We are first going to talk about the Cutting Corner. The cutting corner is the most critical part of the cutter. During the cutting process it is the first part of the cutter to come in contact with the wood. It’s the strongest part of the cutter. It is also where the side plate and top plate meet. The filing angle, when sharpening, is the most important part. The sharper the edge the better the cut.
In conjunction with the cutting corner is the top-plate. Some top-plates might be longer depending on the chain and the features. The chains that have a longer top plate are to make the life of your chain longer and for more efficient sharpening. Most of OREGON’s chains offer a feature called Witness Mark. This feature is built into some Oregon professional chains. This feature helps chainsaw users do 4 important things:
1. Sharpen the chain at its optimum angle
2. Sharpen the chain accurately throughout its useful life
3. Keep the lengths of cutter top-plates equal
4. Know when the chain has reached the end of its life
Connected to the top is the side plat. Side plate is actually located on the side of the top-plate. The side plate cuts in conjunction with the top-plate and reinforces the top plate. The side plate set the cutting height. It also sets the width cut.
Now we are going to talk depth gauge. The depth gauge sets the amount of “bite” which is how much wood is cut per cycle. Some people refer to the depth gauge as the raker. The depth gauge sets the cutter tooth thickness and thickness of the shaving. There are two basic types of depth gauges: Ramped-shaped and Wide-track depth gauges. Wide track assists in kerf clearance. The depth gauge is an Integral part of the anti-kickback system. Requires maintenance with a flat file.
On the bottom of the cutter is the toe of the cutter. The toe is ramped to prevent damage from the bar. The toe and the heel are also angled to provide lighter weight to the cutter and saves money.
Rivet Hole. The rivet hole is the only moving part to the chain. The rivet hole connects the tie straps to the cutters making a complete chain.
And finally the gullet, the wider the gullet is the better chip flow you get. The gullet also provides a gap within the cutter to allow access with a sharpening file.
