Ripping Chain vs Regular Chain for Chainsaw Milling: Is It Really Worth It?
If you are getting into chainsaw milling, one of the first questions is whether you need a ripping chain or whether a regular chain is enough.
The honest answer is simple: a ripping chain is usually better for milling, but a regular chain is often good enough.
That may sound less dramatic than what you read online, but for many real users it is much closer to the truth.
What Is the Difference?
A ripping chain is designed for cutting with the grain, which is what happens in chainsaw milling. A regular chain is mainly designed for cross-cutting.
The main difference is usually the sharpening angle. Ripping chain is commonly sharpened around 10 degrees, while regular chain is often sharpened around 25–35 degrees.
In theory, that should give you a smoother cut and a better surface when milling boards and slabs.
What Happens in Real Life?
Yes, the difference is there. But for many people, especially on smaller setups, it is not nearly as dramatic as they expected.
When I started testing different chainsaw mills and developing the tool that later became ClampMill, I was convinced that ripping chain would make a big difference. Like many beginners, I thought this would be one of the major upgrades.
In reality, I was surprised by how little it changed. Yes, a ripping chain did make a difference, but for me it was usually not big enough to justify the extra complexity.
Why Many People Still Use Regular Chain
This is where real forest work matters more than theory.
If I go to the forest, I usually want to use the same chain for felling, cross-cutting, and milling. My toolbox is already full, and adding another layer of chain-angle management is not something I am looking for.
That is one of the main reasons regular chain still makes sense. It keeps the whole system simpler.
Different People Use Different Sharpening Systems
There is no single perfect system. Some people use one chain and sharpen it constantly. Others keep several chains with them and swap them out during the day.
Over the years, I have ended up with a system that works well for me: I carry several chains, and when one gets dull in the forest, I simply swap it out. Then, once I have a pile of dull chains, I sharpen them all together later.
That works well until you start mixing different sharpening angles for the same saw and bar. During work, chains sometimes get mixed up. Then when you are sharpening later, it is an unpleasant surprise to suddenly realize you are sharpening a ripping chain at the wrong angle, or a regular chain the wrong way.
I use three different saws regularly. Having separate sets of regular and ripping chains for each saw would make the system more expensive, more confusing, and harder to manage.
Donald’s workflow is very different. A good example of how personal this can be.
He usually works with one chain at a time. After a couple of logs, if the wood is not muddy, he gives each tooth a few quick passes with a file. If the sharpened chain still does not cut well enough, he very occasionally lowers the depth gauges slightly with a flat file.
Right now he is also experimenting with a practical middle ground: instead of keeping one chain strictly at 10 degrees, he gradually sharpens his ripping chain toward about 15 degrees. The idea is to make one chain work better for both cross-cutting and milling. With his MS500i, that gives him a very capable all-round setup for bucking logs on the ground and then milling boards from the same wood.
That is a good example of what many users eventually discover: the question is not always “Which chain is technically best?” Very often the better question is “Which system is practical enough that I will actually use it?”
When Regular Chain Is Usually Fine
A regular chain is often a very reasonable choice when:
- you want one chain for both forest work and milling
- you are milling smaller logs
- you are using shorter bars
- you want to keep sharpening simple
- you do not want separate chain systems for the same saw
For many beginners, this is the smartest place to start.
When Ripping Chain Starts to Make More Sense
There are still situations where a ripping chain is the right choice.
For special projects, there is sometimes no real alternative. A ripping chain becomes more worthwhile when:
- you are using bars over 22 inches (560 mm)
- you are milling wider slabs
- you want a smoother finish
- you are doing a lot of dedicated milling
- you want to reduce strain in long cuts
The bigger and more demanding the setup gets, the more a ripping chain starts to earn its place.
What Matters More Than Chain Type?
In practice, a sharp chain matters more than whether it is called ripping chain or regular chain.
A sharp regular chain will usually outperform a dull ripping chain. Cut quality and milling speed also depend on bar length, saw power, wood species, log width, and how well the mill is set up.
So if you are just starting out, do not overcomplicate it. Focus first on having a sharp chain and a good milling setup.
Ripping Chain vs Regular Chain: The Honest Conclusion
If you want the technically better chain for chainsaw milling, a ripping chain usually wins. It is designed for milling and usually gives a smoother cut.
But if you want the more practical real-world solution, especially for smaller setups and mixed forest work, a regular chain is often enough.
That is why my own approach has stayed simple. I prefer to keep fewer chain types, swap dull chains quickly in the forest, and sharpen them later in batches. For my work, that has been worth much more than chasing a small improvement from a separate ripping-chain system.
Donald’s approach shows another version of the same idea: instead of creating a complicated chain collection, he keeps one chain working, touches it up often, and even experiments with a middle-ground sharpening angle to make one chain do more.
Still, for larger bars, wider slabs, and special milling projects, ripping chain absolutely has its place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ripping chain better than regular chain for chainsaw milling?
Usually yes, especially for smoother cuts and larger milling setups. But regular chain can still work very well.
Can you use a regular chain for chainsaw milling?
Yes. Many people do, especially on smaller logs and shorter bars.
What angle is a ripping chain sharpened at?
Usually around 10 degrees, while regular cross-cutting chain is often around 25–35 degrees.
When does ripping chain matter most?
Usually on bars over 22 inches (560 mm), on wider slabs, and on dedicated milling setups.
Do you need a ripping chain to start milling?
No. A sharp regular chain is often the simplest and most practical way to start.