Square filing chains

Must be a square filing day...

Finally got a chance to square file on my 450 rancher. Wow, the videos and pictures really helped. Took a brand new oregon round filed chain and converted it to square. The rancher was a completely different saw in the wood. Smoother, cut way faster (red oak) and was really fun to run. I should have taken a few pictures of my chain, not as nice as the pictures EW posted above, but not bad for my second attempt.

I took down two big dead oaks yesterday, needed my 572 with 24" bar to drop them, but I'll saw them up with the rancher, which will give me another opportunity to touch up the chain.

How often do you guys replace your files? I'm using a pferd file, probably have to start buying in bulk, cuz I don't know that I'm going back to round filing.

 

I once split a box of a dozen Bahco’s with a friend. Eventually found the Vallorbe’s and picked up a couple. They cut and last longer than all the others I’ve tried.
Vallorbe Double Chisel Bit File 2279-8

Vallorbe double bevel square chain file 2279 | eBay

 

Crazy what they cost now. Can't remember exactly what i paid for my last 4 but it wasn't that!!

 

I had to look it up.

 

Yeah. Mine were $12 or so. If I needed more I’d be digging a bit deeper. Those were near the top of a google search. But it’s the only one I’d get. Far superior to the rest.

 

Thanks for the link to the Vallorbe files. WAY nicer than the Pferd file I was using. I don't know if the file is harder or more aggressive than the Pferd, but took more material off quicker with less effort. Even got a chance to touch up the chain in the woods. I did a LOT of cutting this weekend. Square filing is where its at!!

 

Yes, the double bevel files have gone up in price. I had bought a box of a dozen Pferd files a couple years ago when the Vallorbe double bevels were nowhere to be found. They hold up well for me.

I had tried a couple of the Bacho double bevels and they didn't last at all for me cuz they were too hard and the edges just chipped away. I only got a few sharpenings with those.

I also have used the triangle style file for square filing. I'm not sure what brand file it is but it has held up well and I like using it equally well as the double bevel files.
here's a link to a box of twelve of those:
Vallorbe Triangle/Three-square File - 2276-8 - One Dozen | eBay

 

As far as muscle memory with the angles goes, is there much difference sharpening with the triangular files versus the double bevel?

 

They both use the same motions and angles, the files just look different but work in exactly the same way. Inbred Jed has a video about square filing chains and he explains it very well.

Inbred Jed square filing video - Google Search

 

Is FAD a thing? I might have it My Vallorbe files came in.

 

More improvement. I had this brand new Oregon 0.325 chain for my Stihl that I converted to square. Top plate angles are coming in a lot better. Although not perfect, my intersecting angles are more or less in the corner of the tooth. The side plates are vertical or a degree or two forward. I clipped the heels on the rakers while I was at it. I used my Pferd file to rough them in and a Bahco that The Wood Wolverine Sent me to finish the profile. This thread (and the people on this site) were HUGELY helpful in getting me on the right path, in more ways than one…

 

Looks good to me! That should make some nice chips. Now we need a cut report.

 

Consider me another square filing convert. Used my newly acquired pferd triangle file on a well worn c83 and was pretty pleased with how it looked. Took the 372 out to noodle some unsplitable rounds and couldn’t believe how it just ate the wood. In a few minutes, I blocked up all the uglies and made all my tinder for next year! Went in and found 12 packs of the 17081 on Amazon for half price. As others have said, I can’t see going back to round.

 

A box of 12 Pferd 17081 triangle style files got here today. I found them for 65 bucks and ordered them and some small round hole file handles for them. I'm always short a handle or two and hate taking them off a file till it's just not cutting anymore. I had to try one of the new files on the 25" bar on the 362 cuz I notice it had nicked something hard while cutting the other day. There were a few teeth that had the corners knocked off.

The new file cleaned this chain right up with one or two strokes on most of the teeth, but took 7 to 10 strokes on a few of the crunched corner teeth. The file cut well and I'm happy with them. Overall there really isn't much difference in the feel of using these or the double bevel style files.

I'm thinking these may last a little longer than the double bevel files because the usage is spread over 6 corners instead of 4 corners.

 

Let’s muddy the water some more. I thought this was a very interesting technique. I’m more interested in results than methods, so I’ll give this a try the next time I hand file.

Last night I ordered the square jig from this guy, so I can go from square filing to square grinding. Updates to come at a later date.

 

Yeah that’s actually a lot better for me. Your mileage may vary.

 

That looks good !
I've been chisel filing since the early 80s so I always file from the outside in . Chain on the bar on the saw with a fallin wedge shoved in the bottom of the bar to keep the chain Tight .
Someday I'll weld up another filing bar . But that day is off in the future somewhere.
But results matter and you've gotten Good results !!!

 

If you really rock a chain . I recommend grinding the rocked out or round filing. The sometimes super hard parts of the cutters from being rocked will destroy a good cutting chisel file in a few strokes .
Save your good files for when the chain is just dull not ground rounded.

 

Make sure and let us know how you like it. I'm interested