Bunch of random pics of cutters

[Chainmale]

.404" is hard to source here!
I can't even get 3/8" full skip full chisel (nor semi chisel) for my 24" & 36" bars.

FFS, I can't get full chisel 3/8" LowProfile/Picco, Sondre sent me a couple loops for my tiny saws.

What about .050? Can't get full chisel .043 here but can in .050

 

[Wilhelm]

I run .050" 3/8" LowProfile/Picco, neither the Stihl nor Husqvarna dealers stock it.
They say it is a Pro chain and no one is buying it, hence they don't have it.

I may be able to order a whole roll, but honestly I don't utilize Picco too often.

 

[karrl]

I run .050" 3/8" LowProfile/Picco, neither the Stihl nor Husqvarna dealers stock it.
They say it is a Pro chain and no one is buying it, hence they don't have it.

I may be able to order a whole roll, but honestly I don't utilize Picco too often.

I really like the Oregon Vxl .50lp chain, I don’t if you tried it but it holds its edge as good as any chain I’ve run. Can’t find it cheap around here but it was my go to for cutting Christmas trees.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

I really like the Oregon Vxl .50lp chain, I don’t if you tried it but it holds its edge as good as any chain I’ve run. Can’t find it cheap around here but it was my go to for cutting Christmas trees.

I got a little echo top handl from a scrap yard a few years ago and needed a cheap lp chain to test the saw out.

This is the Forester brand chain I bought and its been alot better than it should be for the price.

 

[Wilhelm]

I got a little echo top handl from a scrap yard a few years ago and needed a cheap lp chain to test the saw out.
View attachment 382715View attachment 382716View attachment 382717
This is the Forester brand chain I bought and its been alot better than it should be for the price.

Get spares and stash them!

 

[Squareground3691]

Some .404 with 1/4 file , should wear decent in the hard wood , liking that size file ,

 

[Wilhelm]

Some .404 with 1/4 file , should wear decent in the hard wood , liking that size file , View attachment 382752View attachment 382753

Yeah, typical for a "smartphone" camera, zooms in on the floor instead of the object right in front of the camera lens.

Big toof wants a big C-cuter profile.

 

[ZERO]

043 chain pulls its weight in dry as a bone ash, oak, hornbeam and such.
Hand filed, 3/16 to open the gullet, safety rakers filed back to give the gullet more breathing.
Progressive depth gauge modified to accommodate for both bumpers.
Rakers filed below the soft setting as this saw was as excellent build by @Crocky28
Those 10" to 12" logs, what a pure joy to cut.
Saw pulled all 59dls with ease and could handle more.
Self fed like a hot knife through butter, when I pushed on her, there was no hesitation.
I am still amazed what these little ones can do when build by a solid dude like Mark.
I touch up after every tank, this is probably tank 3 or 4 filing as I am giving the chain a more aggressive posture.

 

[HumBurner]

I don't mind the .043 gauge as much as I did originally. Only thing I've noticed is once the cutters get 2/3 of the way down or more, they are more prone to breaking off when cutting in really hard wood (live oak, Manzanita, anything seasoned and hard, etc.) compared to a heavier gauge, thicker chain.

 

[dik650]

@Wilhelm In harder stuff I drop the rakers more so the chain doesn't skim.

You can fix that with a few degrees of side plate angle. If you're running anything more than 28"/92 drivers, you'll notice that the relationship between curring speed & low rakers is not linear. On a 20" setup, low rakers look fast, on a 36" setup, the rakers just create excess work without the speed. It's all in the plate angles both interior & exterior.

 

[dik650]

IMHO, everything beyond round ground/filed is just splitting hairs!

Getting a chainsaw chain cutter sharp enough to cut moderately is not rocket science with all the aids and tools available nowadays.

Tell that to fallers who have been honing their square chisel angles for the last few decades.
It is most certainly an art, bordering on black magic. The slightest of change in angle to any of the angles on a chisel bit can make the sweet spot come alive or go away. The ideal situation is to have an army of planes that take smooth long uniform strokes. The chips will tell you when you're nearing greatness. Most impressive chains I've ever seen threw almost identically sized chips from Doug & piss fir. Talking freakishly uniform chips. The width of the top plate, around .025 thick, & around 1"1/4 long. Incredible efficiency & speed are the main attractions.

 

[Wilhelm]

I am not a faller.
I mostly buck skidded logs that tend to be very dirty.
Round ground X-Cut made it through 3 tanks of fuel in this crap, no utilization of bucking spikes, only front handle pressure.

 

[pbillyi69]

Tell that to fallers who have been honing their square chisel angles for the last few decades.
It is most certainly an art, bordering on black magic. The slightest of change in angle to any of the angles on a chisel bit can make the sweet spot come alive or go away. The ideal situation is to have an army of planes that take smooth long uniform strokes. The chips will tell you when you're nearing greatness. Most impressive chains I've ever seen threw almost identically sized chips from Doug & piss fir. Talking freakishly uniform chips. The width of the top plate, around .025 thick, & around 1"1/4 long. Incredible efficiency & speed are the main attractions.

i have run some really well ground square chains that were PNW fallers. I have tried to replicate those chains. When you run a chain that you think is really good and are happy with, along comes someone elses chain that make yours seem like it dull and shot.. lol i agree with you

 

[Squareground3691]

Yup, just like any good tradesman profession you do it for a few decades, you become very proficient at what you do , and if you haven’t you’ve been it the wrong trade all along !!

 

[pbillyi69]

i have ran chains that do cut drastically faster over factory angles. there is lots of room for improvement. like you said keeping them sharp and not running them til they make powder is as important for your chain as keeping them out of the dirt.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

Thats why this isn't a "sharpening " thread .it's a random pictures of cutters.
Just seeing what we've got or run into as curiosity's.

 

[Wilhelm]

I tried a 1/4" wheel in 3/8" full chisel chain (Archer & Carlton)!
They both cut slower and did not hold up better to the abrasive skidded oak log I was bucking.

 

[Wilhelm]

Archer, dull before grinding


...after grinding


Pink wheel, AMA Maxx Pro grinder

 

[HumBurner]

Archer, dull before grinding
View attachment 383891

...after grinding
View attachment 383892 View attachment 383893 View attachment 383894

Pink wheel, AMA Maxx Pro grinder

Looks durable!

 

[Wilhelm]

Husqvarna X-Cut, was on last drops of a 3rd tank of fuel on my PS-550, just when I thought I'll get another tank out of the chain I hit a severe dirt patch on a log I was bucking.
I forced finishing bucking than log and this is what the chain looked like afterwards.