dob Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 Which chain do you guys prefer to use ,I currently use an Oregon chain but it will not hold a sharp edge for many more than 10-15 cuts, a lot of friends of mine say they are good but this one is not great. Can you suggest another brand? Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felly100 Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 Oregon chains are fine. What are you cutting? Have you been shown how to sharpen correctly? The secret is to sharpen before it gets blunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 oregon everytime.............are you useing the rigt size file..........what are you cutting .....are you using a softwood scoop chain on hard wood ....general purpose....chipper chain type.......... bet you are using a too bigger file........are you filing down your rakers (depth guides) regualary ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dob Posted September 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 Only cutting ash, a tree surgeon mate of mine has sharpened it for me as well and he has said it don't stay sharp for long . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 Only cutting ash, a tree surgeon mate of mine has sharpened it for me as well and he has said it don't stay sharp for long . i can cut up and cheese a whole ash tree on one sharpen...if that............something is not right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felly100 Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 Are you sure it's not just your saw getting bogged down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dob Posted September 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 oregon everytime.............are you useing the rigt size file..........what are you cutting .....are you using a softwood scoop chain on hard wood ....general purpose....chipper chain type.......... bet you are using a too bigger file........are you filing down your rakers (depth guides) regualary ? chain is fairly new and had little use. I don't know a great deal about it but I am using the files given to me when I bought the saw so god knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rovercoupe Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 Is the bar in good order? If the chain is not tight in the groove it can walk off to one side and just stops cutting. Could the chain be catching somewhere on the inside of the saw causing it to blunt. Any metal shards in the sawdust? Short of that im out of suggestions. The chain should last longer than that so something is going wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 Sharpening a chain by hand is an art to get the angles right. You can get an electric grinder which will get the angles right and the same. Some people inadvertently sharpen one side more than the other so that the cutters aren't equal. This makes the saw try to cut in a curve. Chain tension is important as well. Have a look at the video clips on YouTube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalahari Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 Get some training. You will learn to maintain the saw, sharpen the chain and be safe. David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 Get some training. You will learn to maintain the saw, sharpen the chain and be safe. David. quite honestly that is the best suggestion................the money you spend on maintence coarse will come back to you in spades...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 This grumpy old *** says have you got the safety kit you should have to be safe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricko Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 I tend to sharpen frequently when cutting. It makes sense to keep it as sharp as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sussex gardener Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 As a former tree surgeon and feller I can safely say that oregon chains are very good indeed. As the above posts say, get some training. It is money well spent and will save you in time, effort and Wear on your kit and more importantly your body. Make sure your not contacting the chain with the ground when cutting, getting a saw horse will help, or make one. One touch of the chain,even on soft ground will dull it. Have a look at YouTube for some guidance on sharpening, but nothing beats being shown by someone who knows how. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 oregon here too, i keep on top of the sharpening and it cuts a treat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dob Posted September 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 I am not going to claim to be very knowledgeable about saws but I did work for a tree surgeon for a bit but years ago, me thinks I may have to refresh with a lesson , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 Sussesx and others saying a lesson/training is way forward. Look after chain never let it touch the deck but especially stones metal or glass. Have a look on the chainswaw bars website, there is a link that shows photos of wot a properey sharpened chain should look like and wot the common mistakes look like, think there is clips of video too might give a better idea if a novice. Must admit never looked on u tube at stuff like that but i'm sure there could also be a lot of bad advice out there too. 1 top tip i was told years ago esp when not very good at sharpening is to give ur bad hand more rubs than ur good hand side, so 2/3 rubbs with ur good hand but mibee 4/6 with ur bad hand, as u get better u can get nearer to same on each side. I pretty much only use oregon chain, seen me burn a combi can of petrol (1 gallon) only sharpening saw 1-3 times, not hitting the deck is key and cleaning round stumps if felling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholiath Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 is the chain oiler working correctly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dob Posted September 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 is the chain oiler working correctly?yes , it's a husqavana so not cheap ,really starting to think that it's my sharpening technique, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 Wot nicolaith would be meaning is do u clean the crud out of the bar grooves? That's the usual reason for the chain not oiling rather than the pump itself or the other thing could be the filter in the oil tank, u can usually hook it with a bit of wire and gently pull it out to examine it. But its usually the crud scrape it out with a fine screw driver or proper tool and mind and do the wee hole that the oil gets pumped into If u rev the saw close to something u ideally want to see splatters of oil on the surface. Also remember to turn ur bar around every so often. Get ur tree surgeon mate to show u, althou the best boys are proper old school woodcutters who were on piece work, a blunt chain costs them money Worked with a lot of different boys felling on railways and many could not sharpen a chain for toffee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 10, 2016 Report Share Posted September 10, 2016 yes , it's a husqavana so not cheap ,really starting to think that it's my sharpening technique, That's what I would think, if you are sharpening freehand get a guide as its far easier to get the angles correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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