Who gets frustrated???

[Crzybowhntr]

I get so frustrated when I take the time to intensely sharpen a chain and it does not run well. I live in an area that has a lot of hard woods and am thinking about buying nothing but semi chisel from here on out as i hAve had bether luck keeping an edge on it versus chisel. Anyone else do that? I have almost every type of sharpening device known to man and find that the Oregon file guide works best for me but take too much time. I have a granberg file n joint, an Oregon jig just like the granberg, a timber tuff electric grinder, a husky roller guide, and a 12 volt oregon grinder.

If you had to buy one sharpening tool what would it be?

 

[jakethesnake]

A file alone is what I use the most no guide for hard wood throw chisel down your toilet it's useless also make you're angle shorter will help it hold an edge I've ran into some stone like wood it's very frustrating I tend to run my chains dull as crap in that kinda stuff I have a cheap grinder I use a fair amount as well

 

[jakethesnake]

When you say hard wood you mean dead hard wood or green? The dead stuff is what I mean will dull up chisel fast green hardwood I use either I use more of the semi though

 

[jakethesnake]

Keep a "sharp" file on hand as well and get a wooden file handle if you file enough you'll learn it took me a good while to get both sides to cut the same I used to get pretty pissed as well

 

[Greenthorn]

I have found that, persistence, creates patience.......
I've tossed aside many, I mean MANY chains.........
Only thing that causes frustration anymore is bowel movements.....

 

[Philbert]

If you had to buy one sharpening tool what would it be?

If you know what you want your cutters to look like, you should be able to use any sharpening method to get there. In other words, it's not the tool that sharpens the chain, you do.

Going back and forth between methods can be problematic due to subtle differences. For example, the basic Oregon file guide is only supposed to be used at a 0 degree 'down angle'; but the Husqvarna roller guides have a 10 degree down angle built in.

Files come in 1/64 inch increments, but grinding wheels are typically 1/8 or 3/16 inches.

The basic Oregon and STIHL depth gauge tools use a fixed offset, while others are progressive.

Some guys grind their cutters differently than they file, then complain about the differences.

If you understand the differences you can adjust. Otherwise, it's best to pick one and stick with it. Any one of them can sharpen a chain, and any one of them can ruin one, if used incorrectly.

Philbert

 

[Agent Orange]

One sides throwin chips, the other's throwin dust..... AAAARRRRGGGHHH.

I put my 3/8" file to my .325 chain tonight. Half way through one side before I realized it. Finished the whole chain with the 3/8" so it was equally screwed up on all the cutters. Started over with the .325.

 

[huskihl]

I agree with the op. It's very frustrating to put 3 hours into converting a round ground chain into square just to hit some sand in the wood. I've been cutting a lot of ash lately and I think there's sand in the wood. A buddy of mine with a bandsaw mill said the same thing. He'd have to change blades mid log. Said he didn't care to ever mill ash again. A properly filed semi chisel chain is where it's at for my style of cutting

 

[dgeesaman]

I converted party to semi-chisel and frankly I get more cutting done per chain than with full. I mean full really pulls and cuts quick, but just a dust of rock in the tree bark, one spark comes out with the chips, and it's going slow. But never slow enough to just switch chains. I like how semi-chisel keeps trucking at a steady speed and dulls slowly. Not that I want to run a dull chain, but with full chisel much of the time that magic edge is gone in just a few minutes. Not productive unless you're hitting all clean wood.

 

[Wolverine]

I get so frustrated when I take the time to intensely sharpen a chain and it does not run well. I live in an area that has a lot of hard woods and am thinking about buying nothing but semi chisel from here on out as i hAve had bether luck keeping an edge on it versus chisel. Anyone else do that?

I have the exact opposite experience. I recently spent some time on a loop of semi for a "rough conditions" chain. Answered a CL add for free wood and the base pieces were the only part needing knocked down. Fired up the saw to noodle away and it wouldn't cut fer sheet! I gave up rather quickly and brought a different saw (w/ chisel chain) on the next trip to get the job done. I've darn near given up on semi for good!

