Chainsaws

drkelly said:
I typically sharpen it every one or two tanks of fuel, but it depends on when it starts to slow down. I can't stand even a slightly dull chain. It only takes me a few minutes to have it hitting a lick again.
Click to expand...
Yeah same here. I use the same file/guide you do and it doesn't take but just a minute. I only hit each link a lick or two and I'm back in business. It would take me a lot longer to swap chains. Then next time you've got 2 dull chains to sharpen. Doesn't make sense to me
 
Now y’all need to check out that stihl doda thingy that takes down the rakers while you sharpen the chain. They are 40 bucks at northern tool. But they do a good job.
Thought they were a gimmick at first.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
awheelterd said:
Yeah same here. I use the same file/guide you do and it doesn't take but just a minute. I only hit each link a lick or two and I'm back in business. It would take me a lot longer to swap chains. Then next time you've got 2 dull chains to sharpen. Doesn't make sense to me
Click to expand...
I just give my dull chains to Ron and buy new ones. Helps the world go round.
 
shawn said:
One of y'all go buy it and let me know if its half as good as all the "100% unbiased" reviews. I'd buy one if it was $20...

Speaking of which, I have a Husky gizmo that looks similar, but doesn't work with Stihl chains.
Click to expand...
Pferd makes one as well its 10 dollars less... they make the sthil one.

ive used mine going on 3 years and its worked great.
 
awheelterd said:
How often do y'all sharpen your chain?
Click to expand...

When it gets dull. Der. Also right before anything critical (felling, etc) where you don't want to be fucking around. Give each tooth a few hits with the round file and knock down the depth gauges every other time, and they're as good as new. Don't waste your money on any of those little things that clip to the round file if they don't have a way of checking the depth gauges. They don't do anything otherwise.

Where I run into trouble is when a chain gets truly fucked up. I have three from that stump that have been into rocks and dirt numerous times. Each tooth is sharp as hell, but none of them are the same height, and none of the depth teeth match. They will simultaneously throw big chips, smoke like hell, and cut crooked as hell. I should probably throw them all away and start over, but the internet says that little stihl tool is the bees knees.
 
Got 3 myself. One 3/8 one .325 and one picco, they tend to cut the rakers down a little aggressive, but they sure cut like crazy after. Keep the rpms up and let her eat!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
shawn said:
Where I run into trouble is when a chain gets truly fucked up. I have three from that stump that have been into rocks and dirt numerous times. Each tooth is sharp as hell, but none of them are the same height, and none of the depth teeth match. They will simultaneously throw big chips, smoke like hell, and cut crooked as hell. I should probably throw them all away and start over, but the internet says that little stihl tool is the bees knees.
Click to expand...

Full disclosure, our (@Tater) Dad ran a Homelite/Poulan/Stihl chainsaw shop for over 30 years and was my first job for 6 years... Stihl "Technician" at age (14?)15

In the old days (50 years ago), the pro tree folks did the same thing... hand sharpened and brought it in once mangled.
Our old Neilsen sharpeners would correct the angles, even cutter length/height, get back to good chrome, and we would file the drags... $1.50 off the saw/$2 on

Fast forward a couple years (today)... the local Stihl (as @Ron mentioned, also seed/fertilizer/ammo/beef/etc.) shop is 2 miles away and we support the locals (these guys are so reasonable/cheap, I don't bother working on any small engines)
Took 3 chains over (had found a nice white quartz rock/barbed wire/staples cutting up some blow down and @Tater ended up with both sharpeners at his place) and almost shat my britches when he said they'd be $8/EACH 🤯
The semi-chisel chains for that saw (MS171 limb/Jeep saw) were $18/each or $15/each when buying 3... needless to say I got 3 more and will be retrieving the sharpener to maintain.

Keep in mind @shawn , if the "chrome" is buggered up on top/side of the cutters, they're junk... it's that chromium that actually does the cutting and the underlying metal only supports it.
Otherwise, find somebody with sharpener to get them back in shape and possibly more life out of them.
 
I’m jus sayin:
1733A754-C2A4-4C1A-AA86-35A011408CF9.png
 
RoosterRash said:

This dude seems to have if figured out with a triangle file
Click to expand...

