Laser saw chain. Last 5 - 10 X longer ?

[bogydave]

Went to the Oregon dealer, don't have the Multicut Oregon chain & would have to order 25' roll & make the loops in their shop. 3X the cost (about $60 ± for a 20" loop )

But he sells a "carbide coated chain" that can be sharpened with a file & claims it lasts 5 to 10 times longer & stays sharper longer than a standard chisel chain. He buys the 25' roll & makes the loops. Company he orders from (Lasersales) is somewhere in PA. Says he sells quit a bit to local wood cutters.
Around $40 for a 20", 3/8, .050, 72 DL.

Tempted to try one next fall.

Company:
http://www.lasersales.org/

Chisel & semi chisel Chain:

 

[Thistle]

Hmmmmm.... I wonder how that'd work on ripping hard,frozen Honey Locust,White Oak or Ash?

 

[fabsroman]

Man, if that thing had a little more than .002" of tungsten carbide on it, I would be all over it. My wedding ring is made of tungsten cardbide with a line of platinum down the middle. Over the past 8 years, the platinum has gouges taken out of it from all the crap I do, but not a single scratch on the tungsten carbide. I would have to hear some reviews on the chain, how long it stays sharp, and how easy it is to sharpen before I bought it. $40 seems rather cheap for something that outlasts a regular chain by 5 to 10 times. Seems as though this would be the new saw chain standard if it were really that good and that cheap.

 

[MasterMech]

Aww heck Dave, just order up a loop of Rapid Duro. After all, you need it for all that frozen, dirty wood you guys have up there.

 

[blades]

I am aware of the process of fusing carbide to steel . It is used quite a bit in the extrusion industry to extend the life of dies. If you can file it then the amount used is just a sales gimmick. No way a steel file will cut tungsten carbide except by chipping off that very thin coating ( vapor deposit system not a true fusion) From an abrasion standpoint it might help. But (call me a Doubting Thomas) I would need to see all the test results. Better yet they should provide a comparison of chains cutting IPE as to how many linear ft can be cut before the chain is dull. ( mean son of a gun arn't I )

 

[JustWood]

Laser is a good company to deal with. Just down the road a crank from me.
Been around and in the same location as long as I can remember.
Quite often they stock stuff the other local shops don't have.
I question claims of "5-10 times longer".
Cutting techniques like bore cutting take alot of sharpening out of dirty wood.

 

[fabsroman]

I am aware of the process of fusing carbide to steel . It is used quite a bit in the extrusion industry to extend the life of dies. If you can file it then the amount used is just a sales gimmick. No way a steel file will cut tungsten carbide except by chipping off that very thin coating ( vapor deposit system not a true fusion) From an abrasion standpoint it might help. But (call me a Doubting Thomas) I would need to see all the test results. Better yet they should provide a comparison of chains cutting IPE as to how many linear ft can be cut before the chain is dull. ( mean son of a gun arn't I )

Mean, not really. I feel the same way and seriously doubt the 5 to 10 times longer bit. How the heck can you sharpen tungsten carbide with a file? Now, if the chain can run 5 to 10 times longer than normal chain, with no sharpening, then it might be worth it. With 5 to 10 sharpenings on a normal chain, the chain is shot. Essentially, the tungsten carbide chain would be getting rid fo the maintenance involved with chains (e.g., swapping them out and sharpening them), but it really would not last any longer in totality.

 

[bogydave]

Laser is a good company to deal with. Just down the road a crank from me.
Been around and in the same location as long as I can remember.
Quite often they stock stuff the other local shops don't have.
I question claims of "5-10 times longer".
Cutting techniques like bore cutting take alot of sharpening out of dirty wood.

"Cutting techniques like bore cutting take alot of sharpening out of dirty wood"

+1 When possible.
One problem here is the spruce. The bark collects the glacier silt dust.
I notice a chain dulls faster cutting spruce than cutting birch.
I don't cut much spruce at the state cutting area but seem to get a few
every year from various sources. Might be why the wood cutters are using the chain, many sell 50/50 mix of birch/spruce.

I have 1 new stihl RS & 4 Oregon LGX chains to use up before needing a new chain.
That may take a year or 2
Hopefully someone has or will use the "Laser carbide" & post a review .

