That's pretty significant damage but can be sharpened out. But it's going to take removing metal back to where you have a sharp edge all the way across the teeth.

Since you are new to chainsaws, I'd recommend taking the chain to a service to get the initial problem corrected. You can do it with the 2 in 1 but it's going to take a lot of filing.

That "ripple" in the wood between your second and third cut is an indication that something disturbed the growth of the wood in that area. Since you hit something, it's probably metal from a tree house, swing or other construction.

If you have a metal detector, once you have a sharp chain go over the log and mark out any metal. If you don't have a detector, you can go away from any ripples and hope that area is clear to cut. I'd suggest getting a second chain to have on hand as it's frustrating to have to stop and sharpen a damaged chain. Quicker to swap chains and sharpen at leisure.

There's a reason sawmills won't accept logs from residential lots. Instead of a $20 chain, they are looking at a $1,000 blade and a mill that's down until it's changed out plus cost of sharpening if that is possible.

 

A sawyer i'm acuainted with says these dark stains indicate iron/steel in the log and he won't mill these logs . Stove wood they become after he sees those stains .

 

You hit something. Big dents in your teeth.

How to know if need sharpening? Chain should toss big chips fast. If it cuts slow, or only throws sawdusts, then it is dull.

Cutting teeth should always look perfect, like new. They will wear and get smaller with each sharpening, but should always "look" sharp. If dings, then need to sharpen.

The rake teeth need to be lowered after more than a couple sharpenings, so the cut teeth can bite.

I suggest looking in youtube for videos about sharpening, because probably easier to see how done, than describe it.

 

Plenty of life in that chain. 15-20 strokes with a good file should take that ding out. The 2 in 1 works wonders. These chains can be sharpened hundreds of times until the teeth get filled down to triangles. I’d get a wedge or 2 and investigate that problem or cut around it. All kinds of things in trees like rocks and old nails to pailroad spikes.

 

Man you guys are on it today! Thanks for the replies. The wedge is a great idea to split it and see what I’m dealing with. Also glad to hear my saw isn’t beyond repair.

thank you!

 

I tried sharpening chains, not the easiest to get right, and paying to have the chain sharpened is not much cheaper than a new chain.
I found it less of a hassle to just buy new chains from Amazon.
Once you hit something in a log or hit dirt the chain is done.

 

Once you hit something in a log or hit dirt the chain is done.

Unless teeth get broken, a chain can be sharpened numerous times. Sometimes even better than factory new.

Having spare chains available is smart. Tossing them when the get dull isn't. Chain sharpening isn't hard to do. It does take some practice and there are many tools available to make the job easier.

 

Cutting dirt will kill a chain.

 

Try not to roll or drag logs through the dirt before cutting...just the dirt will quickly dull the chain...

I agree with the above, but dirt is just the price of admission. I cut probably more than most and process log cut offs which is refuse off log landings. All of the wood was skidded down to the landing with cable skidders dragging through the dirt.

Dirt is bad, but cutting frozen mud is a whole other matter, that is REALLY HARD on chain.
Below is an example of what I deal with:

Technique on how you actually cut is pretty important as you do not want to drag dirt through the cut towards the powerhead. I end up plunge/bore cutting almost every round for two reasons: It dulls the chain less and since the logs are very large you almost never pinch the bar. I also have gone to old school hard nosed bars because they bore cut much easier and run semi chisel 404 chain on big saws.

This video explains it pretty well.

 

MFP: Man you guys are on it today! Thanks for the replies. The wedge is a great idea to split it and see what I’m dealing with. Also glad to hear my saw isn’t beyond repair.


Wedges come in a couple of different materials too. Plastic wedges won't damage a chain. Use them to keep a piece of wood from closing up and trapping your chain, but they won't split wood. Splitting wedges are steel and meant to be hit with a hammer, but they ruin chains if they make contact. I like the spiral splitting wedges that I got from Lee Valley. You've bought a serious saw now it's time to get some serious stuff to make it work properly, and besides an extra chain or two, you are going to need some wedges.

 

Cutting dirt means the chain needs to be and can usually be resharpened but it will take some time -- even slightly touching the ground with a running chain will dull it immediately. A 2-in-1 is amazing, but over time the files -- especially the round files -- need to be replaced. I buy a dozen in a box at a time, which is only a little more expensive than the typical 2-pack you'll find at a dealer. If a chain has lots of damage like yours, agree to take it to a shop. That way you can be sure the chain cuts straight and will be properly sharp. As to costs, I can get chains sharpened locally for $10, and new Stihl chains are $20-30 depending on type of chain and length. If any questions about what to buy, bring an old chain with you.

