The Holy grail?

[Trailoftears]

Good info.Ironically this rather tortuous tale all started with me deciding to replace my ageing 'chuck it in the roofbox' 181 c utility saw.So my first thought was to treat myself (after much head/arse-scratching)to the little ms 241 c-m saw.But given the price between that and the 261 is only £30,it seemed silly not to buy the bigger saw.It strikes me Stihl are overpricing the smaller saw by £75?Then they would sell in higher volumes I'm sure.Logically for me,it makes sense in that the 181 still totters along,and the 261 makes sense as a middle ground before getting my hefty ms441 out on  20"/25" bar.Hence the attraction of adding an 18"bar to the 261 for a tad more flexibility.However,in my heart of hearts I still totally want the 241 as well!Xmas is coming,but my good lady would 

A:leave me.B: savagely berate me at the v.least.So for now discretion is deffo the best part of valour.However,it has crossed my extremely nefarious mind that If I jolly up the 181-new bar/chain and just generously give it to her Dad as a really kind/out of the blue gesture-you never know....

 

[Dan Maynard]

Interesting you put part worn chain up, I have a theory the reason people say chain cuts faster as you get towards the end of life is that the kerf gets narrower.

[bmp01]

1 hour ago, Dan Maynard said:

Interesting you put part worn chain up, I have a theory the reason people say chain cuts faster as you get towards the end of life is that the kerf gets narrower.

Part worn chain coz that is what is on the ol' 028AVS, I know there's a vice in the picture but the vice is holding the bar/saw.

I believe you are spot on with that explanation of used chains, that and the tooth height gets lower with wear so saw might pull a few more pm ?

 

Ok, confession time - I got muddled with this thread and the bar & chain 261 upgrade thread that Trailoftears kindly posted - hence my comments of 3/8 picco chain speed up the page.  Also I was off doing a comparison of chain 'kerf' width for 0.325 x 0.063 and the 3/8 x1.3 (picco). Sadly I dont have a 0.325 x 0.050 bar/chain.

I might as well add the 3/8 x 1.3 picture....here you go....

Edited November 20, 2022 by bmp01
Corrections

[Trailoftears]

There does seem to be some logic in that,as the cutter diminishes/retreats, there's some sort of narrower half-worn sweet spot as long as the depth gauges are also correctly lowered.Am I right in thinking as the conventional 20"and up 3/8 chain wears you would/should initially file with a 5.2mm file,then as the cutter lowers/retreats switch to a 5.5mm file?

[Stubby]

9 minutes ago, Trailoftears said:

 I right in thinking as the conventional 20"and up 3/8 chain wears you would/should initially file with a 5.2mm file,then as the cutter lowers/retreats switch to a 5.5mm file?

Other way round me thinks .  As the cutter becomes narrower and lower ( all sides taper to the back ) you wont get the larger file in the gullet so drop down a tad .

[Dan Maynard]

4 minutes ago, Stubby said:

Other way round me thinks .  As the cutter becomes narrower and lower ( all sides taper to the back ) you wont get the larger file in the gullet so drop down a tad .

Although Stihl say start with a 5.2 anyway.

 

As FRJones sent me 6 boxes of 5.2 files instead of 6 individual files a few years ago that's what I do.

[Trailoftears]

Ahh right,I was/am speaking from memory,I often end up sharpening in a badly lit farm building.I use those little drop-on husky roller file guages which are grand.Even in the woodlands,I have rarely got my increasingly necessary reading glasses!But I was dimly aware that you needed to mix n match with the bigger chains re:file sizes,as ever I got it Arseways around!

[Trailoftears]

I'm good at home in my workshop (shed!)

I screwed one of those cheapo exterior halogen lights onto a shelf directly above my vice.Sadly,as my luxurious flaxon tresses diminish-it dont half burn the top of my head......😳

[Stubby]

2 minutes ago, Trailoftears said:

Ahh right,I was/am speaking from memory,I often end up sharpening in a badly lit farm building.I use those little drop-on husky roller file guages which are grand.Even in the woodlands,I have rarely got my increasingly necessary reading glasses!But I was dimly aware that you needed to mix n match with the bigger chains re:file sizes,as ever I got it Arseways around!

I tried those Husky roller thingys about 20 - 30 years ago . They are fine the first couple of sharpens but the plastic rollers wear down dropping the file too low . If you cant file free hand your best bet I recon is the oregon metal plate that the file clips to .

[Trailoftears]

I can file freehand ok (in my own mind),and you're spot on re: the placcy rollers,such a shame they're not at least brass or something,I just bin them every year or so.I do have the posh stihl easyfiles courtesy of my good lady getting them at cost.But I never use them in truth.