Full Chisel Chain Vs Skip Tooth (Explained)

Chainsaws are useful for different kinds of jobs. It means there is a wide variety of chains.

However, if you figure out and buy the best chainsaw, you will come to know your requirement, whether you need a skip tooth chainsaw or a full chisel chainsaw.

Here you can get some more information on both types of chainsaw.

A fuel chisel chain vs skip tooth chain, what is it

A fuel chisel chain is designed to ensure fast cutting action.

The semi-chisel chain has teeth in the square corner and it is aggressive while cutting.

A skip tooth chain is used to cut wood in large pieces and for the wood cross-cutting sections.

The gap appearing between the cutting teeth drags on the chain.

Thus, it reduces the debris amount produced.

The skip tooth chains are best in use with longer guide bars and lower-powered saws, reducing the risk of kickback.

Advantages of fuel chisel chain

Fuel chisel chains offer the advantage of cutting faster.

When there is lots of cutting work to be done, using a fuel chisel chain is the best. The work is faster.

It requires one to be careful, as it is more aggressive while cutting and features sharp point edges.

The advantage of using a full-chisel chain is that the top plate and the side plate meet at a 90-degree sharp corner, and the cutter features a sharp shoulder.

It makes the full-chisel chain highly efficient as it avoids re-cutting the wood fibers.

The full chisel chain has vertical sharp shoulders means the fiber of each wood is cut on the first go to full kerf, and there is no need to waste time recutting.

It offers the full-chisel chain efficiency of higher cutting.

Using the same horsepower output, the full-chisel chains higher efficiency directly translated to a faster process of cutting.

The full chisel chains rip the cuts totally and ripping chains employ a shoulder profile.

It cuts as a whole that there is no need for repeated cuttings. However, it accumulates more dirt and dulls quicker.

Advantages of skip tooth chain

The skip tooth chain offers multiple advantages.

You may use skip tooth chains to decrease the debris and woodchips volume produced while sawing.

The chainsaw cutting teeth gaps scoop up debris, allowing the chain to release easily.

The chains in the skip tooth are wider, and the building up of sawdust is less.

Thereby the cleaning of the chainsaw is not a requirement, and you get to save time.

Skip tooth chains decrease the number of times you clean the guide bar or the chain.

The next advantage of using a skip tooth chain is that it uses less power than any full regular chain.

The skip tooth chain takes minimal power from the motor as per the chain length.

It is the reason that there are longer bars on the motor and so it facilitates working more efficiently and for longer.

The biggest advantage is the risk of kickback that happens while working on a skip tooth chain.

It makes the chain beginner-friendly.

A skip tooth chain is a great option for anyone with less experience using a chainsaw.

The cutter teeth do not dull quickly, and sharpening them is easier.

It is good for any beginner to practice learning and performing chainsaw maintenance.

What is a full chisel chain and skip tooth chain best for?

• The fuel chisel chain is highly effective, and it cuts fast. The work volume is more than all other saw chains, but only halfway through or by the completion of the work the fuel-chisel chainsaw dulls the most, and there is a need to sharpen the blade and consider chainsaw maintenance.

The fuel chisel chains are known as specialty chains. They are best for softwood fast crosscutting.

Using a full chisel chain means it is time-efficient, and you can do the work fast as you have the best sharpening tools in your hand.

Clearing the task of cutting firewood is easier with fuel chisel chains.

• It is the best for saw jobs requiring a long bar, such as for large tree sawing. The skip tooth chains featuring a longer bar provide a cut with a wider diameter. The cutter teeth do not dull fast during a sawing job. Thus, it is likely to get the job done and is much better than other chains.

Skip tooth chains are best for wood crosscutting sections and chainsaw milling.

The sawing jobs requiring a precise and clean job with precise completion may consider a skip tooth chain.

When you should not try using a full chisel chain, skip tooth chain

Cull chisel chains do not benefit while ripping cuts or even in dirty conditions. They are best to avoid if not sharpened.

It requires regular sharpening to keep the full chisel chains effective, though the bar and the chain help do the jobs.

A skip tooth chain is different. It works on narrow and small diameter sawing material. It features a shorter bar and a chain to work better.

A skip tooth chain vibrates more and is painful to the wrists as you have to hold the saw steadily.

The skip tooth chain is not the same as it has every other tooth or even more teeth removed, proving its name skip tooth.

A full chisel chain makes work easier by running a longer bar.

It keeps the wood steady, ensuring the full chisel works faster, but there will be a lot of debris scattered. 

The vibration is less in a full chisel chain.

A skip tooth chain requires for smaller materials a shorter bar, yet there is a grabby and rough feel.

The branch of the tree may not be cut and will need repetitive releasing and yanking.

A skip tooth chain is best using a longer chainsaw bar. The skip tooth chains cause a lot of vibration.

Wrapping up

Knowing the full-chisel and skip tooth chainsaw forms, their working and advantages give a clear picture of their uses.

Full chisel chains are only for professionals or experienced users, who know the tools and have good skills.

The machine requires maintenance.

While the skip tooth is useful even for a beginner to learn the skill, it requires less maintenance.