Carbide chainsaw chains

[4570Man]

I have serious doubts about a carbide chain taking a rock or other foreign material without damage. And the upfront cost is a lot more and the sharpening difficulty is a lot more. If it’s taking you 45 minutes to sharpen you should spend the money you were going to spend on a chain on a different sharpening method.

 

[Doofy]

The link to the Stihl literature says up to 4 times longer, not 10.

Sorry. I believed YouTube. Cost seems reasonable even at only 4 times.

 

[MossRoad]

Sorry. I believed YouTube. Cost seems reasonable even at only 4 times.

Yes, I've been thinking about it, too. I cut almost exclusively locust trees. I only have about 10,500 left! :laughing: As I've cut out about 500 over the past 10 years. All about telephone pole size. Great firewood, but stupid hard and dulls the chains quickly, as in about every 2 tanks of gas. I can cut all day on sassafras and cherry and only hand sharpen the chain once or twice. But the locust is ridiculous. Throws sparks when cutting. I have 5-6 chains, I just swap them out as the day goes on, and sharpen them at home when I get to the last one, rather than sharpening with a file in the field.

 

[Doofy]

I would guess that the cost of the diamond sharpening wheel will be my next search. I'd rather sharpen myself rather than ship off to be sharpened. That could get spendy.

 

[Doofy]

Costs about $25 to mail off to get sharpened. Could buy a diamond wheel for my sharpener and one 18" carbide chain for around $200. Still considering the pros and cons.

 

[4570Man]

I found the arbor on my sharpener didn’t run perfect. I tried filling it to no avail. I used some shim stock between the arbor flange and the wheel and got it running right. Swapping wheels for me would be a pain.

 

[ArlyA]

Since we clear trails, we cut everything off at ground level which is very tough on chains. I spied those carbide chains and asked my chain dealer about them being cost effective or not. His response was something to the effect, "We're going charge you X per tooth to resharpen it. Between there extra cost up front, and the cost to sharpen them, they're just not worth it."

 

[fruitcakesa]

You can buy a lot of standard chains for the cost of a diamond wheel and 1 chain. Plus the ease and speed of sharpening.

 

[nyone]

Why are you dulling chains so quickly? Cutting in the dirt? Well dont. Cut flush then cut a checkered pattern in the clean wood of the stump so it holds water. Helps them rot quicker. Willow is hardly a hard wood.

 

[ArlyA]

If those willows are small enough, I'd suggest using loppers for ground level cuts.

Does anyone have experience using carbide chainsaw chains? I am looking to cut willows to ground level and standard chains dull to quickly. I will keep any new shoots pruned off for a couple of years until the trees die and then I will remove the stumps after they begin rotting and at my leisure.