Author Topic: Anybody Hone Their Chains?  (Read 737 times)

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Offline Philbert

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Anybody Hone Their Chains?
« on: November 21, 2013, 03:10:57 pm »
Files can be coarser or finer. Grinding wheels can be made of different size/types of abrasive grits (and different types of bonds). So, aside from the chain angles, the smoothness of the finish can vary.

Woodworkers might start with 80 grit sandpaper, then work up through 220 or higher to get a smoother finish. Same thing with woodworking chisels and plane blades. Chefs steel their knives.

How about chainsaw cutters? Anybody use a two-step process?  Anybody hone?

Philbert

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Offline Cut4fun .

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Re: Anybody Hone Their Chains?
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2013, 03:38:42 pm »
I know when into the racechain type stuff. Regular square file to start. Then some folks used their diamond coated square files to finish with.

Some folks that didnt see any gain in using the diamond files still have a smoother finishing file. 

Offline Philbert

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Re: Anybody Hone Their Chains?
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2013, 04:23:10 pm »
So is 'smoother' better?  Or is a 'serrated' edge better?

I know that this falls into the 'doesn't-make-a-difference-for-the-average-user' category.  But what if, after filing or grinding, one went back with 400 or 600 grit silicon carbide paper wrapped around an appropriately sized dowel rod and polished the edge?  Aesthetics only ?

Philbert

Offline Al Smith

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Re: Anybody Hone Their Chains?
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2013, 08:48:23 pm »
Oh I suppose some might make love to their work chains ,I don't .At the end of the day on a properly filed work chain I doubt seriously if you could tell a difference if it were polished up or not .

Offline HolmenTree

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Re: Anybody Hone Their Chains?
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2013, 08:41:37 pm »
I once honed my top and sideplate angles with a Japanese Gold waterstone slip , it's still laying in my tool chest untouched for the last 30 years. It worked OK but only if I got the chrome layer off both sides, other wise it's useless with the searated  chrome edge.

Too much trouble for a few gains and all your left with is a weak edge which can lose you a race when you hit the first knot.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

Offline doreadeal

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Re: Anybody Hone Their Chains?
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2013, 09:10:40 am »
As with any cutting edge, the more refined it is the longer it will tend to stay sharp. Think of it this way; say you have a sheet of 10 gauge steel and you want to bend the edge of one whole side 180°. Trying to do the whole edge (with hand tools) would be impossible, but if there was a cut every two inches it would be doable. If you look at a cutting edge with a microscope, its nothing like you'd think. Its more serrated. The more rough an edge is, the faster things will act on it. The more refined, the longer it will last cause it acts more like one continuous edge. With chains, I don't know if the time put in is worth the end result.

 

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