Truth about Carbide tipped chains

[Logging logginglogging]

So the guy at the local Stihl dealer says he ran a carbide tipped chain in the dirt and rocks a few times and cut your normal clean /  somewhat dirty spring firewood with this chain, (20 cords worth) and he didn't have to sharpen it once. IS this even close to the truth? Who makes the best carbide chain? I am usually partial to Oregon chains.

So if I spend the money on one of these chains, can I cut 10 - 20 cord a year without sharpening if I don't run it in dirt and rocks?

[sawguy21]

Carbide tipped chain is designed for rescue and demolition work, it will cut clean wood but is slow. It does need to be sharpened periodically but very few shops are equipped to do it.  Stihl and Rapco are the only manufacturers I am aware of. At over three bucks a link, I suggest a box of files and learn how to use them.

[Logging logginglogging]

I can sharpen a chain just fine, However I was told these could do all that work and only need to be taken in for a grinding once and a while. and they only charged 10 bucks.
I am not talking about rescue chain, this carbide chain is for normal work. Think of it as the carbide tips on a feller buncher.

[lumberjack48]

  L C S has it, carbide coated chain. I sold Carlton carbide coated chain back it the 90's, it ran about $26 a chain. I had the crew using it on the landing. Alls depends on the wood your cutting, it will stay sharp 5 to 10 times longer. And it can be sharped in the field with a good file. I used it about 3 yrs, never had one on a grinder.
  I found a, 3/8 pitch, 50 gauge, 84 drivers for $43.

[Texas-Jim]

The duro series chain is not a coated chain. It has a carbide tooth oven brazed to a standard chain. I sell a few but not many, main reason is i cant sharpen them. A regular grinding wheel wont touch it, takes a diamond wheel and at 200 bucks its not worth my time. As for using a file, might work on a coated chain but not one of these.
Now on to life, the few people that use them "claim" 4 to 5 times the life of a regular chain. They can take a lot more of a dirty environment than a normal chain. But carbide will dull just like anything else, if you hit rocks or the dirt very  briefly you might not tell much difference.  Bad thing is that those brazed tip can break off if you get silly. They run upwards of 70 bucks depending on size so it can be a practical chain especially if you have a shop can sharpen them.

[Paul_H]

I have a diamond wheel and sharpen some but the chains are expensive,won't ever cut as well as a properly sharpened regular chain and they are brittle and will chip and break.
One fellow bought a chain for demolision and the nails he hit damaged the chain very quickly.

[lumberjack48]

  When buying firewood always try to buy winter cut. I've seen some summer cut wood so dirty that it just about impossible to saw it up.
  I would run the ground round chisel carbide coated chain. The trick is to keep it sharp, keep your eye on the very tip of the cutter. When you see a gray edge, stop and sharpen up. It takes about five minutes to put the edge back on.
When a chain is run until it won't cut, its a 30 minute job to bring it back to life and about four files.

[Logging logginglogging]

Thinking about trying one of the duro chains. We will see what happens. I always buy winter cut wood delivered in spring, and for the most part its clean wood. now and then you get a dirty log or two.

[Brandon1986]

We bought one once for cutting frost/sod to dig a grave this time of year... Worked marginally. Was still able to cut wood afterward... Marginally..

[joe_indi]

What good would these chains do if the tips are carbide, but the tie straps and rivets are regular. With 5 to 10 times more life (for the cutters only) over regular chains, at some point in a carbide chains life you are going to end up on one hand with a lot of cutters with still more life in them, and in the other had? a pileful of worn out tie straps and rivets!
Joe

[Kbeitz]

Roofers use them to cut through shingled roofs and lumber with nails...
Big $$$