Agree to watch some videos to get to know how to sharpen a chain properly. Important to sharpen evenly, with equal pressure and paying attention to the angle. If after sharpening it cuts to the left or right, you can go back and give a light sharpening to one side to correct. Also research how to clean and maintain your bar.

Finally, since you are a new chain saw user, I recommend using non-ethanol fuel and be sure to run the tank dry. Old ethanol fuel will be a problem. And ear protection, and chaps....

Edit: always have an extra chain with you. Almost guaranteed to dull your chain if you don't have a spare and you are a long way from your shop.

 

Hi there

I agree with Tree farmer above. Since you're new-ish to the saw, have this one resharperened at a shop as this chain has taken a big hit. Sharpening is about $8 around my area for 16" chain

Get a sharpener, I like the Stihl 2 in 1, looks like this:

But make sure to get your model, there are a few different ones, depending on your chain type.

get a couple spare chains too. You might decide to change the chain and keep going instead of stopping to sharpen. I often stop and touch up the chain for 5-10 min.

You might have hit a screw or bolt in the wood. I've found bullets too, but they're usually softer. Fence wire happens alot. All of it dulls the chain. Keep it out of dirt as much as possible too.

Absolutely wear eye, ear protection + gloves. Hard hat and chaps are not overkill either. 16" or more of razor sharp chain exposed makes this tool very dangerous!

I was chipping a tree a few years ago, with a 12" rented chipper, and suddenly it sounded like a grenade went off. It kept going, but no longer making nice "chips"
I examined the chip pile and found pieces of horseshoe. Not a real shoe, but like one used in the horseshoe game. We never saw it, so I surmise it was hung over a branch 20 years earlier, and the tree grew around it. The guy that lived there had horses. Destroyed the chipper blades, I had to take it back, pay for replacing the blades, then finish the job. Live and learn. That shoe would have eaten a chain on most any saw.

 

Hi there

I agree with Tree farmer above. Since you're new-ish to the saw, have this one resharperened at a shop as this chain has taken a big hit. Sharpening is about $8 around my area.

Get a sharpener, I like the Stihl 2 in 1, looks like this:
View attachment 876901

But make sure to get your model, there are a few different ones, depending on your chain type.

Yep. I have two different models since I have two saws with much different chains. And of course spare round files for both.

 

^
|
|-What he said. Perfect tool for Saturday Sawyers like us!

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/filing-tools/2in1file/

A few strokes each way keeps the chain fine. And this is why I like the 16" bar. Easier to keep out of the dirt.

And even the best sawyers put it into the dirt occasionally.

 

My local shop charges $19 per chain to sharpen. Bought a 2in 1 earlier this year and it’s the best money spent in a long time. I have two chains and hit them with the 2n1 before running about every other time. I have the same saw as you and have had it for years. Not the biggest/best but it’s a good saw. The manual has some good info inside so be sure to read it!

 

One GTT member wrote that he has an extra bar and chain ready to go if his bar is trapped in a pinched piece of wood and he doesn't have another saw to cut the wood and release his saw. I think that is a great piece of advice. You just loosen the nuts holding the bar to the saw, install your standby bar and chain, and you are back in business. Kudos for that piece of information. Many of us have multiple saws that we've accumulated over the years but everyone starts with their first saw and we've all trapped chains more than once.
All the information that you need to buy another bar of the same length and a chain to fit it is stamped on the side of your bar.

 

That depends on saw model. A saw with an outboard sprocket is easier to swap than one with inboard sprocket. The closer the powerhead is to the pinch point, the harder it is as well. Depending on the severity of the pinch sometimes a wedge or 2 will help unpinch a saw. There's also the safety concerns that need consideration as any partially cut log is an unstable log.

As for sharpening a saw chain, I was told as a teenager back in the late 1970's learning to cut that if you can't dress/sharpen a chain by hand, you shouldn't be using a chainsaw. Chains dull from normal use as well as when hitting embedded objects, the ground, cutting dirty wood, etc. I tend to touch-up my chains when I refuel the saw. The 10-15 minute break is as good for the body as it is for the saw.

 

No time like the present to learn how to sharpen, just do it yourself. They don’t have to be perfect. Maybe it’s just me looking at your pictures wrong but it doesn’t look like the cutting part of the tooth is that damaged.

 

Try not to roll or drag logs through the dirt before cutting...just the dirt will quickly dull the chain...

 

I sharpen very often,change out chains even more.as someone above said"if it doesn't look perfect ........
Sharp chain uses less gas and calories and is the SAFEST to use.
one thing I found out real fast,rolls of chain is cheaper,then it's always ready to replace and if you have a machine to sharpen,you do a bunch at once.
Then you have some to abuse and some others(new)to make fall cuts.

