More durable then Oregon 73DPX072G chain?

[John Mc]

90˚ works, but the 10˚ down angle seems to work a bit better on some chains.

I think it was Al Smith who pointed out that the 10˚ down angle seemed to make Total/Carlton chains cut worse. (I may be remembering the brand wrong, or it could be only applicable to certain types of chains within those brands).

[HolmenTree]

Yes Stihl no longer specs 10° down on the file handle but Oregon still does for their chains. I myself learned that technique from day 1 back in the 70's and still use it today.
Here's a page from my Stihl 066 manual from the early 90's when they did spec it. Notice the difference is explained in mild weather softwood cutting and wood with frost [frozen]. Ignore the 10°C ,looks like a misprint with the C probably meaning celcius temperature. German to English miss translation.


 

[John Mc]

HolmenTree - Do you save everything? Seems like quite a collection of vintage chainsaw articles.

[pine]

I know that touching up a chain every tank or at most every other tank really keeps the chain at peak cutting performance and actually saves on chain wear/life since less metal is taken off in the long run compared to a major grind when the chain is really dull.
I can guarantee that I have never blued a tip with a hand file. ;D

Someday I will actually time it but I suspect that I can hand touch up a chain in the same time that I can remove and replace a loop on the saw.  This is based on a 20 inch bar with RS or a 28 inch with full or semi-skip RS loops.

[pine]

Yes Stihl no longer specs 10° down on the file handle but Oregon still does for their chains. I myself learned that technique from day 1 back in the 70's and still use it today.

Did not know they dropped the 10 degree.  I agree that is the way my books/manuals state it and I learned way back when.

[HolmenTree]

HolmenTree - Do you save everything? Seems like quite a collection of vintage chainsaw articles.

Yes I do John. :D
A lot of "lost information" is not on the internet, only in paper format from times gone bye.

[Dave Shepard]

I timed touch up filing of full comp square ground* Stihl chain a few times. It didn't take long, no longer than to swap a chain. Bunged up cutters and you would have to take a few more strokes.


*This was RSLK chain, the kind you need a six sided file for.

[pine]

I have never done and have always wanted to learn how to file RSLK teeth.  Some say it is not worth it  (the local dealers being the biggest proponents of that, probably because they can't) and to just turn them into RS chains with a round file but I have always wanted to learn how.

[Dave Shepard]

It is much faster than round filed, but I would avoid it in really dirty conditions. When you loose the corner on RSLK, it really stops cutting. I have to special order it, nobody carries it anymore around here. The one shop that did, I think he even sold his Silvey grinder, although I never have my chains ground. If RSLK gets rocked too bad, just round file it and carry on. :D

[Andyshine77]

I lower the file handle about 5° when sharpening both Stihl and Oregon chain, I found 10° made the corner too blunt for my taste. Both Stihl and Oregon round filed full chisel chains have too much hook these days, and they are in fact setting the depth gauges with less clearance to compensate.

I have done testing and haven't found out of the box square filed SRLK chain to cut any faster than RS round filed full chisel. Square filed Oregon is a little faster, but the edge doesn't last long. Most think round filed chain holds an edge better than square. All you have to do is look at the tooth and the amount of support the working corner has. With the proper angles square filed chain will in fact have a more durable working corner.       

[Al_Smith]

I think it was Frank Wright  AKA Crofter who showed me the error of my ways with that Carlton I got from Baileys on the cheap .It was on sale for 10-12 bucks a pop for a 20 inch loop .So it's been some time ago .

I forgot what actually was wrong but it did not cut worth a hoot with a compound angle.Never took the time to figure it out really .Just filed it straight across and it did fine .

There are  probabley a couple loops hanging on a nail in my garage some place .

[pine]

It is much faster than round filed, but I would avoid it in really dirty conditions. When you loose the corner on RSLK, it really stops cutting. I have to special order it, nobody carries it anymore around here. The one shop that did, I think he even sold his Silvey grinder, although I never have my chains ground. If RSLK gets rocked too bad, just round file it and carry on. :D

We have a lot of RSLK out here.  I have bought it when I could not find RS.  Unfortunately everyone that does not have the required special grinder just has it sharpened as RS round which wastes cutter steel. The loops that I have use seem to cut much faster but it does dull faster and if you touch soil it goes bad much faster than round. 
How did you learn to file it? Trial and error or did someone show you?

[Andyshine77]

Without a square grinder you'll need a file like the ones used in this link. http://www.madsens1.com/bnc_filing_cb.htm

http://youtu.be/JZMuqKxwc60

[HolmenTree]

On my Alaskan mill I found .404 square ground chain held a better edge then round filed chisel .404 by far.
My past experience with square chisel bit chain was only with competition race chain where I filed it with a homemade jig.
I first learned the good competition angles with a square ground chain Madsen's head  tech ground for me around 1980. He was educated well on competition chain angles.
I then made a homemade jig to file with set at those angles.

I wish I can remember the tech's name. I think it was Steve, he had curly light hair with glasses. The other tech had one missing finger, can't remember his name either.

[Dave Shepard]

It is much faster than round filed, but I would avoid it in really dirty conditions. When you loose the corner on RSLK, it really stops cutting. I have to special order it, nobody carries it anymore around here. The one shop that did, I think he even sold his Silvey grinder, although I never have my chains ground. If RSLK gets rocked too bad, just round file it and carry on. :D

We have a lot of RSLK out here.  I have bought it when I could not find RS.  Unfortunately everyone that does not have the required special grinder just has it sharpened as RS round which wastes cutter steel. The loops that I have use seem to cut much faster but it does dull faster and if you touch soil it goes bad much faster than round. 
How did you learn to file it? Trial and error or did someone show you?

I learned to file by trial and error, just like I learned to file round chisel. I don't file into the chrome like most people would have you do it, I file from behind the chrome, the same as you would for round filed chisel.

I disagree that RSLK isn't any faster out of the box than RS. I think it is much faster, in both hard and softwoods. I've run it in white oak, locust and ash. Ash is by far the worst for dulling, and I don't think it dulls any faster than RS in good cutting conditions, but will not tolerate a lot of dirt.

[LeeB]

I guess seeing as how I totally threw this off track, how would the RSLK compare to 73DPX072G?  :D :D

[HolmenTree]

Still on my to buy list.... a high quality chisel bit bench mounted grinder.

[SawTroll]

I guess seeing as how I totally threw this off track, how would the RSLK compare to 73DPX072G?  :D :D

They are for totally different applications, so they really don't compare at all. You just can't compare a square ground chisel chain to a semi chisel.

The Stihl counterpart of the 73DPX is the 35RS/RSC.

Yes, Stihl make all popular designs in .325 and 3/8" in .058 - it just is a matter of ordering it.  ;)

[Al_Smith]

I've got some square but I don't use it much for the simple fact most of my work is on dead trees which it doesn't hold up real good on .Oh I can file it but it's a royal pain the buttocks .

[MNBobcat]

Yes, Stihl make all popular designs in .325 and 3/8" in .058 - it just is a matter of ordering it.  ;)

Is there any online sites where the Stihl chain can be ordered or do you have to go through a local dealer?

[terrifictimbersllc]

Yes, Stihl make all popular designs in .325 and 3/8" in .058 - it just is a matter of ordering it.  ;)

Is there any online sites where the Stihl chain can be ordered or do you have to go through a local dealer?

Bailey's has it in some styles.
http://www.baileysonline.com/Chainsaw-Chain/Chainsaw-Chain-3-8-Pitch/Semi-Chisel-Chainsaw-Chain-3-8-x-050/Stihl-33RM-Chainsaw-Chain/