Sharpening a chainsaw chain with a file.....

[redlig]

In a past job we were agents for Husqvarna, Stihl, Sachs Dolmar and Oregon chain. Been on all the courses blah blah, and made literally thousands of chains off the roll.
Chains are chrome plated so are hard on files so none will last long. They should be sharpened towards the cutting point, and the file should not be drawn back, but lifted off on each stroke. Angles must be about right depending on what sort of chain you have. You must try to keep the file straight, which is virtually impossible while it is mounted on the bar, especially if the bar is worn. Should also filed a little and often. That's the theory, and I have had loads of practice.

However, I can't be bothered with this for myself, and tickle mine up with an angle grinder with a rounded edged disc, or a die grinder if the compressor is on. Not good for chain life, but good enough for me with the short chains I use. If it was a big saw with a fairly expensive chain, I would make the effort ! Also got a chain sharpener machine, but I find its too much faffing about, but useful if I have hit a stone or nail (again)

Angle grinder every time ,just have to be careful not to overdo it>

 

[Turbo]

The guy taught me to sharpen with a file was a time served Stihl mechanic. He told me that the guy that taught him would whack you on the back of the hand with a file if he were doing it wrong!

There is a knack in it and you're not likely to learn it on youtube. One tip is to not let your hand drop otherwise you file the chain and weaken it. Another thing is to slowly spin the file as you go forward. It evens the wear on the file and gives a better edge on the top of the tooth.

The only time I would use a grinder is to square up a damaged chain or one that has got heated and case hardened the teeth. Grinders are hard on chains and take too much off a tooth. Chains have got very expensive so I like to extend their life as much as possible.

I only use bahco files and a file will last me ages. As for chrome plating - after the first sharpen the plating will be gone. Use a grinder for the first time if you must.

 

[pedrobedro]

Grinders are hard on chains and take too much off a tooth.

Not if you set them up properly and don't go mad grinding millimetres off at a time.. That's down to you not the grinder. A file will not last ages sharpening chains whatever make it is. I've used all kinds of files and never got more than four or five sharpens out of them on various makes of chain.

 

[JOEPRO]

This is the Stihl file I use. Works very well indeed and only takes 2 or 3x passes for a razor sharp chain. It also takes care of the rakers height at the same time, again simplifying the process for someone who only sharpens chains once in a blue moon (me)

 

[Pete.]

I use a cheapo "Oregon" electric sharpener. Tried a file and it very quickly gave me the pox when cutting greenheart so I bought the sharpener and it's easy to use.

 

[minimutly]

After many sharpenings with a file the tooth size is likely to be very different tooth to tooth. My cheap clamp on grinder cuts them all the same, trick is to start with a small correction and go round twice. After that just on site file sharpening, then back to grinder. Sometimes if one tooth is a lot smaller I will skip it with the grinder, just a light file dress, eventually the grinder "catches up" to it.

 

[Migmac]

File for me for the last forty years. If I was cutting a lot now I’d probably have a couple spare chains and sharpen them each night in the comfort of my shed

 

[lynx85]

File and a file guide, no problems with angle, filing too deep or too shallow, also template for rakers.

https://imgur.com/HEUECDW

https://imgur.com/7rP9e1C

 

[Migmac]

File and a file guide, no problems with angle, filing too deep or too shallow, also template for rakers.

https://imgur.com/HEUECDW

https://imgur.com/7rP9e1C

They are good guides until the rollers get worn

 

[minimutly]

They are good guides until the rollers get worn

I got one of those with my grinder - wondered what it was.

 

[Migmac]

I got one of those with my grinder - wondered what it was.

They re much better than the old metal file holder ones, very easy to keep angles right

 

[Hbfowler]

Guess I’ll put in my 2 cents worth,I’ve cut a lot of wood in my day for heating my house and garage,I’ve always sharpened my chains by hand and never had an electric gizmo for sharpening my chains,they don’t make an extension cord long enough to reach the sharpener to plug the thing in where I do my cutting.
The chains I’ve used for several years now has a small slit embossed on the top flange of the tooth toward the rear of the tooth be it left or right hand,that is the degree the tooth has to be filed to get the the proper cutting edge,clamp the bar in you bench vice,keep your file level and follow your degree mark,push never pull and bobs your uncle..
PS..the files aren’t as good as they used to be “like most things” and the type of wood your cutting dictates how long you keep the edge on your chain. Cheers

 

[aesmith]

Just one comment. After storm Arwen a colleague had to spend the best part of the early morning clearing fallen trees before he could get up the road. Since then I've made a point of sharpening after use so the chainsaw is ready for use.