Chain profiles

BlacknTan

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I like very much the way Husqvarna X-chain and EXL cut. I see Stihl will release a hexagonal file for their new chain.. but it's a different profile. I've been considering trying to duplicate the X chain profile, with a single bevel file, but with the price of the files, I'm not sure it's worth it over a dedicated grinder,

Has anyone successfully duplicated these more advanced grinds?

BTW, I find myself trying to chase increased performance through sharp chain rather than increased horsepower..

Am I all wet?
 

Fabz

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I’ve tried X-Cut chain and it cuts well off the reel , maybe 8% quicker than RS. I use a robot grinder and file by hand. A Razer-Sharp chain that’ll last a tank or three is essential to being productive when cutting wood. A Razer-Sharp chain on a righteous-ported saw will leave a smile on your face whenever you use it. I’m spoiled now and wouldn’t go back to stock for all the tea in China 😀
 

Nutball

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You can get really good performance from a round file if you use it right. A friend had me work on his stock 028WB to get it running, I also hand filed the super dull chain as best as I could, and it ended up cutting so well it was as if it was ported. Both he and I were surprised at how fast it was. He took it home and helped his brother who was sporting a 390xp or something, he stopped and came over and was like "what the heck are you running" "just the 028WB". His brother tried it and didn't want to give it back.

I think you can have too aggressive of a chain to be usable. A few weeks ago I was using a 661 with 25" new out of the box unaltered Stihl RS chain, and it was way too grabby. It kept stalling in the cut, and the teeth corners and side plates were so aggressive that it would keep digging in to the sides of the cut and trying to climb out. That made work near impossible. I've never experienced any chain act like that, but it was a fast one.

I'm thinking the hex file will just make it easier to get the angles needed for a fast chain, and may even make for a longer lasting edge.
 

tacotodd

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@BlacknTan a sharp chain is worth more in performance than the best ported saw that you’ll ever come across, because without a sharp chain you’re just trying to make the saw do something that it doesn’t like. It’s a good way to over work one and make it get to the point of a meltdown.
 

BlacknTan

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Yes, gents.

I've always gotten pretty good performance from my round filed chains. I just always wonder if there might be a little bit more there.. with improved durability. I like burying my foot in chips in a short amount of time!
 

BlacknTan

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I'm not sure I want to go to "full bore" square grind, but I found what i thought is a pretty good video on using the Simington... except he digs into the tie straps pretty good, but I'm sure that could be corrected. The gent seems to know his way around a sawchain..

 

tacotodd

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I'm not sure I want to go to "full bore" square grind, but I found what i thought is a pretty good video on using the Simington... except he digs into the tie straps pretty good, but I'm sure that could be corrected. The gent seems to know his way around a sawchain..

I’ve seen that YouTube video. It’s a decent vid.
 

Fabz

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Square ground or hand filed (sqr/sqr) will cut faster than Round ground (sqr/rnd) but you also have to consider the application: Are you falling relatively clean Fir in the PNW or are you doing residential/ processing firewood where debris are common. If you are really adept at round grinding / hand filing you can get it to cut quickly and can resharpen in the field as needed (obviously hand filing). I’ve learned to square file by hand but it’s more difficult than round filing because you are trying to hold 3 angles simultaneously instead of 2.... In this video I’m running the 660piper thru 10” poplar. The top saw features a J. Reilly sqr/sqr hand filed chain and the bottom saw has a sqr/rnd hand filed chain by yours truly. The difference is only .1 of a sec ! ...
... In another comparison the results were similar : this time with a 572xp Hotwoods ported : The top saw is my hand filed sqr/rnd and the bottom saw is a sqr/sqr made by Jed W (of gulity of treason fame). Again .... purty close eh ? Not trying to dissuade anyone from sqr/sqr chain at all, its just that for my personal application the $1000 expense for the silvey, simington grinder / $15 per file isn’t feasible. In NY where I live most dealers look at you like you’re from another planet when you inquire about sqr/sqr chain....
 
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