets066]

I'm liking the Stihl files t4Mike found.
View attachment 71464

I want some

 

[Sierrawoodsman]

I recently tried soaking in hot water mixed with a little bit of sodium hydroxide (lye) It really cleaned them up good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[XP_Slinger]

I've been following this thread hearing the pros and others occasionally mention their chain vices. Since I don't have one I've been square filing on the saw and never gave a second thought to putting the chain in my normal bench vice figuring the file would hit. NOW my only thought is why didn't I use the vice sooner! I can only hit one cutter before I have to move the chain which sucks a little, but I am getting much better file angle consistency with the chain in the vice. Not a pro, but it's getting easier and easier to "be square". All the cutters on my chain look like this now, which was not the case before.

Right hand cutter;

Left hand cutter;

 

[huskihl]

I've been following this thread hearing the pros and others occasionally mention their chain vices. Since I don't have one I've been square filing on the saw and never gave a second thought to putting the chain in my normal bench vice figuring the file would hit. NOW my only thought is why didn't I use the vice sooner! I can only hit one cutter before I have to move the chain which sucks a little, but I am getting much better file angle consistency with the chain in the vice. Not a pro, but it's getting easier and easier to "be square". All the cutters on my chain look like this now, which was not the case before.

Right hand cutter;
View attachment 71533
Left hand cutter;
View attachment 71534

Nice cutter. John Reilly makes a mean chain using vise grips clamped in his vise

 

[XP_Slinger]

That's a good idea. I've got beat up bar I'm going to try and make a wider clamping surface out of.

 

[Willard]

Here's a pic of my last dozen of old NLA Windsor triangular chisel bit files. Probably some of the best ever made.
Perfectly straight toothed corners.(that's how you tell if you got a good file) cheap ones have wavy corners when you look down the length of the file.

I don't have a pic of my sharpening vise ( long gone) but it's one of those old cast iron thin jaw carpenter's hand saw sharpening vises that clamps to a table edge.
I cut two 4"x18"x 1/8" steel plates and clamped the chains DLs between them in the vise. Then clamped the old clamp on the bar style Granberg chisel bit filing jig.
Just had to partially release the vise lever and loosen off the jig screws a bit to advance the chain.
To prevent the jig from moving when advancing the chain I drilled shallow holes in the plates for the jigs screws to sit in. The ends of the 2 plates I rounded off for the chain to roll on.

Those old Granberg jigs had tight bushings and with enough patience and a straight arm filing stroke you can put a real nice corner in those cutters.

 

[Hedgerow]

Here's a pic of my last dozen of old NLA Windsor triangular chisel bit files. Probably some of the best ever made.
Perfectly straight toothed corners.(that's how you tell if you got a good file) cheap ones have wavy corners when you look down the length of the file.

I don't have a pic of my sharpening vise ( long gone) but it's one of those old cast iron thin jaw carpenter's hand saw sharpening vises that clamps to a table edge.
I cut two 4"x18"x 1/8" steel plates and clamped the chains DLs between them in the vise. Then clamped the old clamp on the bar style Granberg chisel bit filing jig.
Just had to partially release the vise lever to advance the chain. The ends of the 2 plates I rounded off for the chain to roll on.

Those old Granberg jigs had tight bushings and with enough patience and a straight arm filing stroke you can put a real nice corner in those cutters.

Dibs on the old granberg jig!!!
Lol
I got a whole box of those files, but Swiss made from Stihl. Good quality files.

 

[Deets066]

That's a good idea. I've got beat up bar I'm going to try and make a wider clamping surface out of.

Try duck bill vice grips, clamp the top handle in the vise

 

[Willard]

I don't have a pic of og my sharpening vise (long gone) but it's one of those old cast iron thin jaw carpenter's hand saw sharpening vises that clamp to a table edge.
I cut two 4"x18"x 1/8" steel plates and clamped the chains DLs between them in the vise. Then clamped the old clamp on the bar style Granberg chisel bit filing jig.
Just had to partially release the vise lever and loosen off the jig screws a bit to advance the chain.
To prevent the jig from moving when advancing the chain I drilled shallow holes in the plates for the jigs screws to sit in. The ends of the 2 plates I rounded off for the chain to roll on.

Those old Granberg jigs had tight bushings and with enough patience and a straight arm filing stroke you can put a real nice corner in those cutters.

My memory differs detail after 30 years
I made several home made jigs before I got my Granberg chisel bit G -107 File-N-Joint in the late 1970's.
I now realize my earlier jig had screws on to the plates holding the chain. The Granberg has clamps which stayed at the right height by resting on the vise's jaws.
The plates had pins on the bottom edges to prevent movement, working like a hinge. I had key stock or something welded to the side on the plates to prevent them from falling through the jaws.

Here's some pics of the old Granberg 107 from the 1970s and some old vises the same style I used.
Notice the last pic of the old filing jig attachment holding a tri file mounted to the vise.
My Dad had one of those for my vise, but it like my vise...... long gone.
Something you guys should keep an eye out for...... to possibly modify for chisel bit sawchain filing

 

[t4driller]

I want some

I'll trade you for 1 of yours Mr deets

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[t4driller]

I gave away/ trades most of what I had at the gtg on Saturday. Like a bunch of buzzards around my tent. Haha. Only got a few left, but I'll trade you files if you want.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Deets066]

I'll trade you for 1 of yours Mr deets

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I'm hard on files, it's not worth the time to ship em in trade, I go through em pretty quick

 

[Redfin]

I'm hard on files, it's not worth the time to ship em in trade, I go through em pretty quick

The Stihl and Vallorbe are comparable Deeter.

 

[t4driller]

The Stihl and Vallorbe are comparable Deeter.

I assume you used yours then. I traded Skippy for a valorbe.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Redfin]

I assume you used yours then. I traded Skippy for a valorbe.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I did Mike.

 

[Deets066]

I like the Vallorbe, need to get some more of those