one and only one

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Thanks a little slow in getting back. My saw is the Stihl 290 Farm Boss and have used it 4 years with out any problems except the new type caps for oil the flip type cap gets lost and dumps the oil notice when the chain starts smoking. then have to back track where last worked and locate.
I use the 26RSC stihl chain 20" length. Was wondering there is a better type.
Have been cutting oak gum and hickory type trees and now have loads of cedar and seems this cedar is dulling the chain faster than would expect in soft wood.
Had thought the porting of engine might be done but have enough torque so not going any furthure with the idea.
Years ago for another saw purchased a carbide chain and was impressed in its ability to stay sharp. untill my son in law that had a landscaping business borrowed and guess they cut conctete because it came back toothless. Is this type chain still being offered. ?
ken

Ken these chains are still being offered. There are carbide chains and then carbide chains. The weakest point is the brazing. A good carbide chain will be about 10 times the price of a regular chain. They have carbides that are about 3 times the price but good luck with those. Carbide is not bomb proof and wrecks about as fast if you hit a rock. They won't dull as fast but their brazing is the weakest point and you can snap off a carbide tip lickedy split. Also you need diamond files to sharpen these properly. They also do not cut as fast as a regular chain in wood. Whatever you do forget about the "carbide" chains that have a bit of carbide sprinkled on the top of the cutters. These chains dull just as fast as regular chain and are nothing more than a gimmick imo.

 

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Try RMC semi chisel chain. It will stay sharper a lot longer than RSC full chisel will !

+1 Full chisel (most of the time its really not as you need a straight file for an actual chisel chain) is great in clean wood but a nuisance in any wood with grit. Semi is much better for that.

 

[Bluegill2]

Full chisel shines in clean green wood. Semi is absolutely best for everything else!!!

The only time I use chisel is at the saw racing events. Semi only for work...

 

[LD1]

I like the full chisel myself. We cut alot of dead wood, and little green. I can cut all I want for a days worth of work on the full chisel. Then touch up before next cutting.

Just keep it out of the dirt, and use a GOOD chain, like stihl.

 

[Ken]

Thanks to all in the replys and will purchase some RMC sthil chains to cut dry cedar.
The RSC chain cuts well for hard wood but the cedar seems to have a grit that dulls the chain.
Have set the oiler pump to full amount of oil less seems to start smoking quickly.

Merrry Christmas and a good new year.
ken

 

[Bluegill2]

I like the full chisel myself. We cut alot of dead wood, and little green. I can cut all I want for a days worth of work on the full chisel. Then touch up before next cutting.

Just keep it out of the dirt, and use a GOOD chain, like stihl.

I can and have got by for years with full chisel, but semi works best for me.

Maybe the wood has more grit here in the Ozarks?

 

[LD1]

I can and have got by for years with full chisel, but semi works best for me.

Maybe the wood has more grit here in the Ozarks?

Possibly???

Dont get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the semi. It is definatally more forgiving for dirty work. But just slower. If I were finding myself having to sharpen before a full days cutting, I would be using the semi for sure. But with the chisel cutting faster, and lasting me a whole day except for human error......I'll stick with the chisel for now.

 

[Bluegill2]

Possibly???

Dont get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the semi. It is definatally more forgiving for dirty work. But just slower. If I were finding myself having to sharpen before a full days cutting, I would be using the semi for sure. But with the chisel cutting faster, and lasting me a whole day except for human error......I'll stick with the chisel for now.

I can't cut for a full day with any chain without a touch up with the file. I also don't find semi to be any slower, after the first sharpening, but a little slower right out of the box.

 

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I can't cut for a full day with any chain without a touch up with the file. I also don't find semi to be any slower, after the first sharpening, but a little slower right out of the box.

I skid my logs as opposed to having them delivered. I cannot elevate them as high as a skidder or I refuse to cut up 10' sections and skid those. At any rate my logs come in rather gritty even when I skid in the snow. Some of these logs have caused me to have to sharpen my chisel chain after 6 cuts which also makes me crazy. For me, chisel makes the job much longer even though it will cut faster so I go to semi chain and get way more cuts and enough to go the entire tankful. When I see a real bad patch of stuck on dirt or the like, I'll girdle the area with a campers axe just to maintain the chain cutting longer no matter what type of chain I'm using.