MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
I bet I've sharpened 1000 chains. If not, pretty dang close.
Good climber cant shapen saw
- Thread starter darkstar
- Start date
- Replies 99
- Views 11K
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Blinky
Guest
Hmmph. I think you should change your handle to Old Rookie.
No way, I already took that one. :what:
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TreeDimensional
Guest
Interestng replies, I have gone full circle on the chain sharpening thing, NOW I blame bad eye site and short arms!
Even though my arms hang to my knees!
Even though my arms hang to my knees!
rbtree
Climbing Up
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2005
- Messages
- 1,924
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
I wish I had longer arms.. then I could reach the tips better
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TreeDimensional
Guest
Seriously though I really sucked at hand filling, being a priarie dog and all. My wifes uncle came for a visit and as he had spent his whole life in the forest, he schooled me up.
Dennis started out at the buttom and worked his way up to a feller, and finished his career in the mill. Along the way he took up chainsaw racing, and had pretty good luck.
Well he made hand sharpening look easy, and showed me the art of doing it properly. What he did with those huge paws of his looked easy, but I had to spend alot of time to accomplish the same result. Practice and knowledge makes perfect.
I'm going to give him a call tommorrow and thank him again for his help! I still suck at it but now I now the basics!
Dennis started out at the buttom and worked his way up to a feller, and finished his career in the mill. Along the way he took up chainsaw racing, and had pretty good luck.
Well he made hand sharpening look easy, and showed me the art of doing it properly. What he did with those huge paws of his looked easy, but I had to spend alot of time to accomplish the same result. Practice and knowledge makes perfect.
I'm going to give him a call tommorrow and thank him again for his help! I still suck at it but now I now the basics!
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
I had a job that the homeowner/builder had worked as a feller in logging. He had talked of contests at camp where they would hand file without a gauge and make cuts from each side of the log to see how straight they had free handed the sharpening. After we had dropped some good sized trees, he had a back hoe move sections of trunk to a pile by his tee pee... Yes no shit.. he had a tee pee and made decking out of redwood for it and it had a fire pit inside. This is while he was developing the site for his house. A year later, or close to it, he hired us in to buck up the wood... Now the wood was all covered in sand from run off. 
I told him we were going to have to charge him extra for chain and that we would also charge for sharpening on site (about ever 5-10 minutes. Yup that dirty bad! Decomposed granite). He ok'd the work but also gave us some sharpening lessons in a sense. I can't say exactly how he explained it, mostly visual. But it stuck. Since then I free hand sharpen in the brush, touch up free hand for trees, carry extra chain, and grind them after too many rock hits... I guess I mostly just follow the grind from the machine as I file it.. I use old chains for brushing and newer for trees. Best I can splain it ..
I told him we were going to have to charge him extra for chain and that we would also charge for sharpening on site (about ever 5-10 minutes. Yup that dirty bad! Decomposed granite). He ok'd the work but also gave us some sharpening lessons in a sense. I can't say exactly how he explained it, mostly visual. But it stuck. Since then I free hand sharpen in the brush, touch up free hand for trees, carry extra chain, and grind them after too many rock hits... I guess I mostly just follow the grind from the machine as I file it.. I use old chains for brushing and newer for trees. Best I can splain it ..
We have had this discussion before, and as I remember it, Gerry Beranek said that when you work as a faller, you either learn to file real well, or you starve to death.
The reason a lot of climbers can't file for shit, is that they can get away with it.
Bucking up one tree in a backyard, it doesn't really matter.
Bucking 40 trees a day in the woods, when you are falling to scale is a whole different game.
Like Gerry said, you either learn to sharpen, or go to bed hungry
The reason a lot of climbers can't file for shit, is that they can get away with it.
Bucking up one tree in a backyard, it doesn't really matter.
Bucking 40 trees a day in the woods, when you are falling to scale is a whole different game.
Like Gerry said, you either learn to sharpen, or go to bed hungry
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Of all the tools used in woodworking, it's hard to think of anything easier to learn to sharpen than a chain, except perhaps a scratch awl. :roll: The wrong sized file might be one excuse. If somebody just can't get it after really trying, with all due respect, it might be best to consider a job sitting at a desk.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
Oh it's just like most things .You don't get good at anything if you don't do it .
One reason I suggest a file guide is the fact it holds the file at about the correct depth plus aligns the correct angle .
I use them every so often but then finish it out by free hand filing .It just keeps things in alignment that the old eye balls might overlook .
A majority of my chains are Oregon 72 series which use a 10 degree up compound angle . They cut a-okay filed at 90 across but the up angle if done correctly just gives it a little better bite and chip clearance .
