On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 22:56:18 +0100, "Tumbleweed" wrote:
chain will blunt instantly, if you dont
have a spare that may be the rest of the day gone while you get it
sharpened

Leaving aside, for the moment, the possibilities of nails, barbed
wire, remnants of other fencing wires etc. destroying chains
( yes, I agree a spare is handy)
but the business bits do blunt under normal operations anyway, and one
always has a round file to hand to do the sharpening oneself, as part
of normal operations. Tedious work, but not a loss of "the rest of the
day" ! It is work that can be done 'by eye' with the usual cuppa'
whilst contemplating the next bit of the job !

The serious 'getting the angles just-so' part of maintaining the chain
can be left till the next evening in the workshop.