When is a chain officially "finished"?

Is there a right answer? How far do you run a chain before it's considered garbage?

The original low kickback chain that came with my saw has seen a hard life, and I believe nearing the end. I don't mind, I have a big boy chain waiting to go. How should the top plate look before it hits the scrap pile? Shoot for a triangle and toss?

 

When it starts loosing cutters I'd say it's done.

 

I didn't realize you could let them go that far lol. Poor mans skip tooth chain.

 

Like concretegrazer said . In fact if the rakers are done right ,and the gullets clean out ,they seem to cut their best just before the die .

 

I agree that they cut better at the end of life. Less drag???

 

Just a wag , but that ,better chip clearance ,and the cutter not only shortens as it goes back but also gets narrower . So ,maybe narrower kerf as well . Whatever it is ,it seems to work .

 

Yea when the teeth start knocking off its done

 

Too many rocks around here and operator error will kill any of my chains before they are filed too far. This is why I've invested in a 1/2 roll of 72LPX.

 

Narrower kerf from a chain at the end of its life = less wood removed = faster cuts.

 

Lots of chains have a line on the top of each tooth to define the sharpening angle. Once you have filed that line off the chain should become history.

 

This is what I use as my rule of thumb. Maybe a sharpening or 2 after but thats about it.

 

Why would you toss it there if your still getting cuts out of it? I agree that's pretty much the point at which it becomes a triangle cutter and they start falling off but I go till you start loosing teeth

 

When Bailey's has a good sale and makes it a no brainer.

 

Or left coast supply. When the 20" oregon loops at $10 shipped to house.

 

Nah that's just a warning line. Like the gas light on your car. It let's you know when it's time to think about ordering a new chain. So you have it ready for when you finally file more than half the cutters off the chain.

Seriously though being a cheap sob I try to squeeze $ .99 out of every penny. I usually run a chain until I file a tooth off. Then I start at that tooth and grind every other tooth off. Now I have a skip tooth stump chain. Or a birthday present for my Brother In Law. Unless, of course, the chain has been damaged or looks dangerously worn.

 

Like the skip tooth idea

 

What he said. Spot on.

 

There was never any line on the top plate of my chain.

 

I mentioned the skip tooth chain idea in post #3, but I was kidding. Now maybe not....squeeze that last dying breath out of it just for fun. It's not yet to triangles, so it's got a few more cuts left to go!

 

It's not chain I'd use everyday, but is good for chopping wind rows down, trees you suspect have fence in them, stumping, etc.