One reason I suggest a file guide is the fact it holds the file at about the correct depth plus aligns the correct angle .
I use them every so often but then finish it out by free hand filing .It just keeps things in alignment that the old eye balls might overlook .
A majority of my chains are Oregon 72 series which use a 10 degree up compound angle . They cut a-okay filed at 90 across but the up angle if done correctly just gives it a little better bite and chip clearance .
O
oldschool
Guest
i try to keep em sharp but the minute i turn my head one of the groundies findsa fence or guardrail! lol ive got one thats strickly mine now.
sotc
Dormant hero!!
thats what i did also. if they want to run dull saws whatever but im not going to pick up a dull saw to use or to have to file to use. seems to help them along
High Scale
Trust fund lobbyist.
I work for a guy who grinds his chains by machine, I used a 44 of his recently and he asked me if it was sharp, I said yeah but the rakers need taking down a tad, he said "Oh I didn't have time to do them"
:roll:
:roll:
darkstar
Rockclimber/ treeclimber
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #40
My job at the end of the day from 2001 to 2005 was to sharpen all the saws when the crew got in.About ten frigging saws.
Id be at it for 1.5 to 2.5 hour standing next to an old black smiths vice,filing like a banshee.Seemd like I got really good at it , or at least thats what everyone said.
I finally bought a silvey 510 and those days are over.
Funny thing is now ,I hardly ever have to shapen anything they manage, and ill collect about 30 chains and sharpen umm all sometimes once a week.Then we just rotate.By the time i get the actual saws in shop the bars have ridges on umm and all need flatening.
Id be at it for 1.5 to 2.5 hour standing next to an old black smiths vice,filing like a banshee.Seemd like I got really good at it , or at least thats what everyone said.
I finally bought a silvey 510 and those days are over.
Funny thing is now ,I hardly ever have to shapen anything they manage, and ill collect about 30 chains and sharpen umm all sometimes once a week.Then we just rotate.By the time i get the actual saws in shop the bars have ridges on umm and all need flatening.
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Blinky
Guest
That little up angle on Oregon 72 chain makes a hella difference.
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Nails
Guest
Seems every guy I know tries to sharpen. Then there are those that know how to sharpen, of which I am among. It takes an understanding and a good touch. I freehand most 3/8" chain, but like to gauge the rakers with a File-o-Plate.
SkwerI
Treehouser
Chip, a stoopid question-
Which way is 'up' on the 'up angle'? Is the file handle 'up' or is the file tip 'up'? I always filed everything pretty much even with the top plate, tried angling both directions and always went back to level.
Which way is 'up' on the 'up angle'? Is the file handle 'up' or is the file tip 'up'? I always filed everything pretty much even with the top plate, tried angling both directions and always went back to level.
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Blinky
Guest
Handle down... maybe it's 10 degree but I just eyeball it slightly down. I figure you're better at sharpening chains than me though.
SkwerI
Treehouser
That just seems to put a blunter edge on the top plate IMO. Maybe I'm wrong, but then I don't run Oregon chain anyway. And since Oregon chain seems to be a softer metal than Stihl chain, perhaps the blunter angle helps it hold an edge longer?
Many years ago in the early days of AS, gypologger posted this picture. Maybe that's why I was confused as to which way you were supposed to angle the file.
Many years ago in the early days of AS, gypologger posted this picture. Maybe that's why I was confused as to which way you were supposed to angle the file.
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Mr. Sir
Guest
I keep the file horizontal and perpendicular to the vertical plane of the bar. Does that make sense? The ANGLE is measured in relation to the direction of TRAVEL of the chain.
wiley_p
Climbing Up
Same here. Except the only chain I hand file anymore is for the tophandle rigs. I stopped hand filing the big saws a while ago. The best stack of Hunski's a guy can spend is for a square grinder. You see the payoff in just a few weeks. Guys need gloves just to grab a spare chain out if the toolbox.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
Stihl branded chisel as far as I know files straight across .
I tried a compound angle on Carlton a few times .Not good it files straight also .
Like I said from my observation on Oregon it cuts fine at straight but that little up angle just gives it an RCH more go get-em .
I've got .404 Oregon for the big saws. One is straight but the fastest is compound ,I can't remember the numbers on it .
I tried a compound angle on Carlton a few times .Not good it files straight also .
Like I said from my observation on Oregon it cuts fine at straight but that little up angle just gives it an RCH more go get-em .
I've got .404 Oregon for the big saws. One is straight but the fastest is compound ,I can't remember the numbers on it .
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Filing with the file slightly pointed up, when going from inside to outside, does touch up the outside top corner faster, which if my understanding is correct, is the most important part of a chain.
