Messing around experimenting...guess my method

[firewoodhuntingman]

Kind of depends on the wood but looks OK to me.

Here is a picture of the small test log i used in cutting test.

 

[davidwyby]

@firewoodhuntingman Looks OK from what I can see, maybe clean the gullet out, but need to see inside the tooth like in my pics. Looks like the depth gauges might be down quite a bit. Is it real grabby? Should be about .025" lower than the cutter.

 

[firewoodhuntingman]

@firewoodhuntingman Looks OK from what I can see, maybe clean the gullet out, but need to see inside the tooth like in my pics. Looks like the depth gauges might be down quite a bit. Is it real grabby? Should be about .025" lower than the cutter.

Here is a side view of tooth.

 

[Philbert]

Hope this is a better picture.View attachment 288284

Much better photo!

Always hard to judge from a picture, but how does it cut? That is what is important.

Having said that . . . it looks like there is some abrasion on the top plates of the cutters? Could be dirt. But if they are worn down on top, that could push the cutters away from the wood, instead of digging in. I would normally file / grind past that type of damage, but again, it depends on how they cut.

Here is a side view of tooth.View attachment 288286

This photo appears to show similar damage on the top plate (especially second tooth / Left side). Excessive 'hook' too. Does not look like the profile that the '2-in-1' sharpening guide would make: did you go deep into the gullet with another file afterwards?

Remember that it is only the top part of the tooth that actually does the cutting: about the thickness of the chips that you are removing. The rest of the gullet only helps to remove the chips. A steeper top plate cutting edge may cut more aggressively, but the gullet does not do any of the cutting.



Philbert

 

[firewoodhuntingman]

Much better photo!

Always hard to judge from a picture, but how does it cut? That is what is important.

Having said that . . . it looks like there is some abrasion on the top plates of the cutters? Could be dirt. But if they are worn down on top, that could push the cutters away from the wood, instead of digging in. I would normally file / grind past that type of damage, but again, it depends on how they cut.


This photo appears to show similar damage on the top plate (especially second tooth / Left side). Excessive 'hook' too. Does not look like the profile that the '2-in-1' sharpening guide would make: did you go deep into the gullet with another file afterwards?

Remember that it is only the top part of the tooth that actually does the cutting: about the thickness of the chips that you are removing. The rest of the gullet only helps to remove the chips. A steeper top plate cutting edge may cut more aggressively, but the gullet does not do any of the cutting.
View attachment 288288
View attachment 288289

Philbert

This is the chain i ran into the dirt and sand a Month ago and had my Sthil dealer do a tooth sharping, i am guessing your seeing the top of tooth that was in dirt and sand.
I am just using it and also seeing how my filing is doing, so far it seems to do a fairly good job of cutting.
But i will watch for the information you sent me, thanks for the help.

 

[Benwa]

Here is a side view of tooth.View attachment 288286

What pitch chain and what file size is in your
2 in 1 file set up? It's always hard to judge in pictures, but to me, it looks like too small of a file (for the chain size) and too far down in the tooth producing too much hook. You want a nice even arc or "C" top to bottom. In the first picture it doesn't look like the file even touched the inside of the top plate, leaving it with a dull inside edge. (although I think it's just the angle of the photo) The second picture shows a VERY large hook, produced by filing too far down in the tooth with too small of file. Everything is a compromise. Not picking, trying to help. You're filing yourself & that's more than a lot are willing to do. Kudos to you! It may just be my misinterpretation of the photos. If so, please disregard.

 

[Benwa]

The next thing I want to try (for speed/play) is a real sharp/aggressive angle.

If you're mindful to not get "too far" down into the gullet & still get the inside of your top plate, a 3/16" file instead of 7/32" on 3/8 chain makes for a pretty aggressive pretty fast chain. Produces sharper inside angles.

 

[firewoodhuntingman]

What pitch chain and what file size is in your
2 in 1 file set up? It's always hard to judge in pictures, but to me, it looks like too small of a file (for the chain size) and too far down in the tooth producing too much hook. You want a nice even arc or "C" top to bottom. In the first picture it doesn't look like the file even touched the inside of the top plate, leaving it with a dull inside edge. (although I think it's just the angle of the photo) The second picture shows a VERY large hook, produced by filing too far down in the tooth with too small of file. Everything is a compromise. Not picking, trying to help. You're filing yourself & that's more than a lot are willing to do. Kudos to you! It may just be my misinterpretation of the photos. If so, please disregard.
View attachment 288395 View attachment 288396 View attachment 288397

Look at these pictures file size is 3/16 as Stihl calls for in this their 3/8 Picco chain.

