This is the chain vice I rigged up for sharpening chains. It’s helpful to have the tooth really solid for square or chisel filing. The vice grip holds everything rock solid it’s nice for just round filing too

Madsen's has the files

I didn't realize that people back east had ever heard of Madsen's. When I was growing up Madsen's was in an old house they converted into a shop about half a mile from where I went to grade school. Later on they built their new big store and it was (I'm sure still is) a really nice place.

I don't believe I've ever walked into a saw shop and asked for one and not have them have the files. I use them to cut the risers also, always have one or two of them floating around in the door of the pickup.

Great conpany, I order all my supplies from them.

how much faster is square chisel than regular round chisel chain ?

I guess I am not going to try all my saws are .058 bars and they only seem to sell square in .050 and .063

I don't know, I'm not claim any kind of expert status. I cut several cords/yr for firewood, a couple of trees for lumber and some more for just clearing, timber stand improvement stuff. So not much compared to most.

I have several chains for my saws. I use a chain till its dull or has issues cutting then swap it out for another. I'm careful not to ever hit rocks or dirt. I don't drag my logs on the ground, I keep them clean. So my chains last a long time, at least to me it seems that way. When all my chains are dull I sharpen them all at the same time. I have a Stihl electric sharpener. It does a good job and I'm pretty fussy about making the teeth even. I check and and watch the rakers too.

I really think that 80% of it is a relatively sharp blade that is sharpened somewhat correctly. I doubt that square or round filing makes any significant difference.

If one was to test the two against each other I'd be surprised if one was any appreciably faster. And even it was when you think about spending a day in the woods like I do so very little of the time is actually cutting and more is moving around and moving wood.

So in the end I think its another case of messing with something that in the big picture makes no difference. A waste of time in my mind. But again, its just my .02.

You have not cut enough to know the difference. Try it you will be surprised.

I think most professional loggers in the Pacific Northwest have always used the goofy file on their skip and semi-skip tooth saw chains.

Depends. Very common for the landing guys that are limbing and bucking stuff that has been skidded. Of course everything but oversize is usually done with a machine nowadays. Most every professional faller that I knew on the other hand owned a Silva grinder and chisel bit ground them. Some of the oldtimers that handfiled did the goofy file, but pretty much all of the fallers went to grinding years ago, and "grinder" and "Silva" were synonyms in their lexicon. A chisel bit ground, skip tooth or semi-skip chain ground by someone who knows what they are doing will flat hog the wood on a hopped up saw. But they dull easy, if you cut any dirty wood as soon as the tip of that tooth dulls they are dull. That is a lot of the reason that the chaser on the landing and firewood cutters opt for the round file/ground on the chisel bit chain.

Not too many years ago when all felling here in the northeast was done by chainsaws, round filed chisel toothed saw chain was the norm. Guys that bucked on the landing where trees were muddy used semi chisel or round tooth because it as stated it didn’t dull as fast. Today here it’s tough to find a small hand felling cable pulling logging contractor. Most are fully Mechanized , tracked feller Bunchers , grapple skidders, circle saw and bar slashers, and whole tree flail chippers.

I fell timber for 14 years. A goofy file is round on the edges. Chisel file is diamond shaped on the edges. I've watched videos that show filing from the bottom to the top point. I always filed from top point down

Chisel filed or goofy filed full skip, simi skip or full comp it will all cut faster and smoother than round filed. Thats why timber fallers use them

What is your ratio of softwood to hardwood on the timer you cut?

o=o

I want to try this backwards round edge goofy filing.
What size file for 3/8 .050?
What size for .325 .058?

I have a feeling if I ask for these at local "saw shops",
they will tell me I am goofy and need a new lawn mower.

Fun learning from smart fellers on here.

Maybe not "what size?", but what file?

Hammer, do you hold the flat side parallel to the strap?
Not asking about 30 or 25 degrees but the other angle.

Jt--- all soft wood. Pine, fir type wood. Never cut any hard wood

Flat,45 degrees on the side and 45 degrees going down if that makes sense lol. Also I take gullet out with 7/32 file.

Clear as mud lol.
I best stick to round.
I'd have to see it to get it. Thanks.

I have a bench sharpener that I use.
When I'm cutting I usually have more than one saw with me, also extra chains.
I prefer chisel chain as I think it cuts faster than the others, but it does seem to dull faster too.