I cut and split most of my firewood in the winter. I have the time and it’s an excuse to get outside. However, one disadvantage of cutting firewood in winter is frozen logs.
I sharpen chains more often when cutting frozen wood. Frozen wood dulls a chain just as fast as hitting a rock or dirt.
Signs of a Dull Chain from Frozen Wood
A dull chain from frozen wood looks like someone took a file or sandpaper to the top of the tooth. If you look at the picture below you can see what I’m talking about. There’s no evidence of something hitting the cutting edge, the tooth is simply ‘filed’ down from the top.
If I hit a rock or dirt there would have been dings in the cutting edge. In this case, the top of the tooth was simply worn down from rubbing against hard ice.
How to Fix a Dull Chain From Frozen Wood
The only way to fix a dull chain from frozen wood is to file it beyond the damage. That’s going to take about ten to fifteen strokes with a sharp file. By the time you file beyond the damage, you’ll have to check your depth gauges too, for they will likely need to be lowered after removing that much of the cutter.
The image below shows a kerf in a frozen log.
Solutions for Cutting Frozen Wood
The best solution to cutting frozen wood is to wait until the weather warms to start cutting again.
Another option is to try a semi-chisel chain. Your chain may last a little longer with a rounded semi-chisel chain as compared to the sharp-pointed full chisel chain. However, frozen wood is going to take a toll no matter what.
Finally, you can try a different chain. Oregon makes DuraCut that stays sharp three times longer than a regular chain. I’ve never tried DuraCut chain but the harder teeth may help with frozen wood. Loggerchain.com has DuraCut Chain in 3/8 pitch, .050 gauge with 72 drive links for just under 30 dollars a loop as of this writing. It might be worth a try.
Frozen Wood is a No Win Situation
Cutting frozen wood is frustrating because there’s no easy fix.
Once you recognize the wear pattern from frozen wood you can make a decision to sharpen every cut or wait for warmer weather. I recommend waiting for warmer weather.
My situation was a worst-case scenario. The log I was cutting had been on the ground for two years and the first three inches of the wood was punky. A cold spell had frozen the water in this soft, spongy layer and my chain couldn’t make one cut before needing a file.
If you’re using your chainsaw and the temperature is below freezing you may be cutting frozen wood. If the wood is frozen wait for warm weather to finish the job, it will save you a lot of frustration.