Round filed “square angle”

[mrxlh]

Anyone ever replicated the angle of square filed with a round file before? I tried it this afternoon on a new Oregon EXL without touching the rakers, it was perfect for noodling, needed more off the rakers for bucking. It most mimics the Goof file side plate. First 2 are taking the gullet out with a 5/32 file for chip cleanout. 2nd 2 are gullet removed with a 7/32.

 

[Duane(Pa)]

 

[davidwyby]

On the right, is .404 chain, 1/4” file handle 10° down. This leaves the leading edge of the side cutter more vertical and with less hook (more durable). It also leaves the inside angle of the top cutter sharper and more aggressive on the opposite side of the cutter. 25° top plate angle. Less top plate angle lessens the sharpness of the inside angle. 0° file tilt angle leaves both angles the same (left cutter).

Next, I filed out the inside with a 5/32” with a more aggressive top plate angle, but without going high enough to change the top plate angle. The side and top cutters are now sharper.




This is almost square, but the inside corner still has a bit of restriction in it because of the radius of the round file.


I was going to leave it at that but then I decided to play a bit with a generic three sided file.

 

[davidwyby]

As @Philbert says, the files don’t matter so much as knowing what you want the cutter to look like.