When is a chainsaw chain FUBAR (done for)?
 

I have one on a homelite 330 that has had two links taken out by the man I got it from, who swears up and down it's a GREAT chipping chain, but that sucker stretches faster than the saw needs gas...

It hopped off the bar in the middle of a tree I was dropping today, and scares the daylights out of me to tell ya truthfully...

(Got the saw from BING in the Atoka area)

Always replace chain and bar, I prefer bars with the wheel in the end, NEVER have the chain altered, once you've seen someone cut by one, you'll understand!

Take that chain and pitch it if its been tapered with, no ifs and or butts , go get a new one or even a used one from someone that sells them and knows about them, independant tool rental stores area very good place to buy from. they can also sharpen them and show you how do it your self

Wolf here a PDF file from stihl with lots of info on chains

http://www.stihllibrary.com/pdf/Shar...61301final.pdf

also ensure your oiling system is working , that will prolong the life of the chain

To test the oiling system, hold the saw 2-3" above a white piece of paper and rev the saw a few times. If your saw has a manual chain oil control, depress the oil lever while revving the saw. You should see a light mist of oil fly on the piece of paper. If oil is not dispensed during this test, the oiling system is not working properly.


Make sure the oil reservoir is full.


Remove the chain and check the oil passages on the guide bar. If the guide bar is dirty, clean it with a shop rag.


Check the oil outlets located near the clutch and sprocket assembly, behind the guide bar mounts. After use, this area is often caked with sawdust and chain oil. A careful cleaning usually restores the oiling system's performance


When i was down south helping out during Katrina , we took with us over 100 chains for six chain saws, I was changing blades about once an hour because the trees we were cutting had were salt encrusted from the seawater, and would dull a chain in a blink of an eye , and they would start kicking back during cutting.

We had wood heat, I spent 10 years heating with a wood stove, I've cut a lot of wood, I know how to sharpen a chain, and can tell when to change it, I always tore it down after a day of cutting to clean it out too.

When I was six or so - I saw a man bring a buddy into my families doctors office with a bunch of towels wrapped around his forearm. This is where my paranoia comes from -

He said the chain parted and wrapped down and up, and around his arm.

He was dripping all over the floor.

I don't trust this BS, and I have a lot more trees to cut.

I always replace a chain if its streching. I sold firewood for yrs. I kept several chains so I coulds swap if one got dull during a days work. I sharpened my own but I liked to have them shop filed every third sharpening.

Seems I'll be shopping for a chain at least for a thirty year old saw...