Filing cutters differently for hard, or soft wood

[Cedar Savage]

Does anyone file cutters differently for cutting hardwood or softwood besides me?
If I'm cutting alot of hardwood I file my cutters at 25°-30°  & a little less hook so as to get a blunter edge.
For softwoods like cedar or white pine, I file 'em around 35° & really put the hook into the tooth to get a nice fine edge. Makes alot of difference when ya stick your saw into some softwood & it rips out some nice chips. Its a little more agressive, but does it ever cut.

[bandmiller2]

CS,sounds like you've taken things up a notch from the average wood slasher.Good and sharp has always been good enough for me,although I do save almost worn out chains for white pine.How much better is your system have you ever compared.?? Frank C.

[drobertson]

cedarsavage, I kinda do the same, not being maybe as precise on angles but will blunt a lil on hard dried oak as to a more hook for pine and softer woods, it seems to help the edge hold better on the harder woods,

[lumberjack48]

I cut a lot of frozen hardwood , a full chisel chain i filed the cutter at 35 or 40 degree angle with a mild hook, rakers at 30 thou. it slices it, nice an smooth fast cutting.

Cutting softwood, i used a 25 to 30 degree angle, with aggressive hook, rakers 40 thou. it'll cut, have a good grip on the saw.

I used a 5/32 file, you can do the same with a 7/32 file, just involves a little more filing.

[proteus]

I cut a lot of frozen hardwood , a full chisel chain i filed the cutter at 35 or 40 degree angle with a mild hook, rakers at 30 thou. it slices it, nice an smooth fast cutting.

Cutting softwood, i used a 25 to 30 degree angle, with aggressive hook, rakers 40 thou. it'll cut, have a good grip on the saw.

I used a 5/32 file, you can do the same with a 7/32 file, just involves a little more filing.

LUMBERJACK appreciate your post. Would you be able to elaborate alittle. I understand about the rakers, but I thought a larger angle would give you a more aggressive cut? All of the cutting I do is for firewood. Most are of the hardwood variety OAK, WALNUT, HACKBERRY etc.

[AdkStihl]

I cut a lot of frozen hardwood , a full chisel chain i filed the cutter at 35 or 40 degree angle with a mild hook, rakers at 30 thou. it slices it, nice an smooth fast cutting.

Cutting softwood, i used a 25 to 30 degree angle, with aggressive hook, rakers 40 thou. it'll cut, have a good grip on the saw.

I used a 5/32 file, you can do the same with a 7/32 file, just involves a little more filing.

Absolutely!!       

[HolmenTree]

Hey guys these angles and settings may have been done and gotten away with back in the day, when we were hardened loggers while using the older style less aggressive sawchain.
But we're putting out something here that may get someone hurt.

You put these settings on todays chain with their super hook etc someones gonna get hurt. Even with the old chisel chains I never put these  settings in. I have cut alot of frozen wood hard and soft with 3/8 chisel chain and I would never go over 30° on the top plate in softwood, frozen or hardwood 20°- 25°.
Now when you say .040 thousands" on the rakers if you're using the Carlton File 0 Plate, that progressive setting would only be .040 when the cutters are filed back small to almost nothing. Someone here will think .040 is good when the cutters are brand new and along with the 35°-40° top plate angle they're gonna be a victim to a potential serious kickback.

The previous stated top plate angles are completely backwards for softwood and frozen hardwood too BTW.

[jocco]

Holman I am going to have to do judgement in your favor here ;D lots of tricks on sawchain but you are right there is a danger here. LETS NOT FORGET SOMEONE MIGHT BE USING A HYPED UP 100CC PLUS SAW TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE :

Hey guys these angles and settings may have been done and gotten away with back in the day, when we were hardened loggers while using the older style less aggressive sawchain.
But we're putting out something here that may get someone hurt.

You put these settings on todays chain with their super hook etc someones gonna get hurt. Even with the old chisel chains I never put these  settings in. I have cut alot of frozen wood hard and soft with 3/8 chisel chain and I would never go over 30° on the top plate in softwood, frozen or hardwood 20°- 25°.
Now when you say .040 thousands" on the rakers if you're using the Carlton File 0 Plate, that progressive setting would only be .040 when the cutters are filed back small to almost nothing. Someone here will think .040 is good when the cutters are brand new and along with the 35°-40° top plate angle they're gonna be a victim to a potential serious kickback.

