I need to know if the round filed square tooth chain is better than the square filed square tooth chain? What would be best for hardwood? What would work best on my Stihl MS440 Magnum? Thanks! 8)
Square filed chain is better cutting in clean wood but a pain to sharpen without many hours invested in learning the process.
I'll just elaborate on what Kevin said, as he's absolutely correct. A square ground chain is more aggressive, and will eat through clean and dirty wood as well. But a round filed chain will hold it's cutting efficiency better in dirty wood than a square filed chain will. The round chain, is also easier to file. If you're felling, go with square. If you're bucking or processing wood that's been on the ground for a while, and is covered in moss, dirt and sand, go with round. Either will work on your 440.
Jeff
Sorry, I mean't to say stihl super (RS) and stihl super( L).
Yeah, what Kevin and Jeff said ;)
There is not much exposure at all to square ground chisel here on the East Coast. I learned from a fellow who had a logging business in Oregon who moved to Vermont after a divorce. There is flat out nothing that cuts a fast as square ground, and nothing that dulls as quick in the dirt.
Another word of caution, your saw may not handle as long of a bar, or require something less than a full complement chain when using square ground. Semi Skip and full skip chains are popular in square ground profiles for this reason.
Captain
I have a Windsor cahin sharpener I use on all my round ground chains. I have never seen a square ground chain so here is my stupid questoin.
Can you use a conventional sharpener that has the wheel profiled for a square grind?
If not, how do you sharpen them?
It is very rare to see a logging operation running round ground chain on power saws in Oregon. It is also rare to see anyone that can file a chain around here anymore. The cutters here use square ground exclusively and own a grinder or send chains out for sharpenning. Very few attempt to hand file it since there is a learning curve involved and time is money. All the shops that cater to professionals out here have good quality square grinders. Very few have grinders for round ground. The cutters carry several chains and swap them out when they get dull. They grind them when they get home. Check Baileys for the Silvi chain grinders
I use Oregon square ground semi skip chain for falling. I have used Stihl chain but it is hard to justify the added expense when I can get the Oregon chain for 9.98 a loop.
When the square ground eventually dulls I throw it on the grinder and grind it to a round profile. I use these chains for firewood and yardwork. I tried hand filing the square ground but I cannot see well enough to get the angles right.
Captain,
I think running sq.ground chain tends to run smoother and more easy on longer bars because of the better cutting and less friction. Now, my longest bar is a 28" on a tuned 385XP. I only run full comp chain and I can really lean down on the saw when running it with my hand filed square chain as opposed to the more "grippy" round filed chain. Mabye your rakers are a bit on the low side?
Ola