Not Sold On Square Filing

[toolmaker]

Well I guess this thread could start a fight, not intended though.

I am in the process of giving square filed chain a fair tryout.
25" LPX chain, Cannon superlite bar, ported 460 by Kevin.

I took the saw to work with me, cleaned it up very well, held the saw in a bench vise, and gave it a really good sharpening using my best filing skills.

Cut up a 30" Red Oak (green blowdown) last night with it.

Don't get me wrong, it cut really well and fast, but I cannot say that I see a lot of difference between this chain and a good sharpen job with a round file.

I will say that the noodles are more stringy and they clug the chain cover faster than with a round filed chain.

I will continue to square file this chain until it is worn out.

It seems like this filing technique is at or beyond the point of diminishing returns and the gains that are achieved are noticed by someone that uses a saw every day.

 

[K Mueller]

Lets see a photo of your cutter

 

[toolmaker]

Can't show you right now, I'm at work and the saw is at home. will get a pic over the weekend.

 

[toolmaker]

Here are two pics from the first time I files it, I have changed the angles a bit since this pic was taken.

 

[Moparmyway]

Where are the pictures of the square cutters ?

 

[deye223]

Where are the pictures of the square cutters ?

It looks like that is .
he's not filing into the corner any wonder it didn't work for him

 

[toolmaker]

It looks like that is .
he's not filing into the corner any wonder it didn't work for him

I mentioned above that this pc was my first pass at square filing and I changed the profile after these pics were taken

 

[Spladle160]

Please don't take this as rude or trying to be demeaning. I actually think you may be right about hand square filing not be worth it however...

Either, you are not using the correct file or you are using the correct file incorrectly. Your cutters bear no resemblance to a square filed chain. do you have a pic of the file your using and can you take pic of how your aligning it on the cutter?

 

[andyshine77]

From what I can tell those teeth are not square filed, they look round filed.

A proper square filed chain is far better cutting, but for most work it's not wort the trouble, especially if you have to file on the job. A grinder makes things easier once you get set up, but again you're not going to have a grinder with you in the woods. Some won't run anything else, and bring a bunch of chains with them though.

 

[ManiacalMark]

Looks like you’ve been cutting wood with a hammer. Cutter tooth should look more like this

 

[deye223]

 

[Homemade]

If you hold the phone farther back and use the zoom. It will focus better. Like this

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Spladle160]

If you hold the phone farther back and use the zoom. It will focus better. Like this

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good pic. ground not filed right?

 

[ManiacalMark]

I’m not sure if this will help you or not but this is how I like to file on the bench. The cutter tooth angle is more natural, much like a square grinder.

 

[Homemade]

Good pic. ground not filed right?

Yes it was a recent pic of a tooth I did. I changed an angle a bit and was asking for a critique on another topic. It was just a good pic of a tooth regardless of what the tooth actually was describing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ManiacalMark]

And this is my result

 

[Deets066]

Can't show you right now, I'm at work and the saw is at home. will get a pic over the weekend.

What file are you using?

 

[drf256]

There are multiple cutter types, but the majority are square chisel/round chisel/round semichisel/round.

The one that cuts the fastest also dulls the fastest and that’s where the problem lies with work chains. Square is wonderful until you hit anything dirty, then good luck.

I personally use round filed full chisel for work and semichisel when it’s anything that’s touched the ground already. The time spent sharpening and/or swapping chains is time I could be cutting. Semichisel, especially in .404, seems to virtually never dull.

 

[deye223]

There are multiple cutter types, but the majority are square chisel/round chisel/round semichisel/round.

The one that cuts the fastest also dulls the fastest and that’s where the problem lies with work chains. Square is wonderful until you hit anything dirty, then good luck.

I personally use round filed full chisel for work and semichisel when it’s anything that’s touched the ground already. The time spent sharpening and/or swapping chains is time I could be cutting. Semichisel, especially in .404, seems to virtually never dull.

you blokes are lucky I use .404 semi chisel all the time and lucky if we get a cubic metre and a half of firewood before we have to sharpen about every tank we got a touch up the chain

 

[drf256]

Yes. I’ve seen what your grey box looks like. The hardest I cut here is locust and hickory, which are soft by your standards. Red oak is like cutting cardboard next to dry Hickory and Locust.