 

Sharp chain uses less gas and calories and is the SAFEST to use.

Not only this, but dull chain is harder on the powerhead and causes more saws to burn up or flat-out break than any other problem. If you're seeing sawdust and/or smoke instead of chips, your chain is too dull.

 

The chain looks fine just file them back sharp. The Stihl sharpener will file the rakers as needed. Teeth don’t have to be same size to still cut. Even a few teeth broken off will still cut. Cut down either side of the cut you made contact and stop short of same depth. Assuming it’s perpendicular to the tree, grain you should miss it. Rarely I’ve seen long objects grown in the tree vertically. Now cut down length ways in the tree between the cuts. Maybe even cut a square out of the side of the tree. You can take wedges and break out the chunks to see what’s in there. Usually you’ll see black stained wood when you get close. You can cut thru the log and split it, either way. Open it up. If it’s barbed wire or a nail imbedded you can cut it out.

But yes, use the little orange plastic wedge to keep from pinching the bar. Steel wedges and a mail are standard wood cutting tools. Get you a couple of spare chains and files. I’d say get the Stihl chains. Most other off the shelf chains (Oregon) don’t fit any way. And Stihl chains last longer. There is a safety, reduced kick back, chain available. They are the ones with the green teeth/links. But the non safety chains cut much faster. If you buy another bar, buy the next larger size. You can cut thicker trees and the saw should run it if you don’t bear down on it. But that means extra chains to maintain. It’s nice to keep an axe in you tools too. You can cut a pinched bar out the hard way if needed. You’re gonna encounter obstructions inbedded in trees. No one has X-ray vision. We’ve all done it. Just add a spare chain or tools as money allows it. I even keep a spare sprocket in my kit for when the teeth wear out.

One more thing, having saws sharpened at the dealer shortens the life of the chain. Saw shops set the grind wheel at one depth and cut all the the teeth to the most worn tooth. Sometimes they grind off a lot more of the tooth than needed. Filing them yourself you can only remove what’s needed right there on the tailgate in the woods. Harbor freight files last okay. But those $30 HF electric sharpeners are junk. Don’t waste your money. A good one is expensive unless you sharpen a LOT of chains. Sharpening them yourself is time consuming but files are cheap. Chuck the bar (on the saw) up in a vise sharpen one side, flip it around and hit the other side. Click the brake on for each tooth. That will hold it still while you file. Mark a tooth with a marker so you’ll know when to stop. Might want to wear leather gloves and for sure safety glasses. Twist the file around and clean the filings off it as you file. Lots of little tricks you’ll learn the more you cut.

 

AND — stay away from cutting cottonwood — lousy firewood, very hard on chains, and good for critters if you let them rot on the ground.

 

Hit a full size pick axe in a large log a couple of years back, some one must have set it in the crotch of the tree

 

Someone had the forethought and consideration to set that axe head on that tree and grow the best fitting handle anyone could ever want, and you went and cut it off right below the head.

 

For cutting in the dirt use Diablo pruning blades in a reciprocating saw. Save the chainsaw for cutting wood.

 

Absolutely the best!!! I used them when I was stump grinding for cutting roots. Took quite awhile to dull them.

 

Kind of forgot about the OP's original question, oops I digress as I often do.

1st, the way to find metal is put on a new chain, it is like a magnet.

Sometimes hitting metal or rock can be ground out, sometimes it cannot. In extreme cases the cutter itself will bend the working corner of the cutter downward and even though it can be sharp, still won't cut. You just can't always tell.

 

My money is on tree stand step for what OP hit!

 

Sharpening a chain is like operating a rear blade. Not everyone who owns a tractor and a chainsaw is an expert at it

 

The most often mistake when filing is rocking the file . I've seen it happen when pros think they are pushing the file in a straight line . Go tho the opposite side and pull it .

 

🍿 waiting for pics of the split log 🍿

 

The tree that had the pick axe in it was 30inches across . It was a tree that was in front of an old farm house ,and I expected to hit some nails being a yard tree. The crazy part is the guys that cut the tree down and into 24 inch long pieces didn't hit the pick axe . I did when trying to cut it into manageable size pieces at home.

 

Buy a new chain or 3.

Find a sharpening solution.......buy or hire it out.

chain has lots of life left....imho

 

Yeah, that's not too far gone at all. When I was using my saw a lot, I'd rotate through 3 chains. When I was on the last "sharp one" it was time to sharpen the others.

Best,