 

[MasterMech]

How the heck can you sharpen tungsten carbide with a file?

Same way you sharpen the chrome plated cutters on Stihl chain. File from the inside out. The file cuts the steel and chips the coating. That only works for coated cutters. Solid Carbide is a different game.

 

[fabsroman]

Same way you sharpen the chrome plated cutters on Stihl chain. File from the inside out. The file cuts the steel and chips the coating. That only works for coated cutters. Solid Carbide is a different game.

Yeah, and what good is that if it chips the coating off? Essentially, that was my question. I understand that once the coating is gone, the chain is just like an ordinary chain. Seems like a bunch of BS to me.

 

[Corey]

Might be interesting to give it a try. If done properly, the coating could be similar to many 'self sharpening' applications which do help some. Basically, they are trying to create a hard, thin shell. The relatively softer core wears away faster but leaves the thin, hard shell on the surface which recreates the 'sharp' edge.

They are also claiming a "titanium-tungsten carbide" - which sounds like a mixture of the two. Titanium carbide being softer may help with 'fileability' of the coating vs a pure tungsten carbide coating.

 

[Paulywalnut]

Hmmmmm.... I wonder how that'd work on ripping hard,frozen Honey Locust,White Oak or Ash?

I use the stihl duro carbide for locust. It really does the job. Stays sharp.

 

[blades]

There hundreds of grades of carbide as it is all a sintered ( various powdered materialsand binding agents formed into whatever under extreme pressure and heat) product. Very base scale is C1-C6 but each mfg. has their own designations and sub groups depending on the granular sizes used in the mix.

 

[Paulywalnut]

There hundreds of grades of carbide as it is all a sintered ( various powdered materialsand binding agents formed into whatever under extreme pressure and heat) product. Very base scale is C1-C6 but each mfg. has their own designations and sub groups depending on the granular sizes used in the mix.

Thanks, very interesting how they adhere the carbide to the steel.

 

[Augie]

So the question in my mind is ,why not a standard high quality carbon steel chain. In the outdoor sports world, skiing cycling sailing, the top end vs. Just above middle grade never makes any difference in the real world. Yeah it makes you feel better and could make you 0.000001% better,faster,quicker but for those of us in the 99% it never matters.

Yeah I might sharpen a standard changing and it may slow me down, but is it a problem? Part of the ritual of woodcutting for me is the 10min at dawn on the deck touching up the chain, gasing up and having coffee.

I burn wood not because I have to but because I enjoy everything that comes with it, including taking an extra 10min to touch up the chain every 2-4 tanks of gas.

 

[nate379]

The RS chains have worked just fine for me. I cut close to 30 cords this summer. They run about ~$15 a loop for 18" bar.

The RSK chain is designed for chit wood, but no one seems to carry it around here?

 

[fabsroman]

The RS chains have worked just fine for me. I cut close to 30 cords this summer. They run about ~$15 a loop for 18" bar.

The RSK chain is designed for chit wood, but no one seems to carry it around here?

At my dealer, the Stihl RS chain for my 18" bar on my MS261 is $36 a loop. Freaking ridiculous. Can find it online for $18 though. Need to order a couple more loops of it. I'll probably stick with the RS stuff for quite a while.

 

[bogydave]

At my dealer, the Stihl RS chain for my 18" bar on my MS261 is $36 a loop. Freaking ridiculous. Can find it online for $18 though. Need to order a couple more loops of it. I'll probably stick with the RS stuff for quite a while.

Called the Stihl dealer near me. Cheaper in Alaska & I know shipping cost more here. Even for dealers.
$22.50 for 3/8 RS 18"
$23.50 for 3/8 RS 20"
& they are making a profit.

Your dealer making near 100% profit or more

I'd order online if I were you. Even with shipping you'd save $.

Could try the Laser carbide coated chain for about the same price.

 

[MasterMech]

Chain is easily one of the most profitable items behind the parts counter.

 

[nate379]

Speaking of dealers, I was at Jackovich a few days ago and noticed a blue house that looks very familiar.

Called the Stihl dealer near me. Cheaper in Alaska & I know shipping cost more