Advanced chain sharpening.

[Wonky]

On 12/10/2018 at 18:10, neiln said:

I know!  But as the photos show, the guide is marked as 3/8"P which is the chain (3/8" picco) the file size is marked on too, 4mm, and as you can see I checked with the digital caliper that is the file size fitted.

 

I agree it looks wrong though.  Looked ok for ages but got progressively more weird as the cutters got short.  Still cuts though, well in fact.

 

I have a second 2in1 for standard 3/8" chain, with 5.5mm files... Which seems to take more from the rakers and leaves a good cutter shape.... Although I've not done so much filing on those chains, they may get weird as they get short too perhaps.

Do as bucking billy says, 

 

 

[Wonky]

So as we’re talking advanced sharpening, there are a few alternative methods, depending on manufacturer of raker height (aka, depth gauges) Has anyone use these, if so what’s your comparison, what’s of better or just ok or rubbish

 

And a bit from madsens1.com

http://www.madsens1.com/bnc_depth_gauge.htm

[difflock]

E' ba Gum, ah nivver knowed there wuz so much ta fetteling ah chain.

 

But in my limited experience running .325" on the wee 026, I stick with one file size, and being unaware of any possible  issues, have always blythly filed down into the tie straps, I have lost an occasional well filed away tooth, but never broken a chain, prob due to my limited saw power?

I suppose I always intiutively followed the line or angle  of the top of the tooth when filing, simply to preserve the geometry of the cutting edge of the tooth, and accepted this took me down into the tiestraps.

Thinking about that, since there must be less drag on a filed/worn chain, there should be less likelyhood of snapping the tiestraps, ergo filing a bit out of them towards the end of the chains life is probably no odds.

mth

[Stubby]

9 hours ago, Wonky said:

So as we’re talking advanced sharpening, there are a few alternative methods, depending on manufacturer of raker height (aka, depth gauges) Has anyone use these, if so what’s your comparison, what’s of better or just ok or rubbish

 

And a bit from madsens1.com

http://www.madsens1.com/bnc_depth_gauge.htm

If felling only soft wood you can have the rakers lower than spec and a full or semi skip chain on long bars . No good on hard wood though , low rakers I mean .  I once bought a " west Coast " saw ( 385XP ) that had a 30" bar, narrow kirf  semi chiz with vertually no rakers left but 80% cutter lenghth left .  I was told it was a soft wood only set up .

[Haironyourchest]

I just use the chain grinder to set the rakers, set a depth and just pull the chain along under the disk so it takes off the top of the raker. I eyeball it with a straight edge till the gap looks right. Probably too low mostly but I hate rakers that are too proud.

[Rough Hewn]

Thought I'd update this thread with an email from
StihlGB:

Thank you for your patience surrounding your question, this response has been sent on behalf of the Technical Team.

After receiving information from our research and development department, we have concluded that it is advisable to use the recommended file diameter for the entire useable saw chain.

The main reason for this conclusion is due to the existing complexity with sharpening saw chain. We believe our chain sharpening guide is quite comprehensive and an excellent reference for the majority of chainsaw users.
You may know the range of chain profiles we produce, each of which would have a different optimal location for dropping a file size.

A concern you raised during our conversation was related to the strength of the chain elements after sharpening.
Our testing found that although a small amount of material would be removed from the adjoining drive link (when using the advised file size); there are more weighted factors contributing to chain failure than this witness mark.

We understand that the method of sharpening you have described is commonly used, but there is currently no evidence supporting or countering this method.

I have included images of a chain sharpened using both methods.

I hope this provides some clarification.

Kind regards,

Customer Relations Advisor

Well I'm grateful for the effort stihl have gone to,
to look into the matter.
[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

[Khriss]

......in providing a non-answer you mean.

 

It's down to experience and accuracy, you know when yr saw is cutting well ( just before you lend it out ! ) k

[westphalian]

who the hell lends their saw out...for the second time??

[Ratman]

who the hell lends their saw out...for the second time??

Westy..... when do you want your saw back? [emoji6]

[Khriss]

......don't judge me ! K