Broke a chain

[Pincher]

The chain was used when I got it. Hand filed slightly aggressive. I have broken a tie strap on a different chain about 10 years ago but never the cutter. It was being used on my new 550xpg that I just got from Bruce at HLsupply. The part that scared me is it broke when my brother was using it. He was bucking halfway through a 10 inch elm so I don't thing throwing the chain caused the break. Maybe it was cracked before I put it on? Any ideas?
By the way, my brother likes the saw alot.

 

[Philbert]

Is that a factory rivet, or user spun? Looks a little different.

Hard to know, without knowing the history of the chain. Chains break: that’s why we have chain catchers; that large, flat area under the rear handle; wear chaps, gloves, safe glasses; etc.

Philbert

 

[Pincher]

Factory rivet. About 5 inches from connector link.

 

[JugHead27]

Broke a strap for the first time last year the chain shot off the tip of my bar straight into some bush. Stihl chain. Was a aggressive profile in softwood

 

[Wilhelm]

Chain chatter and a powerful PH will snap a loop in no time, simply a matter of material fatigue and exerted forces.

In my recent years, as I got better at sharpening chains, I broke three 3/8" TriLink loops (chisel and semi chisel) and one Oregon .404" loop (round tooth).
All were round filed, all broke before their end of life, all were used on my PS-7900/7310/7300/6400.

I have yet to break an Oregon chisel loop, I wear them out till the teeth break and bend but the loops stay closed.
Even my Oregon chisel "play chains" with ground rivet heads and some tie strap thinning are holding up well on the occasional usage.

Any brand chain can snap, it only takes one weak link!

 

[JugHead27]

What do you mean by PH and chain chatter.

 

[Pincher]

I believe PH stands for Power Head. Chain chatter is something that is felt while cutting but some one else might have a better vocabulary to describe. I would describe it as the cutters biting the wood to cut and then skipping across instead.

 

[toolmaker]

I recently broke a chain too. Oregon 72EXL84. Had the full bar buried in a deadpole White Oak that was dry as a popcorn fart.

 

[Wilhelm]

What do you mean by PH and chain chatter.

I believe PH stands for Power Head. Chain chatter is something that is felt while cutting but some one else might have a better vocabulary to describe. I would describe it as the cutters biting the wood to cut and then skipping across instead.

Nailed it!

 

[Maintenance Chief]

I hit a lag bolt in a post a few months ago, it immediately broke the stihl chain. Most breaks I see are from throwing the chain though ,it gets crossed with the drum sprocket at speed and breaks.

 

[isaaccarlson]

I have broken one or two chains over the years. No damage to the saw. Could have been stress from a kickback, a catch or throw, I'm not sure. I have had chains stretch quite a bit from a hard kickback. Ported saws can be very hard on chains.

 

[jakethesnake]

Only chain I’ve ever broken was stihl. It was super aggressive. Too aggressive

wonder if that’s why stihl doesn’t stretch much. Stihl like stihl chain. Just stuff happens

 

[isaaccarlson]

Only chain I’ve ever broken was stihl. It was super aggressive. Too aggressive

wonder if that’s why stihl doesn’t stretch much. Stihl like stihl chain. Just stuff happens

I love stihl chain. It takes an edge, stays sharp, and is salvageable even after hitting iron. I cut a railroad spike in half one time. Still had at least 50% of the tooth left after grinding. Any other chain would be junk, broken, missing the teeth, or stretched out.

I have not had very good chain life from other chain brands.

 

[jakethesnake]

I love stihl chain. It takes an edge, stays sharp, and is salvageable even after hitting iron. I cut a railroad spike in half one time. Still had at least 50% of the tooth left after grinding. Any other chain would be junk, broken, missing the teeth, or stretched out.

I have not had very good chain life from other chain brands.

They do use a good metal in them teeth.

 

[Wilhelm]

Stihl chain may be good for those that grind their chains, not so much for us who file.

I trash one Stihl round file on the first filing alone, converting the loop from factory round ground to hand round filed.
Another new Stihl round file can't survive the lifespan of a Stihl chain.

I find Stihl chain tedious to sharpen.
I prefer to touch up an Oregon loop every tank or two of fuel rather than deal with the hardness of a Stihl loop in the field.

This is Oregon, after two and a half tanks of fuel bucking green dirty beech logs.
No teeth bent nor missing yet, two filings past the witness mark.
Dolmar PS-6400 powering the 20" 3/8" B&C setup.

 

[jakethesnake]

Stihl chain may be good for those that grind their chains, not so much for us who file.

I trash one Stihl round file on the first filing alone, converting the loop from factory round ground to hand round filed.
Another new Stihl round file can't survive the lifespan of a Stihl chain.

I find Stihl chain tedious to sharpen.
I prefer to touch up an Oregon loop every tank or two of fuel rather than deal with the hardness of a Stihl loop in the field.

This is Oregon, after two and a half tanks of fuel bucking green dirty beech logs.
No teeth bent nor missing yet, two filings past the witness mark.
Dolmar PS-6400 powering the 20" 3/8" B&C setup.

View attachment 333341

Oregon my favorite too.

I do respect a stihl chain though. They do file pretty tough. I agree. But once you get it there it stays there “better”

it seems to me the touch ups take less filing vs Oregon.

I agree though I like Oregon because I too hand file everything. It’s way more convenient. I have some random long bar chains archer /stihl. But I only buy Oregon. For shorter chains I don’t care. Whatever’s on sale

 

[Wilhelm]

I broke my hatchet, was wondering how long it will endure the forces it is exposed to.
The "plastic" surrounding the core looks dried out and cracked.

 

[blades]

that is a problem with plastic, particularly if used in very cold temps. it will fracture but may not come apart, but as soon as it warms up and the plastic becomes a bit fluid - things go south quickly. Almost never see that happening with a hickory handle that has been properly cured unless really bad physical abuse is involved.

 

[jakethesnake]

I broke my hatchet, was wondering how long it will endure the forces it is exposed to.
The "plastic" surrounding the core looks dried out and cracked.

View attachment 333377 View attachment 333378

Put some wood in her buddy

 

[Pincher]

I know what caused this.

The bar pinched when I was cutting a pair of 4 inch elms that were grown together at the base. While cutting the back cut, one decided to go early and the hinge wood that pulled had a hold of the chain. The drive link in the top rh corner is bent. Four drive links and a couple connectors and I will be back in business.