When is a Chain at End of Life

[RayIN]

I run them til they start breaking off.

I did that_once. A tooth broke off in an oak tree I was cutting; it grabbed and suddenly stopped the Stihl motor, shearing the flywheel key. The repair shop said I was lucky the crankshaft didn't break. For the price of having the motor repaired, I could've bought several chains.

 

[Gregster613]

Lot of chains have those witness line and reason for them.

3 stihl and 1 husky chain in pics.

View attachment 4002132
View attachment 4002134

Learn something new daily it seems! I just went and looked at my chains in the garage 12/16/&18" length, Oregon chains and no markings on them. I will be sure to look at any future chains I might buy - but Oregon chain seems common and has served me well for many years. Although it kind of looks as if I might have sharpened up to - or past - the designated stop point! Guess I might have gotten the life that the chain offered!

 

[airbiscuit]

About here

 

[Gregster613]

About here

View attachment 4030467

Yeah airbiscuit, that's about as long as I let them go - no further though, and maybe a touch sooner. Nevertheless, that's getting every last bit of life from a chain!

 

[airbiscuit]

My dealer blanched when I (kiddingly) brought it in for sharpening

 

[Chanceywd]

I was never good at doing both sides the same with a hand file. Saws always cut crooked as a result. I used to take several at a time to get sharpened after a few of my filings.
Many years ago I would guess 20, I bought a Harbor Freight sharpener for about $25 on sale and it has worked well for me. I cut about 4-5 cord a year for my own heat. Sharpen chains as a bunch about once a year.
I'm a youngster at 72 but love to cut my firewood and feed my Lopi Liberty!
I have an old Stihl 034 super with 16 & 20 bars. That I have had about 30 years. I think my smaller one, the model is a Stihl MS170 and a MS180 that was given to me. Last year I bought a Battery Stihl I really like that.
With 4 batteries I can use a break by the time I am out of batteries cutting the limbs and smaller stuff.

Bill

 

[CalG]

This may be a "different perspective on chain life from some.

The presenter sure puts character into his presentation

 

[CalG]

I was never good at doing both sides the same with a hand file. Saws always cut crooked as a result. I used to take several at a time to get sharpened after a few of my filings.
Many years ago I would guess 20, I bought a Harbor Freight sharpener for about $25 on sale and it has worked well for me. I cut about 4-5 cord a year for my own heat. Sharpen chains as a bunch about once a year.
I'm a youngster at 72 but love to cut my firewood and feed my Lopi Liberty!
I have an old Stihl 034 super with 16 & 20 bars. That I have had about 30 years. I think my smaller one, the model is a Stihl MS170 and a MS180 that was given to me. Last year I bought a Battery Stihl I really like that.
With 4 batteries I can use a break by the time I am out of batteries cutting the limbs and smaller stuff.

Bill

Bill

The guy referenced in the post below yours (Buckin Billy?) , in other videos has expounded on his experience that "unequal tooth profile" does NOT contribute to crooked cuts. His position is to sharpen each tooth for it's own value, and set the rakers to suit (with a gage), Worn saw bar grooves is another issue.

I practice using up the chains regardless of unequal teeth, And I have favorable results. (When you hit stone or metal on just one side of the chain, things go south in a hurry.)

I use that multi- file guide that Stihl sells at present, but I used to just free hand the file and use Carlton file-o-plates to hit the rakers.

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  STIHL 2-in-1 Filing Guide, 3/8in. Size​

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