HELP! How to know when you have too much hook

[SawAddictedFarmer]

I think it's when your chain cuts to fast.

 

[SawAddictedFarmer]

A good file is a must. I've had the best luck with Pferd classic cut and vallorbe. I'm sure you already know this or somebody already mentioned it but files go dull, about 6 sharpenings on 28" full comp is my average.

 

[huskihl]

Too much hook is from having the file too low. Your cutter will look like a C. It will cut fast but won’t last as long

Raising the file will give you a cutter that looks like a (
It will stay sharp longer but won’t cut as fast.

The beauty of doing it yourself is you get to pick and choose where you want it to be

 

[Duane(Pa)]

Let’s say hypothetically I went from what’s shown in my first post (deemed aggressive) and got too much hook.

What type of stroke brings it back to a more subtle C shape? I practiced some more

I wouldn't try to "repair" the tooth shown in first post. When it dulls and needs attention (sharpened) again, do as Kevin suggests and file slightly higher. Depending on where your depth gages are set, chains with too much hook can be grabby. The top plate will either slice or carve the wood fibers depending on the angle. Think of a knife slicing tomatoes vs a mason chisel busting bricks.

 

[davidwyby]

Larger dia file or holding it higher will reduce C

Try a husky roller guide to get the feel

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Honestly that cutter in the picture would work just great on the soft wood I cut most times and i sharpen mine similarly for balsam and pine, put less hook in for ash and maple. I don’t hand file much anymore other than a touch up here and there. I bring 3-4 chains and swap when dull and grind them when I get home.

 

[STOVE]

Honestly that cutter in the picture would work just great on the soft wood I cut most times and i sharpen mine similarly for balsam and pine, put less hook in for ash and maple. I don’t hand file much anymore other than a touch up here and there. I bring 3-4 chains and swap when dull and grind them when I get home.

I have no idea what I’m gonna go buck until it shows up. I got the husky guide inbound to work on the muscle memory.

I already used their loose raker guide

 

[STOVE]

Larger dia file or holding it higher will reduce C

Try a husky roller guide to get the feel

Got it inbound, will hopefully make a more durable cutter soon. I do notice my 2 in 1 filing on my picco chain makes the rakers super low.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Got it inbound, will hopefully make a more durable cutter soon. I do notice my 2 in 1 filing on my picco chain makes the rakers super low.

Yeah need to be careful to not put lots of downward pressure just back into tooth.

 

[davidwyby]

Got it inbound, will hopefully make a more durable cutter soon. I do notice my 2 in 1 filing on my picco chain makes the rakers super low.

You can affect that by lifting or pushing down on the 2n1, the guide rails bend. Not all guides work with all brands of chain. Sometimes you gotta take a file and file off an interference first.

The husky roller makes a cutter on the fast side of durable. But you can see what's going on and learn, unlike the 2n1.

 

[davidwyby]

I have no idea what I’m gonna go buck until it shows up. I got the husky guide inbound to work on the muscle memory.

I already used their loose raker guide

If you have too much hook, it will chatter, this can be combatted somewhat by higher rakers...and vice versa. If you stop in the cut in stringy wood, the chain will get stuck. Really bad in monterey pine here.

On new 3/8" chain a 1/4" file makes a nice durable cutter. See early in "bunch of random pics of cutters".

As the cutter wears, you can go progressively smaller in file diameter....or grind one side of the 1/4" file down so it functions like a hexa file with one bald side to ride in the bottom of the cutter and maintain height.

 

[STOVE]

If you have too much hook, it will chatter, this can be combatted somewhat by higher rakers...and vice versa. If you stop in the cut in stringy wood, the chain will get stuck. Really bad in monterey pine here.

On new 3/8" chain a 1/4" file makes a nice durable cutter. See early in "bunch of random pics of cutters".

As the cutter wears, you can go progressively smaller in file diameter....or grind one side of the 1/4" file down so it functions like a hexa file with one bald side to ride in the bottom of the cutter and maintain height.

I’ll have to seek out some 1/4 files, all my current files are Stihl and husky 7/32

 

[Junk Meister]

When I started gumming, tensioning, sharpening and setting cordwood/BUZZ saw blades there was a rule of thumb was to set the grinder up so the hook was about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way behind the eye of the saw. !/3 would let the wood feed easier, - almost self feed, Some saws were sliding tables and needed the extra (1/3) hook and the upswinging tables liked about a 1/4 due to the angle the wood was fed into the blade. Unlike saw chain once the face had the hook established you never file on the front of the tooth. You filed the top so hook was never altered. When a customer brought a saw in complaining it was hard to feed I would have to educate him how and how not to file (NOT GRIND) a saw. I always left a glean grind with no blued (colored) teeth. If the saws tooth hook line was aligned with the eye (zero hook) you could work yer azz off especially in dried hedge posts.. to much hook and the saw would grab the wood and could get a bit scary,
Cordwood blades were intended for cross cutting. Saw Mill blades were/are for ripping and most are insert tooth with a lot of hook and flat across the face and the top, and you sharpen them from the face (under) not the top of the tooth. I never mentioned angles for the crosscut tooth configurations and gullet shapes 'cuz I don't feel like typing that much but for me it is like turpentine corn cobs and feline hiney holes (it works works). Whether it is saw chain, band saw or circle saw they share most tooth cutting concepts.

 

[davidwyby]

I’ll have to seek out some 1/4 files, all my current files are Stihl and husky 7/32

PM me your address, I ended up with too many and I run grinders now.

 

[STOVE]

PM me your address, I ended up with too many and I run grinders now.

Thanks so much, I am excited to hone my sharpening skills. I had some nice chips today, even some really long ones from my most recent sharpening attempt. But I certainly want to make my cutters more durable.

 

[STOVE]

Well I got my roller guide, it’s not quite right for the Dukes chain. Was still worth the price for the flat file and rounds in the kit.

Can I hog out the channels to make it sit lower?

 

[Wilhelm]

Well I got my roller guide, it’s not quite right for the Dukes chain. Was still worth the price for the flat file and rounds in the kit.

Can I hog out the channels to make it sit lower?

Yes, file out the channels/groove so it settles on top of the tie straps!
I had to do that to make it fit Oregon chains.

 

[Wilhelm]

File left & right (the sides, marked green), not the top (marked red)!

 

[STOVE]

File left & right (the sides, marked green), not the top (marked red)!

View attachment 470303

Easy enough, I’ll work on that tomorrow

 

[Wilhelm]

Or get a grinder!