Chainsaw Repair

Chain - Grinders - Filing - Wood Milling - Tools - Welding - Machinist - Mowers - Tillers => Chain - Bars - Grinders - Filing => Topic started by: Wood Butcher on October 23, 2014, 08:08:07 pm

Title: will excessive heat during sharpening remove temper?
Post by: Wood Butcher on October 23, 2014, 08:08:07 pm

Hey everyone...first post here. 

I usually sharpen my own chains with a file and guide.  Hit a rock not long ago and had to take my Stihl RC Chain to a shop to get sharpened on a grinder, as filing by hand would have taken a few centuries.

When I got the chain back it was discolored from excessive heat near the tips of the teeth and on the sides of the teeth.  It was that bluish-black that metal turns when heated very hot.

Did the shop screw up and overheat the chain?  Are chainsaw teeth tempered?  If they are, I was thinking it would take the temper out. 

I was going to cut with it and see how fast it dulled.  Was wondering if I should ask for a new chain.

Title: Re: will excessive heat during sharpening remove temper?
Post by: 660magnum on October 23, 2014, 08:13:45 pm

They certainly didn't do it any good.

It will be OK after you sharpen it with a file next time.

Title: Re: will excessive heat during sharpening remove temper?
Post by: 3000 FPS on October 27, 2014, 11:50:29 pm

I sharpen with a grinder and I try not to over heat the cutting tooth.   It is something that does happen how ever but I have not noticed it being a problem with it dulling faster.   I have found cutting in dirty wood or hitting the ground to be a bigger problem dulling the chain.

Title: Re: will excessive heat during sharpening remove temper?
Post by: mdavlee . on October 28, 2014, 11:41:45 am

It may make it harder to sharpen with files until you get that burnt part off.

Title: Re: will excessive heat during sharpening remove temper?
Post by: aclarke on October 28, 2014, 01:04:45 pm

Heating the crap out of the tooth by improper use of a grinding wheel will tend to anneal (soften) the cutter. Combine that with poor angle and a burr on the tooth from a quick and dirty grind job makes for a dull chain.  Stihl chain is noticeable harder and tends to stay sharper a little longer than the oregon counter part in my experience. 

Title: Re: will excessive heat during sharpening remove temper?
Post by: jmester on November 10, 2014, 08:14:30 pm

back before i sharpened by hand. would always get a couple of chains back where they blued the teeth. they always dulled faster then the rest.

Title: Re: will excessive heat during sharpening remove temper?
Post by: Cut4fun . on November 23, 2014, 08:39:38 am

Quote from: Gatekeeper on October 28, 2014, 11:41:45 am

It may make it harder to sharpen with files until you get that burnt part off.

Thats what I noticed too.

Before I started doing all my own stuff. I had noticed I  could hardly  hand file chains for touch ups when the chains had came back from being on guys grinder and got hot.  Like the file would skate right across hardened cutter.