The previous stated top plate angles are completely backwards for softwood and frozen hardwood too BTW.

[AdkStihl]

LETS NOT FORGET SOMEONE MIGHT BE USING A HYPED UP 100CC PLUS SAW TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE :

Someone with a 6+ cube saw has typically filed a chain or two before and hopefully knows how to handle a saw. Ya cant buy hopped up 100cc saws @ Clone Cheapo or Slows.

[HolmenTree]

Holman I am going to have to do judgement in your favor here ;D lots of tricks on sawchain but you are right there is a danger here. LETS NOT FORGET SOMEONE MIGHT BE USING A HYPED UP 100CC PLUS SAW TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE :

Hey guys these angles and settings may have been done and gotten away with back in the day, when we were hardened loggers while using the older style less aggressive sawchain.
But we're putting out something here that may get someone hurt.

You put these settings on todays chain with their super hook etc someones gonna get hurt. Even with the old chisel chains I never put these  settings in. I have cut alot of frozen wood hard and soft with 3/8 chisel chain and I would never go over 30° on the top plate in softwood, frozen or hardwood 20°- 25°.
Now when you say .040 thousands" on the rakers if you're using the Carlton File 0 Plate, that progressive setting would only be .040 when the cutters are filed back small to almost nothing. Someone here will think .040 is good when the cutters are brand new and along with the 35°-40° top plate angle they're gonna be a victim to a potential serious kickback.

The previous stated top plate angles are completely backwards for softwood and frozen hardwood too BTW.

Thanks for that jocco.
I'm not trying to argue with anyone here and excuse me if it came out that way. But to everyone here I have to say that I have seen too many fellow loggers I used to work with  back in the day, who got permanent chainsaw cuts [mostly to the face]. These scars which disfigured them must have been one heck of a terrible thing to get over and live with. They probably had alot of good job oppurtunities turned down because of it.
Even the police for example look at these guys differently. I wouldn't wish a kickback injury of any kind to my worst enemy.
Again sorry to have sounded heavy handed.........a little common sense with the file or grinder goes along ways.

[HolmenTree]

There's lots of big powerful 066s, 394s,etc on e-bay for sale cheap. Don't discount the many 266s, 044s or any saw for that goes.
Stick a 18-20" b/c on a 066, file the rakers down to .040 , file the cutter top plate angle at 40° then let your buddy go out to the woodlot to fell a tree. He precedes to cut the limbs off a standing tree to about shoulder high so he can start his notch......then WHAM he gets nailed in the face with the nose of the bar, chain is taking out teeth and his cheek is hanging like a sows ear.

Now if I was the owner of this saw and that saw hurt my friend like this I'd have a hard time living with my self, knowing what I did wrong filing that chain.

Same can be said about giving bad advice.

[AdkStihl]

There's lots of big powerful 066s, 394s,etc on e-bay for sale cheap. Don't discount the many 266s, 044s or any saw for that goes.
Stick a 18-20" b/c on a 066, file the rakers down to .040 , file the cutter top plate angle at 40° then let your buddy go out to the woodlot to fell a tree. He precedes to cut the limbs off a standing tree to about shoulder high so he can start his notch......then WHAM he gets nailed in the face with the nose of the bar, chain is taking out teeth and his cheek is hanging like a sows ear.

Now if I was the owner of this saw and that saw hurt my friend like this I'd have a hard time living with my self, knowing what I did wrong filing that chain.

Same can be said about giving bad advice.

That kinda makes it sink in dont it!!

I wasnt dissagreeing with ya Holmen.

[jocco]

Well ADK i too have seen to many people buy 80>cc saws to cut toothpicks also bars way to long=good chance to cut your legs/feet.  Rakers taken way down and saw would almost jump out of your hands.

LETS NOT FORGET SOMEONE MIGHT BE USING A HYPED UP 100CC PLUS SAW TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE :

Someone with a 6+ cube saw has typically filed a chain or two before and hopefully knows how to handle a saw. Ya cant buy hopped up 100cc saws @ Clone Cheapo or Slows.

