Chain sharpening - File tilt and diameter

[@hollybeaumont5953]

great video! more please

[@Mightycaptain]

With semi-chisel chain I've found a 25° angle and 5° downward tilt is extremely durable. Oregon chain. I've been able to get 5 to 8 tanks out of it. On a very fuel efficent saw. Now to be that exact. A granberg is handy. I use 10° on my RS chain downward tilt. 30°. I'm thinking of using the same semi chisel angles to see what happens. Semi chisel is my dirty wood chain.

[@shinichirohida2556]

Great work‼😊👍

[@timberandtools]

I always liked a little of a tilt angle

[@SawChainTheories]

It's always worked for me so I keep doing it. How is the 182 going? I have been tempted to try one of the new small saws but hardly ever used the 170 I have now.

[@timberandtools]

@@SawChainTheories 182 runs good for what it is, tad heavy for its power. I have to get a few more tanks through her! I really love the 250 for the light (cheaper) saw option

[@swere1240]

a suprisingly good budget small saw is the johncutter 5800. out of the box there quite the ripper. and u can get them for around 100 bucks

[@timberandtools]

@@swere1240 yeah that’s super cheap!! Jon cutter is a good saw!

[@samday6621]

Great clip. Wish my eyesight was as good as your camera focus! 😄 You would think chain manufacturers would specify the same cut as they have. Why do they advise something different?

[@SawChainTheories]

@@samday6621 I know the feeling, even with my glasses on it's a struggle. A lot of chain is sold by that out of the box feel or by people comparing them when new. Manufacturers have an incentive to make them cut as fast as possible from new and it's unlikely most people will notice a small drop off over the chains life

[@ronaldbrown5745]

They are grinding all cutters not round filing.

[@patrickvennard838]

Have you seen Good Fellers on you tube he keeps his file flat but changes the side angle it seems to work but he has got a 592.

[@SawChainTheories]

I have seen a few of his videos he looks to be reducing the top plate (sharpening angle) to around 20-25 degrees which is pretty common. Everyone has a different take on this to suit their conditions and for a feel they are after. Reducing that angle will help with durability while only taking a small hit to cut speed. It's all about balancing out those 2 things and there are a lot of ways to go about it. I have boxed myself in with a 288/660 so I can't justify another 90cc saw at this stage but if I could, it would be a 592

[@Mightycaptain]

All I can say it seems to work for him. So... That's a win in my book. I mean is it the best way I got no idea I need to try what he does and see I'm open to it. I do like the idea of a very durable edge is still cuts very nicely. He seems to be throwing chips to me.

[@elpolaco7654]

I can't be sure how the official photos of the C85 compare to the chain out of the box, but on them clearly the cutters have a 45° side plate angle.

[@SawChainTheories]

@@elpolaco7654 That one really annoys me because it is such a good chain that gets ruined by the factory grind. I'm sure there is a type of wood somewhere in the world that responds really well to it but it just doesn't work for me. The same can be said about a few of my other favorites like Oregon 27x, a really good chain that now has a terrible grind and factory recommended angles

[@elpolaco7654]

@@SawChainTheories I think it makes sense from a marketing standpoint. You will find many (video) comparisons where X-Cut is the fastest out of the box compared to other chains. Of course, the authors of these comparisons are usually from Europe or America. Here, the most commonly tested “soft” wood is pine and “hard” wood is oak. Even in one of the recent ChainsawUsers videos, the X-Cut is no slower (at least in the first cuts) than Rapid Hexa. And that wood must really be very hard. Metallurgy will also determine how sharp the cutting edge angles can be. “Better” alloys will be more resistant to the onset of bending when they encounter hard timber or knots, for example. To compare the standard bevel angle for a hand chisel is 25°, and generally recommended values are between 20° and 40°...

[@SawChainTheories]

@@elpolaco7654 I have noticed they all do it to some degree. Stihl RS now comes with a small lip on the top plate increasing its angle to approximately 45-50 degrees, hexa shape is slightly different to the shape the file forms with more top plate angle from the factory. I just got some Carlton 325 LX chain and it has a very aggressive side plate from new and so did this 404. I think you are right, a lot of chains are sold by people testing and comparing them out of the box so trying to add that little bit extra probably sells more chains.

[@nseric1233]

I’m on the other side of the world lol Our wood is a lot softer than what you cut. The C83 works great here and holds an edge fine. The newer chains are for our soft woods not your rock hard wood. I can get pretty aggressive with the angles sharpening chains and they still last a couple tanks of fuel.

[@davidwyby]

Most excellent video, sir. Offset on the chain holder on a Stihl USG has the same effect.