This guy has a bunch of great videos. I watched several of them last night and want to go back through those chains with the hand file and see if I can get them working again.
 
Shop in Hartsville charges me $6 to sharpen but I will be getting one of those nifty sharpeners.
 
jeepinmatt said:
:gitrdun: :clap:

New cap fix the leak? It sure looks fancy on there, haha.
Click to expand...
Yep no leaky on my chaps. I can’t cut a straight line but I tried. That is the base of the tree I dropped. Tried to make a seat but it’s crooked. Was able to cut the full diameter easy.
 
ghost said:
She eats View attachment 337094wood!
Click to expand...
Nothing like a fresh, sharp chain throwing big chips everywhere. I’ve got chainsaw envy now. Mines barely a year old, but the book says I’m not supposed to put anything larger than an 18” bar on it. I’d like to get something with a bigger bar. There’s two massive trees down at my hunt club and they both fell across one of the roads 50 yards apart from each other. I’d like to clean them up. A big blade would make it easier and it’s a good excuse.
 
Wes said:
Nothing like a fresh, sharp chain throwing big chips everywhere. I’ve got chainsaw envy now. Mines barely a year old, but the book says I’m not supposed to put anything larger than an 18” bar on it. I’d like to get something with a bigger bar. There’s two massive trees down at my hunt club and they both fell across one of the roads 50 yards apart from each other. I’d like to clean them up. A big blade would make it easier and it’s a good excuse.
Click to expand...
Or I can come out and help you cut them one Saturday or Sunday then we go get a beer..... or drink.
 
Wes said:
Hell yeah! I’ll let you know. Maybe we can round up @XJsavage if we can drag him out of swamp.
Click to expand...
Hell yea. I’m game. This Saturday I’m meeting some guys at Broken Nut. Of you want to join shoot me a message or text.
 
Just picked up a Stihl MS261 C-M with a 20" bar today. Promptly went out and took down a dead tree that was leaning at one of my sheds, cut up a bunch of other stuff that was either down or hanging.

This thing eats wood like no tomorrow. I knew it was a good saw but its amazing how fast this cuts over my 42CC Poulan Pro. The Poulan owes me nothing (it was a $69 refurbished I bought about 8 years ago) but the Stihl out cuts it 3-1.
37835.jpeg
 
cranbiz said:
Just picked up a Stihl MS261 C-M with a 20" bar today. Promptly went out and took down a dead tree that was leaning at one of my sheds, cut up a bunch of other stuff that was either down or hanging.

This thing eats wood like no tomorrow. I knew it was a good saw but its amazing how fast this cuts over my 42CC Poulan Pro. The Poulan owes me nothing (it was a $69 refurbished I bought about 8 years ago) but the Stihl out cuts it 3-1. View attachment 341803
Click to expand...
Can't go wrong with orange saws.
 
cranbiz said:
Just picked up a Stihl MS261 C-M with a 20" bar today. Promptly went out and took down a dead tree that was leaning at one of my sheds, cut up a bunch of other stuff that was either down or hanging.

This thing eats wood like no tomorrow. I knew it was a good saw but its amazing how fast this cuts over my 42CC Poulan Pro. The Poulan owes me nothing (it was a $69 refurbished I bought about 8 years ago) but the Stihl out cuts it 3-1. View attachment 341803
Click to expand...
That's the next saw on my buy list. How much was it? (If you don't mind sharing)
 
jeepinmatt said:
That's the next saw on my buy list. How much was it? (If you don't mind sharing)
Click to expand...
I got it for $579 at the ACE Hardware in Ridgeway, VA. Stihl just has a price increase, but the manager at the store held the old price for me as I had directed 2 other guys there to buy MS261's earlier this year. A 16" bar version was available for $539 but I figured that the 20" bar would be the better bar for my use although I think I'm also going to get a 16" bar for it.

The local Reidsville/Eden dealers were at $600 ish and I saved 2.2% in sales tax by buying in VA. Seeing as it's only a few more miles away for less tax and a better price, that's where I went.
 
Back
Top