Somebody Owes Me Some Money

[huskihl]

Stihl puts a heavier plating on their cutters than all other chain companies so the are harder on files. The fallers around here wouldn't run the Stihl chain for that reason.

The plating might be better, but the steel is better also if a file notices it

 

[Gullet]

Well, ANY steel file should be heat treated in the 60-63 Rockwell Hardness range...
I'd bet some heavy $$$ there aren't any chains heat treated that hard.
Somethings wrong here?

 

[Gullet]

I've had trouble sharpening vintage axes (Rixford, Mann's & Plumbs) in the past with cheapish files & started using Pferd flat files & that problem disappeared.

 

[Squareground3691]

Well, ANY steel file should be heat treated in the 60-63 Rockwell Hardness range...
I'd bet some heavy $$$ there aren't any chains heat treated that hard.
Somethings wrong here?

The lack of QC and testing in the raw materials and manufacturing of a quality product,

 

[Seachaser]

I just sharpened a Stihl chain today using a Pferd.

 

[Loony661]

In my experience, Pferd files have been great. Timber Savage are aggressive, but don’t last as long. Stihl chain is harder than Oregon. Stihl does not file as easily, but it also not hard to sharpen. It holds it’s edge much better than Oregon. Husqvarna flat files have been a great value, and last a good while. Stahl’s Supplies is awesome, and I order from them frequently for my logging supplies. They take care of their customers.

 

[davidwyby]

I have no use for Oregon files. Stihl ok I guess. Pferd aggressive, ok. Favorite are husky intensive cut. Got some Nicholson because of this thread. They look and feel good.

 

[AVB]

Well a couple years ago I had a customer that brought in 8 chains to be sharpen. I went through six Pferd files as they got dull fast and I had blisters too. Some the hardest cutters I ever ran into. I tried to get the customer to tell what chains he had brought but didn't remember per say.

This is when I switch over to an Oregon chain grinder and have not look back to hand filing. Just got to patience and don't get to aggressive and burn the cutters. BTW the Harbor chain grinder is a piece of crap; didn't last a season before it was sloppy as heck.

 

[HumBurner]

Well a couple years ago I had a customer that brought in 8 chains to be sharpen. I went through six Pferd files as they got dull fast and I had blisters too. Some the hardest cutters I ever ran into. I tried to get the customer to tell what chains he had brought but didn't remember per say.

This is when I switch over to an Oregon chain grinder and have not look back to hand filing. Just got to patience and don't get to aggressive and burn the cutters. BTW the Harbor chain grinder is a piece of crap; didn't last a season before it was sloppy as heck.

Were the cutters hardened from use? If you keep pushing the chain past its point of sharp-sharp, it will make the edge harder than normal and tougher to file.

 

[Loony661]

Were the cutters hardened from use? If you keep pushing the chain past its point of sharp-sharp, it will make the edge harder than normal and tougher to file.

As will setting a just used, hot chain down into snow. It will harden the teeth so much that a file will just skate across them.

 

[HumBurner]

As will setting a just used, hot chain down into snow. It will harden the teeth so much that a file will just skate across them.

That's good to file away in my brain as I don't cut in snow normally. 2022/23's snowstorms (2-7' of snow around here), and subsequent damage, inspired me to buy some heated-handle saws.


Edit: three of the same rocker-drummer gremlins, but no rimshot gremlin. I'm sad.

 

[mainer_in_ak]

I have no use for Oregon files. Stihl ok I guess. Pferd aggressive, ok. Favorite are husky intensive cut. Got some Nicholson because of this thread. They look and feel good.

Yep same here. The made in china Oregon brand round files are terrible. The oregon brand Swiss flat file for rakers is great though.

I agree, pfered are aggressive. Something like dpx oregon chain with the extra layer of crhome plating, sharpening with pferd files, those little chrome shards come flinging up to eye level!

Thinking strongly about safety glasses sharpening chains from here on out.

 

[Squareground3691]

 

[ZERO]

@Squareground3691 right there with you. Just scored 24x on a good sale price.

My original file still going after 2x seasons, both 325 and 3/8.

 

[Seachaser]

Link for Vallorbe files?

 

[Squareground3691]

Link for Vallorbe files?

Amick's Outdoor Equipment Superstore

 

[davidwyby]

I just had to sharpen some hardened stihl cutters. The Nicholson file feels coarse and aggressive in the hand but the finer stihl file cut better and more smoothly. Nicholson wanted to skate.

 

[Seachaser]

Amick's Outdoor Equipment Superstore

Thanks!

 

[Squareground3691]

I just had to sharpen some hardened stihl cutters. The Nicholson file feels coarse and aggressive in the hand but the finer stihl file cut better and more smoothly. Nicholson wanted to skate.

Sometimes less is more better ,

 

[Hinerman]

Well a couple years ago I had a customer that brought in 8 chains to be sharpen. I went through six Pferd files as they got dull fast and I had blisters too. Some the hardest cutters I ever ran into. I tried to get the customer to tell what chains he had brought but didn't remember per say.

This is when I switch over to an Oregon chain grinder and have not look back to hand filing. Just got to patience and don't get to aggressive and burn the cutters. BTW the Harbor chain grinder is a piece of crap; didn't last a season before it was sloppy as heck.

Are grinder hardened/burned/blued cutters a bad thing?