Rant: Saw chain sharpening angle debate got me second guessing myself at a job site in Ohio

Overheard two old timers arguing at a stump grinding gig about whether 25 degrees or 30 degrees is better for oak, and one claimed the other was ruining his chain life. I've been running 30 on everything for 5 seasons now and never thought twice, but now I'm wondering if I'm leaving cutting speed on the table. Anyone else switch angles based on wood type, or is that just overthinking it?

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1 Comment

wadeowens13d ago

That whole argument sounds like classic old timer noise, more about pride than actual cutting. Two guys who probably haven't sharpened a chain themselves in years, just yelling over each other to feel important. Oak is oak, whether you hit it at 25 or 30, the difference is maybe a few seconds per cut, not some huge jump in speed. Chain life comes down to how often you hit dirt and how consistent you are with the file, not two degrees on a gauge. Unless you're in an actual race cutting competition, nobody on that job site can tell the difference. Run whatever you know works and let them argue about it until the fuel runs out.