 

[Philbert]

Look at these pictures file size is 3/16 as Stihl calls for in this their 3/8 Picco chain.

Not sure what you are trying to show in those pictures. Both of those top plate edges look really dull.
File size should be 5/32" / 4.0 mm.


Philbert

 

[Catman]

Definitely Dull!

 

[firewoodhuntingman]

Not sure what you are trying to show in those pictures. Both of those top plate edges look really dull.
File size should be 5/32" / 4.0 mm.
View attachment 288439

Philbert

What do these cutting chips tell you?

 

[firewoodhuntingman]

Definitely Dull!

If it's dull then why is it doing a good job of cutting?

 

[Catman]

This is what sharp looks like brother! Any chain can still cut doesn’t mean it’s sharp! Just sayin

 

[davidwyby]

Looks like for whatever reason the file is getting too far down and cutting out the gullet and not sharpening the more important top. maybe not the right 2n1 for picco? That top plate (and the cutting side of the cutter) should be so sharp you can't see the edge and should easily shave your fingernail off.

 

[firewoodhuntingman]

This is what sharp looks like brother! Any chain can still cut doesn’t mean it’s sharp! Just sayinView attachment 288446

If i took the time to use brake cleaner to remove the lub from my chain, you would see it's just as nicely sharpen as in your picture brother.

Here is a picture of another chain somewhat cleaner.

 

[Philbert]

What do these cutting chips tell you?View attachment 288445

If it's dull then why is it doing a good job of cutting?

Again, always hard to tell from photos. But that looks like an old, dry, maybe 'punky' log, where you are never gonna get good chips, so that may not be a good indicator.

I prefer chips that look more like this (fresh silver maple):



Ash?


Mixed (spruce, ash, etc., ignore the grass raked up in there)


Philbert

 

[Pincher]

@firewoodhuntingman , Clean it and take picture. Sure looks peened over on top plate.

 

[firewoodhuntingman]

Again, always hard to tell from photos. But that looks like an old, dry, maybe 'punky' log, where you are never gonna get good chips, so that may not be a good indicator.

I prefer chips that look more like this (fresh silver maple):

View attachment 288451

Ash?
View attachment 288452

Mixed (spruce, ash, etc., ignore the grass raked up in there)
View attachment 288453

Philbert

Looks like you were cutting soft pine i was cutting a hard dry log, so what does your chips really tell anyone except your not getting saw dust.
My small chips of a hard wood tells me it's doing Ok.

 

[Wonkydonkey]

Here is a side view of tooth.View attachment 288286

I think people are trying to help you. There’s a lot of info available on the tinterwebs, but as always you need to know how to find it.

It’s the same If you ask on a forum, and when you show pics, they can be deceiving to someone else’s eyes.

I could also say every person has a different idea of sharp, ie just go into someone else’s kitchen a ask for a sharp knife, a real chef will ask you what you want to cut and then give you a knife.

Anyhow this pic is to help illustrate where a file needs to be held to get the better and longer lasting cutting
The finer art of sharpening a chain needs to be learnt as well. The tooth becomes smaller as you file it back and therefore the cutting angle changes abit if the file is not held at the best height , also with the depth gauge being a bit farther away this has another effect on the cutting.
The average person doesn’t notice much difference, nor do they know how to tweak it to get it to work it’s best


edit it took me some yrs to get a lot better, but there’s still more to learn

 

[Philbert]

Looks like you were cutting soft pine i was cutting a hard dry log, so what does your chips really tell anyone except your not getting saw dust.

Read it again: maple, ash, spruce.

Do you think from looking at pictures is my sharping of chain doing the job good enough?

My small chips of a hard wood tells me it's doing Ok.

What it tells me, and others on this forum, that you asked for input, but your mind is made up. The cutting edges on the chains shown are dull and damaged, and the cutters are mis-shapened. If you mounted that chain backwards on the saw, and ran it against that dry, dead log, you would still generate scrapings and dust. But that might be 'Ok' for you.

Try a new chain on that same log and see if you understand the difference: a properly sharpened chain should cut at least as well.

Anyway, I am done with this conversation.

Philbert