Sharpening narrow profile Chain - anything different?

[tim in New York]

I put a freshly sharpened chain on my Stihl 192T yesterday - and it cut oddly.  The saw wanted to jump all over the place, rather than dig in and cut.  This mainly happened when I was cutting with the tip of the bar and didn't have leverage with the case of the saw on the trunk (I was thinning small maples out of the sugarbush).  I don't recall ever having this happen to me before.  The chain was not dull, and did cut fine most of the time

I use a local sharpening service - the guy is good and reasonably priced - always been pleased with his work.  Is there anything special about sharpening the narrow profile chains on these top handle saws that he might not have known about?

Thanks,

Tim in NY

[Al_Smith]

I presume you are refering to 3/8" lo profile or Pico chain in 0.043 gauge ? It it's  Stihl chain the stuff has a type of guard chain that won't allow cutting on the very tip end of the bar so as to lessen kick back danger .Rather than cut it just bounces around like BB in a box car but cuts fine back farther on the bar .As far as sharpening ,it's just like any other chain .

I'm not sure if in .043 if Stihl makes anything but this type but in .050 gauge they do make non guard .

[tim in New York]

That sounds like what I'm experiencing.  Odd that I have not noticed it before, but I have not used the saw all that much in the couple of years I've owned it.  I'm dipping the bar tip into the holes around the trunks where the snow has melted, so I must be using the tip more than I have just doing normal brushing and limbing in the fall.

Thanks for the reply.  I remember reading about the chain being designed that way now that I think about.

Tim

[Al_Smith]

I've got one Ms 200T that I often run a narrow gauge bar on .It came with that type chain on a little short 12 inch bar .The stuff cut fine but because in some cases I kind of play saw racer with that thing I went to Carlton which is not guard in .043 .

I think it might be a tad faster than Stihl guard type but the point is kind of moot if you're just using the saw to do a few trims .I'm one of those eccentric gearheads that soup the things up ,nutty as that might be . :D

[John Mc]

If you are not using the guard chain, or have not experienced this problem before with similar cutting, it makes me wonder if whoever did your sharpening messed up.

[thecfarm]

Are you running the saw full throttle when starting the cut? Sounds like you are doing a plunge cut? Putting the tip of the bar into the tree.

[isawlogs]

I have the same chain on a 009 here and ya just can't plunge cut with it  ;)  The anti kick back on those chains just wont let ya. I only keep this chain on this saw because it is the saw I let the unexperienced play with  :P

[miking]

I haven't noticed my chain doing what you describe but I'll pay special attention to it tomorrow. I cut quite a bit of smaller brush with it on a 14" bar and you can see where I get quite a bit more wear on the bar if you go to my profile page and into my pictures and see my 192. It is the .043 guage chain you describe as well.

[HolmenTree]

I put a freshly sharpened chain on my Stihl 192T yesterday - and it cut oddly.  The saw wanted to jump all over the place, rather than dig in and cut.  This mainly happened when I was cutting with the tip of the bar and didn't have leverage with the case of the saw on the trunk (I was thinning small maples out of the sugarbush).  I don't recall ever having this happen to me before.  The chain was not dull, and did cut fine most of the time

I use a local sharpening service - the guy is good and reasonably priced - always been pleased with his work.  Is there anything special about sharpening the narrow profile chains on these top handle saws that he might not have known about?

Thanks,

Tim in NY

I take it your running the 61 mini picco chain in .043 gauge. Its a fast cutting little chain but not that durable.
You may have a bent cutter causing your problems.
I have in the past run this little chain on my MS200T but don't get much life out of it because of cutters bending or breaking off.
Check the cutters for bending and also see if the depth gauges [rakers] are below .025

Willard.

[Mad Professor]

Go with a 0.050 gauge picco bar and stihl 63PM chain.  Use a 5/32 file at a 30-35 degree angle

[Al_Smith]

Actually the only reason I ever even fooled with light chain is because I got a 12 inch bar from one of the trimmers that had been used as a pry bar .After beating the thing straight again which was a chore I kind of figured the lighter chain would give me a leg up when racing the 200T .May have ,may have not .

I would be in agreement it would be best to use 50 thou chain in a working condition .

[Mad Professor]

I presume you are refering to 3/8" lo profile or Pico chain in 0.043 gauge ? It it's  Stihl chain the stuff has a type of guard chain that won't allow cutting on the very tip end of the bar so as to lessen kick back danger .Rather than cut it just bounces around like BB in a box car but cuts fine back farther on the bar .As far as sharpening ,it's just like any other chain .

I'm not sure if in .043 if Stihl makes anything but this type but in .050 gauge they do make non guard .

You need a 5/32 round file and a glove so you do not skin your knuckles

[Al_Smith]

You're joking of course .I always thought it took a 1/4" file .

The only time I wear gloves to keep from dragging my knuckles on the ground . 8)