"Pro" shop killed my chain

[mtneer]

I had a chain touched up at the shop. It was a mess when I got it home and had a good look at it. They must have taken half of the cutter off. Many links I could see where they cut down into the tie strap. Top plates didn't have uniform angles. And worst of all it wont cut because they heat hardened it. When I try to file it I don't get any bite. It isn't the rakers, they are plenty low.

I don't see any bluing that I thought you see with hardening but I cannot get a round file to take off any metal. Can the chain be salvaged some other way or is it shot?

M.A.D.S. (Moutaineers Against Drunk Sharpening)

 

[Freeheat]

If you have some pictures that always helps.

 

[mtneer]

I'll try to get some.

 

[Freeheat]

At least you got your chain back mine has been at the shop for almost 2 months and its the next one to be sharpened.

 

[ScotO]

Some shops need specific info on what it is you want done. For instance, if you hit a nail or a rock and do significant damage to several cutters (but not all of the cutters), most shops will bring all the cutters down to the size of the damaged ones. When I damage some of the cutters, I sharpen the cutters as they are (in other words, I clean up the damaged ones, and only sharpen the other ones, not taking them down to the same size as the damaged ones). Some guys are against that theory, but being I know how my chains will function and such it works for me, and my chains last ten times longer that the ones the 'pros' sharpen. Next time you go to the shop with a damaged chain, explain that you only want the chain sharpened, you do not want all the cutters taken down to the smallest sharp cutter. Try it out and see if it works for ya. It works for me.

 

[Jags]

Take it to a different shop. Sounds like they had "Junior" the floor sweeper running the grinder that day. He probably didn't know how to set up the machine so just used whatever setting it was at.

 

[MasterMech]

They may not have used the correct size wheel to sharpen it, misshaping the tooth and that's why your file won't bite. I'd take it back, raise a little hell, show them the damage and ask for a new chain.

 

[Highbeam]

You have a round file and you are trying to sharpen a tooth with a profile that is not round. The tooth was sharpened with a disc. It is not easy or even recommended to go back and forth from hand file to disc grinder.

The grinder has settings for depth and angle to prevent eating tie strap and also to get the same tooth top angle, and length. Soudns like the knobs that set these adjustments were loose or not used. Sort of freehanded.

I agree with Scotty on how to proceed with a damaged tooth. I clean up that tooth and try and sharpen it and then just sharpen the rest. I have no reason to think that all teeth need to be the same length and generally they aren't. My saw still cuts straight.

 

[amateur cutter]

I agree with these guys, raker depth has much more effect on how the chain cuts, than cutter length. Trying to round file a chain sharpened with a grinder is difficult to impossible. Take it back, see what they'll do for you, & learn to sharpen yourself, or find another shop. A C

 

[weatherguy]

I had some work done to saw in the spring and they sharpened the chain, didnt cut for shat when I got it back, put the new chain I bought on and its fine now, my chain was near the end of its life so no big deal for me but Im not taking it there to get sharpened any more.

 

[nate379]

I hand sharp my chains with a file all the time that are done on a grinder away they get too out of "true" to do with a file.

Don't understand how heating the chain up would make it not cut would. I had an oiling issue last week and it cooked a chain to where I couldn't touch it with gloves. Rolled cutting part of the teeth over too.

Ran it through the grinder to clean it up and it's one of my better cutting and longer lasting chains for some reason?

 

[mtneer]

Thanks for the replies. I'm still puzzled over why I can't hand file the chain now. I've had a different chain sharpened on a grinder at a different shop and was able to take a round file to it no problem once it got dull.

This messed up chain is strange. It's like the file just glides right over the metal without taking any off. Has anyone had this happen? I understand about the angles maybe being off, but there should be at least some metal coming off as I bring the cutter back to true. I was able to get the top plates back to 30 degrees, but the side plate will not budge even after 20+ file strokes (it's a new file set up in my granberg). I'll get pics eventually.

 

[DanCorcoran]

Thanks for the replies. I'm still puzzled over why I can't hand file the chain now. I've had a different chain sharpened on a grinder at a different shop and was able to take a round file to it no problem once it got dull.

This messed up chain is strange. It's like the file just glides right over the metal without taking any off. Has anyone had this happen? I understand about the angles maybe being off, but there should be at least some metal coming off as I bring the cutter back to true. I was able to get the top plates back to 30 degrees, but the side plate will not budge even after 20+ file strokes (it's a new file set up in my granberg). I'll get pics eventually.

My file glides like that when it has become worn. My files don't last very long. Try the file on another chain and see if it's the same.