Grinding off lowkick back bumpers?

[mocoon]

Got a few loops of oregon low-kickback 33SL for free. Can you grind the low-kickback "bumpers," or should I just leave them. Those stupid things get in my way. They won't let me cut with the tip what so ever when I need to do so.

[mad murdock]

Prolly a good reason you didn't pay anything for them. I would sooner use a tuned up misery whip over that anti kickback chain. I can't stand the stuff.

[mocoon]

No kidding. It is just one big pain in the you know what to use them. I can't get any work done with them what so ever.

[Philbert]

It's not my favorite chain, but it cuts if sharp. Just not so good for bore cuts or longer bars.

A couple of better options:

- use it for firewood or other tasks that do not involve bore cutting, extending the useful life of your other chains;

- put them on CraigsList or see if you can swap them for something you can use.

I collect a lot of unloved chain and re-gift it to folks who want/need/use it.

Philbert

[deerslayer]

I don't recognize your chain from the number but I have ground off low kickback bumpers before. it doesn't take very long if you do it with the chain off the saw and use a bench grinder. Fold the chain double to where the offending bumper link is exposed and hit it on the bench grinder. (fairly aggressive wheel grit helps)

Keep in mind that the bumper doesn't need to be completely removed to solve the problem, I probably take them about halfway or a bit more down from what they were. Most of the time for my purposes the low kickback chain works acceptably but some of the styles with the long shark fin are a pain. I wouldn't spend much time trying to remedy them but it only takes about 5 minutes to grind down the bumper links on a 16-20" chain.

[ladylake]

 
Just grind them off on the bench grinder  in about 2 minutes , makes a nice cutting chain with them gone.  Steve

[sawguy21]

deerslayer it is 20LP with extra anti kick bumpers. Oregon has discontinued it along with 34SL (.058), few liked the stuff.

[redfin]

I was given a loop of stihl green dot.  By the time I got the chain back to a good chisel and set the guides.  The guides and safety tooth were ground to the same height.

I didn't really like that much material at the same height pulling through so I hit the safety "teeth" with a flap wheel on my angle grinder.  Chain is now just as my other yellow dots.