 

[Wolverine]

I agree with the op. It's very frustrating to put 3 hours into converting a round ground chain into square just to hit some sand in the wood. I've been cutting a lot of ash lately and I think there's sand in the wood. A buddy of mine with a bandsaw mill said the same thing. He'd have to change blades mid log. Said he didn't care to ever mill ash again. A properly filed semi chisel chain is where it's at for my style of cutting

That sucks! I just milled my large ash tree and had awesome results doing so with square filed full skip.

 

[huskihl]

That sucks! I just milled my large ash tree and had awesome results doing so with square filed full skip.

Oh i still have a lot of square filed loops. And if I know it's not dirty wood, they'll be the weapons of choice. But a lot of what I cut has been winched outta the thick stuff so it's easier to load in the truck. It that case, semi to the rescue lol

 

[huskihl]

I have the exact opposite experience. I recently spent some time on a loop of semi for a "rough conditions" chain. Answered a CL add for free wood and the base pieces were the only part needing knocked down. Fired up the saw to noodle away and it wouldn't cut fer sheet! I gave up rather quickly and brought a different saw (w/ chisel chain) on the next trip to get the job done. I've darn near given up on semi for good!

Somethings a bit off with your semi I think. I know square and round filed chisel are quicker, not doubting that at all. But a good sharp loop of semi with the rakers at .035 is a thing of beauty

 

[Hedgerow]

If you know what you want your cutters to look like, you should be able to use any sharpening method to get there. In other words, it's not the tool that sharpens the chain, you do.

Going back and forth between methods can be problematic due to subtle differences. For example, the basic Oregon file guide is only supposed to be used at a 0 degree 'down angle'; but the Husqvarna roller guides have a 10 degree down angle built in.

Files come in 1/64 inch increments, but grinding wheels are typically 1/8 or 3/16 inches.

The basic Oregon and STIHL depth gauge tools use a fixed offset, while others are progressive.

Some guys grind their cutters differently than they file, then complain about the differences.

If you understand the differences you can adjust. Otherwise, it's best to pick one and stick with it. Any one of them can sharpen a chain, and any one of them can ruin one, if used incorrectly.

Philbert

Yes...

It's the Indian, not the arrow...

Lol..

 

[quietfly]

I'm still learning learning how to sharpen right. My next attempt is to use a Digital Angle finder, and progressively set my rakers/depth gauges

 

[srcarr52]

I'm still learning learning how to sharpen right. My next attempt is to use a Digital Angle finder, and progressively set my rakers/depth gauges

Just use the gauge on a Husky roller guide, it's progressive like the old Cartlon file-o-plate but they are NLA.

As for square/round, filed/ground chisel or filed/ground semi-chisel. I primarily use square ground chisel unless I'm cutting in a river flood plain, then you might as well be using carbide chain for all the sand in the wood. I did some walnut logging where all they wanted to use was semi-chisel because they are cutting in the dirt to get every inch of wood. Also everything had to be bore cut to reduce fiber pull, you quickly learn that semi-chisel needs the rakers really low to bore cut at all!

 

[redoakneck]

Chain vise, best tool for hand filing .


Magnification, bright light are close behind.

Save edge or pferd files

I get frustrated when I have a newly sharpened chain and hit a rock or dirt, rpms jump and chips turn to dust, fuuudddge

 

[jakethesnake]

Just for the heck of it I buy the woodland pro files by twelve packs I'd recommend them nice Swiss files cheap

 

[sunfish]

Semi chisel is about all I use in the woods around here (hardwood).

 

[J.w Younger]

I just can't tell when to quit filing on semi...wears out chain and file. On the up side it will let me know it's dull before the points overheat and it takes filing off half the cutter. A new semi chisel chain seems to stay sharp forever if i don't hit rocks or metal thou. They say that's what the chrome plating is for, to let the softer metal wear away while the chrome stays for the cutting edges.
I have better luck with chisel long as i quit and sharpen the instant the chips get smaller.