Hardened chains

[merc_man]

I have a couple chains that came on used saws that the file wont do anything. Is ther a way to fix them. I even tried litely sharpening them on the grinder once and still hard.
Grinder does work to sharpen them but i prefer to hand file my chains


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[Nutball]

Lightly grinding them would have been my suggestion. Maybe they burned the chain? I think I did that to the cheap chinese chain on my first saw in an old hedge apple stump.

 

[huskihl]

Grind them again. They should file after a couple passes with the grinder

 

[Wonkydonkey]

Like the other two replies…. A careful grind with a bench grinder to take the hardened bit/part off and you should be able to hand file.

if the file glides over like it’s on glass. Then taking a bit more off a bench grinder it should get you where you need to be. It maybe some teeth are hardened a bit more than others and needed a second pass with the grinder..

I’ve had it where I’ve been too hard & quick on a bench grinder, then had to do as I said above.

hardened teef are good and last a bit longer , until you need to hand file them

 

[merc_man]

I will run it through the grinder again and see if it helps. Thanks

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[Loony661]

A lot of the time this happens when a user sets a hot chain into the snow - hardens the chain immediately. As mentioned above, a couple passes on the grinder should fix the temper of the teeth.

 

[Woodwater]

Stihl RD chains?

 

[Wilhelm]

RD is carbide tipped, I think the OP would notice the difference compared to RS/RM.

Good chain though, as long as it is factory sharp or You can grind it Yourself.
I have a RD3 and a PD3, money well spent!

 

[jakethesnake]

RD is carbide tipped, I think the OP would notice the difference compared to RS/RM.

Good chain though, as long as it is factory sharp or You can grind it Yourself.
I have a RD3 and a PD3, money well spent!

How do you sharpen them?

 

[Stihl036]

How do you sharpen them?

With a diamond wheel.

I've got one.

Carbide dust is a hazard.

 

[Wilhelm]

How do you sharpen them?

With a diamond wheel.

I've got one.

Carbide dust is a hazard.

As @Stihl036 wrote, You grind Carbide tipped chains with a diamond wheel.
But a fine grey colored grinding wheel for grinding carbide works too, with the difference that it will wear and require dressing.

In terms of carbide dust being a hazard.
What isn't nowadays?
Wood dust is a hazard too and I generate and breathe in more wood dust that carbide dust annually.

 

[Wilhelm]

My grey grinding wheels, supposedly suitable for grinding steel and carbide chains.
I haven't tried them yet.

 

[Wilhelm]

My diamond wheels.


RD3 carbide chain ground by me on my MAXX PRO grinder.

 

[Moparmyway]

Bout time you got yourself a diamond wheel !!!

What angles are you finding to work well with your wood ?

I’ve settled on about the same angles as regular RM

 

[Wilhelm]

I don't know in what order I am supposed to list angles, but 55°/25°/0° .

I would like to try 60-65° but my grinder won't go that far.

These same angles I find to work very well on full chisel steel chains for what I cut, almost exclusively hardwoods.

I did notice that my, by me ground, RD3 loop looses its edge after 2-3 tanks of fuel (on my PS-6400 in fairly dirty oak logs) and needs a "lick" to self feed again - but it holds up much better than a regular steel chain would.

 

[bradb123]

My grey grinding wheels, supposedly suitable for grinding steel and carbide chains.
I haven't tried them yet.

View attachment 350401

The wheels I have say they can grind carbide chain . I don't have any carbide chain but I can tell you there are pretty tough wheels . They are also cheaper ! I think I paid $18 a wheel .

 

[Wilhelm]

The wheels I have say they can grind carbide chain . I don't have any carbide chain but I can tell you there are pretty tough wheels . They are also cheaper ! I think I paid $18 a wheel .

That is a good price for a tough universal wheel!

 

[Maintenance Chief]

As @Stihl036 wrote, You grind Carbide tipped chains with a diamond wheel.
But a fine grey colored grinding wheel for grinding carbide works too, with the difference that it will wear and require dressing.

In terms of carbide dust being a hazard.
What isn't nowadays?
Wood dust is a hazard too and I generate and breathe in more wood dust that carbide dust annually.

Its odd but I worked with someone who was sensitive to carbide dust and almost died finding out he had a sensitivity. I guess people can have a sort of allergic reaction to it, like latex.

 

[Wilhelm]

Its odd but I worked with someone who was sensitive to carbide dust and almost died finding out he had a sensitivity. I guess people can have a sort of allergic reaction to it, like latex.

Maybe he was allergic to the carbide.
From what I gathered the Tungsten/Wolfram is chemically inert and doesn't react to almost anything.

I grind Tungsten-Carbide drill bits at work every other day for over 2 decades now, no ventilation whatsoever.
I guess I am lucky to not react volatile to the generated dust.

 

[Wolverine]

A lot of the time this happens when a user sets a hot chain into the snow - hardens the chain immediately. As mentioned above, a couple passes on the grinder should fix the temper of the teeth.

Screaming hot chain? Maybe it's time to sharpen, or mod an oiler.