[jocco]

Saw lots of nasty saw cuts years back :( OF COURSE NOTHING WRON WITH 6-7 CUBE SAWS) ;D EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A DOZEN  TAKE CARE HOLMEN ;D

There's lots of big powerful 066s, 394s,etc on e-bay for sale cheap. Don't discount the many 266s, 044s or any saw for that goes.
Stick a 18-20" b/c on a 066, file the rakers down to .040 , file the cutter top plate angle at 40° then let your buddy go out to the woodlot to fell a tree. He precedes to cut the limbs off a standing tree to about shoulder high so he can start his notch......then WHAM he gets nailed in the face with the nose of the bar, chain is taking out teeth and his cheek is hanging like a sows ear.

Now if I was the owner of this saw and that saw hurt my friend like this I'd have a hard time living with my self, knowing what I did wrong filing that chain.

Same can be said about giving bad advice.

[lumberjack48]

I'm not looking to get anybody hurt, but i have say, most the guys that don't know how to file have their rakers about cut off from trying to get the saw to cut. I seen this over and over with guys i've helped.
9 out of 10 times i've seen a guy get cut, it was with a dull chain.

When using file-o-plate on a chain out of the box, cutting rakers and ect, it well cut faster then a new chain until the cutters break off. But reading this maybe the file-o-plate is a little to aggressive for the average cutter.
Most of your raker gauges are .040, when i started filing in 1960 that was what we used. Its not the big saw that dangerous, its little saw, these 10 lb saw's well come up and cut your nose off so quick

The reason that guy got cut wasn't the saws fault or how the chain was filed, he didn't judge the length of the bar or who really knows. Anytime time your limbing dry limbs off a standing tree, you better know what your doing, this is about the most dangerous thing you can do with a chainsaw. I did this a couple hundred times day when cutting Balsam or Jack Pine.

[HolmenTree]

When using file-o-plate on a chain out of the box, cutting rakers and ect, it well cut faster then a new chain until the cutters break off. But reading this maybe the file-o-plate is a little to aggressive for the average cutter.

Now when you say .040 thousands" on the rakers if you're using the Carlton File 0 Plate, that progressive setting would only be .040 when the cutters are filed back small to almost nothing. Someone here will think .040 is good when the cutters are brand new .

No it's not too aggressive for the average cutter, it's perfectly safe to file with when it progressively sets the rakers [depth gauges ] to .040 when the cutter teeth are filed to the smallest size. 
The File O Plate setting starts a "new" chain's rakers  off at .025" that's how it was designed. As the cutter's cutting edge is filed back towards the heel of the cutter, the File O Plate automatically adjusts itself to progressively make the raker clearance setting larger.

Oregon sawchain never had the progressive patented tool Carlton had, so to keep things simple their specs always said .025" from start to finish.
But Ray Carlton had a better idea proving a sawchain will cut to maximum efficiency with the rakers much lower then .025 when the cutters are filed to the smallest size.

   
 

[John Mc]

Oregon sawchain never had the progressive patented tool Carlton had, so to keep things simple their specs always said .025" from start to finish.
But Ray Carlton had a better idea proving a sawchain will cut to maximum efficiency with the rakers much lower then .025 when the cutters are filed to the smallest size.

The Carlton tool works just fine on the Oregon chains I've used it on (as do the Husky tools which work on the same principle).  Another advantage of these style tools is that they custom-fit the rake to the cutting tooth that follows it, rather than figuring an "average" height by laying one of the other type gauges across two or more teeth and measuring the drop down from there (I know that's a lousy description).  The carlton-style measurement means that it's far less important to have all your teeth filed to the same length.

[HolmenTree]

Since Oregon and Stihl redesigned their chains under 10 years ago calling them "Anti-Vibe" and "Comfort" respectively, by lowering the heel of the cutters.
I'm thinking by tipping the cutter backwards this is going to make the File O Plate depth gauge setting  more aggressive on these modern chains.

[gman98]

I remember my first week bucking pine I got a little ahead of my skill levels and decided to take a few good extra sweeps off my rakers on a husky 372xp with a 20" full chisel chain.  Right after that the landing got swamped with pine and my the time they were all bucked, I was positive my arms were gonna fall right off