Cutting Dogs?

My brother's 3120XP has the dogs cut so there is only a bottom spike. Looks intentional. Any reason why they would be cut like that?

I'm taking it into the shop to get gone through, but wondering if that's indicative of a certain type of specialty use (like milling or competition or something else).

I know, a pic would be great but I'm at work

Garry

 

I've seen "competition dogs" with no spikes; and a basically smooth leading edge. This is done so they can't "dog in", which can affect cutting times if they catch on the log. For milling, lots of guys will remove them completely to get a little extra width from an Alaskan style mill; though I no longer do this myself. It can be a PITA if you want to put them back on to use the saw "normally", plus it positions the mill too close to the exhaust port in my opinion.

I don't know why they'd leave only one spike on there. But spike size/shape are generally just operator preferences.

 

I removed mine the other day, but that was because I had lost a bolt and they were flopping down in the way. Got a new bolt and put them back in place now.

 

I "double dog dare" you to make dogs that are longer than the bar. LOL! I crack myself up.

 

Those are evil looking...I like it.

 

I put the large Stihl dogs, like found in the 660-661, and a roller catcher on my 461. I didn't use them long before I went back to the stock size. Guess I wasn't holding my mouth right or something, they made me dig into the tree too deep and momentarily bog the engine. All is good now.

 

So not sure but the dogs are for levering but also to hold the saw off the wood for chip clearage?

 

Solved that recurring problem with the 125C a couple years back by replacing all 6 regular nuts on the 2 spikes with 6 nylon lock nuts.Since then those things haven't loosened any no matter how much pressure is placed upon them....

Never really kept track but pretty sure I lost 4-5 nuts & at least 2 bolts/washers prior to that swap.What a hassle having to stop partway through a big cut or other operation.

 

The one that came out (the bottom one) screwed directly to a lug in the saw casing itself, the top one is the only one with a nut on it. I added locktite to both.

 

The dogs on my Dolmar are held by the bar bolts. only time I have a problem with them is when I forget to put them back on after changing out a chain.

 

Loctite is a must. Blue....not red.