Anyone try square filing their chains?

[Guydreads]

I don't have very much experience with sharpening chains, but my electric chain sharpener that cost max $35 is a marvel. It sharpens at the perfect angle, no erring in the cuts. That's what I use, and boy it is FASTER!!!

[barbender]

Son are square chisel and round chisel chains physically different, or is the difference just in the grind/filing?

[Tacotodd]

Same chain, differing sharpening styles. 

Semi-chisel is a different animal. Easier to maintain, more tolerant of mistakes, and works longer dull; but a fair amount slower and makes the saw use more fuel for a given amount of production.

These are the same analogies as comparing reg. chisel to square ground chisel EXCEPT square is a LOT harder to learn on your own. How do I know? I haven't even got to where I'm even ready to TRY It yet!

BTW, if I had the money for a full blown square chisel grinder, like the Simington or the long ago Silvey, I'd have one. But in looking back, I'm glad I did NOT have that kind of $$. I can recoup a wrecked chain fairly quick, and touch one up a lot quicker than re-chaining. AND I'd have never learned to round file so effectively!

Happy Thanksgiving!

[HolmenTree]

The idea of square ground or square filed chain dulling faster then round ground or round filed chain is totally wrong.

Whether its square filed or round filed they both have the exact same principles of limits of sharpening angles.

A round filed cutter with lots of hook in its sideplate will have very thin cutting edges in the top plate into the working corner  and dull very fast.
Same goes for the square filed cutter with steep thin angles and you don't even need to put extra hook in the sideplate.

I milled lumber on my Alaskan mill with square ground chain right off the roll without sharpening first.  The factory angles were fairly blunt but sharp and it milled alot longer, smoother and faster  then a round ground chain off the roll.

As the square ground chain progressively dulled it still greatly out performed  the round with more boards cut.
The two flat inside chisel surfaces of the chisel bit cutter are far superior in strength retaining a cutting edge plus cutting efficiency versus round filed.


 

[Real1shepherd]

Thank you, Willard. I get so tired of defending the dumb myths about square-file chain and how "easily" it dulls.....I just won't comment anymore.

People are experts on what they never or little used....that's something that's just untenable.


Kevin

[HolmenTree]

Thank you, Willard. I get so tired of defending the dumb myths about square-file chain and how "easily" it dulls.....I just won't comment anymore.

People are experts on what they never or little used....that's something that's just untenable.


Kevin

You know I actually at one time thought square filed  chain dulled faster then round filed because I never made a living cutting pulpwood with it.
Only filed square a couple times a year for racing, and those angles were very thin.
But in my last year of chainsaw milling about 7 years ago I discovered how well factory angle square filed worked  for heavy cutting.
All those years of logging I never thought to put a loop of square ground on my saw because I was  so good at round filing my chains.

[barbender]

I might have to get myself a square file and see if I can't ruin a loop or two😁

[donbj]

Thank you, Willard. I get so tired of defending the dumb myths about square-file chain and how "easily" it dulls.....I just won't comment anymore.

People are experts on what they never or little used....that's something that's just untenable.


Kevin

What!?  I watched 6 youtube videos on that. I'm an expert now!

[HolmenTree]

I might have to get myself a square file and see if I can't ruin a loop or two😁

Best way to try square ground chain is buy a couple of loops or a 25 foot roll. No difference in price from round ground.
If it doesn't work out at least you experienced cutting with it and it's easy enough to file back to sharp with a round file.

If your timber is on rock and sand free ground you have the perfect testing conditions.

I've felled and logged timber in various conditions and my first number of years was on rocky ground, very frustrating while limbing and topping but the reward was I learned to file my chain with lots of practice.  :D

Pure spruce and fir had no rock or sand, I could make my felling cuts right into the moss.
Add some pine in the stands and you get rocks and sand and I'm reaching for the file much more often.

[barbender]

First off, I by no means have a saw in my hands on a daily basis. Also, I do live on sand. It doesn't seem to be in the bark too bad though. Usually I get dull from touching the ground. I used to run semi-chisel because I was told it stayed sharp longer. Well, being that 90% of the time I dull chains by touching the dirt while bucking stuff on the ground, and they're all dull after one touch, I realized I wasn't gaining anything. Need better technique 😁 I'll have to order a loop and try it.

[HolmenTree]

Yup it's great to try it.
While cutting rounds I learned to kneel down on one knee and keep the saw level through the cut. (Keep a wedge handy in my back pocket)
The bar on a saw has a upwards angle so when held level alot less chance of hitting the ground. Saves the back too. :laugh:

[barbender]

I'm 6'6" and I have bad knees😁 I won't get down on a knee unless I know I'm going to spend some time like that😊