Chainsaw chain question.

[johninct]

Years ago, when I didn't know as much about chainsaws and chainsaw chains, I was cutting and got my chain pinched and thrown off. I put a new chain on and kept cutting. Fast forward to now. I dug out the thrown (but never sharpened ) chain and saw it was buggered up on the sides of the sprocket teeth so I cleaned all of that up. Next, I noticed that 3 or 4 sprocket teeth (probably where they were pinched) were a little stiff when flexed and kind of rounded off, so I filed new C-cups to engage the sprockets on the saw. My question, should I use that never sharpened but repaired chain or will I be risking ruining my bar or sprockets?

 

[Copymutt]

Install it, tension it, rotate through a few full runs by hand. Any binding will be felt. Going on same saw?

 

[johninct]

Same saw.

 

[ATTappman]

When a chain has been pinched and thrown, it will often have small burrs on the sides of one or more drive links (what you referred to as "sprocket teeth"). These burrs will prevent the chain from moving smoothly through the groove in the bar. Filing down the burrs will restore the chain. But if the chain has drive links that have lost their original shapes, for whatever reason, I would throw the chain away.

 

[finn]

I have salvaged a few chains that have what I’ll call damaged drive dogs. The drive dogs are hardened steel and difficult to file. Power tools with abrasives can do it, but it’s easy to do additional damage.

In the end, I’m not sure it’s worth the effort if the damage is severe.

Keeps you out of the taverns, though. If you get the burs smoothed sufficiently, it won’t damage the bar.

 

[PCustoms]

But if the chain has drive links that have lost their original shapes, for whatever reason, I would throw the chain away.

Toss the chain OP. A new one is probably $20

 

[charlesmcelhaney12]

Sharpen the chainsaw, install it. Check the tension in the chainsaw and you are good to go.