30 Years of Not Using the Sharpening File Correctly - Doh

[KiwiKen]

I have three Stihls for firewood and trimming trees which I have usually sharpened with a file over the years. Except the results were average, never actually sharp, but the Stihl shop said that was normal for casual users.

Last night I watched a video about sharpening and suddenly realised I had been pushing the file in the wrong direction. Holding the pointed end with my right hand to keep the fingers off the file and pushing it forward...so instead of cutting, the file edges were being flattened. Dang!! No wonder the files went flat so quickly.

The second thing I learned is not to file back and forth: single strokes only in one direction but I'd never been told that.

Feeling really foolish rght now and laughing. Better late than never.

 

[KASH]

Thanks for your honesty.
Kash

 

[Trailsawyer]

Holding the pointed end with my right hand to keep the fingers off the file and pushing it backwards...so instead of cutting, the file edges were being flattened.

I'm confused! SO...... you have been pushing with your LEFT hand?

 

[Mafun464]

When i first learned how to hand file my dad let me have at it. So i filed back and forth and just made a fool of myself. Pretty much ruined that chain. Then i learned how to use our silvey grinder. Definitely made my dad laugh.

 

[KiwiKen]

I'm confused! SO...... you have been pushing with your LEFT hand?

Think of it this way - the file cuts when pushed from the bottom (blunt) end, no matter which hand. But I almost always held the pointed end and filed with the bottom end moving away. No much rasping at all.

To complicate that though, I also ran the file back and forth so sharpened one way and blunted on the return. It isn't obvious because the teeth gleam and feel sharp but...oh dear lol.

 

[KiwiKen]

When i first learned how to hand file my dad let me have at it. So i filed back and forth and just made a fool of myself. Pretty much ruined that chain. Then i learned how to use our silvey grinder. Definitely made my dad laugh.

Nice story and glad I'm not the only one.

 

[Del_]

Think of it this way - the file cuts when pushed from the bottom (blunt) end, no matter which hand. But I almost always held the pointed end and filed with the bottom end moving away. No much rasping at all.

To complicate that though, I also ran the file back and forth so sharpened one way and blunted on the return. It isn't obvious because the teeth gleam and feel sharp but...oh dear lol.

You are supposed to push with the pointed end. The pointed end is designed to hold a handle.

The blunt end is supposed to be moving away from the operator as metal is removed.

And lifted out of the tooth or at least no pressure applied as the pointed end moves towards the operator.

 

[cookies]

It took me 2 years to learn rakers need to be filed. I owned several sharp chains that produced epic dust clouds so they got tossed out LOL

 

[Del_]

I realized I had to up my chain filing game when one day I accidentally put a chain on backwards.....


.......and it cut faster!

 

[Mafun464]

Nice story and glad I'm not the only one.

Yeah then my grandfather and great grandfather joined in the torment. But guess when you get 3 generations of cutters together that happens.

 

[PEK]

When I was doing a course to get my ticket for felling the instructor always made us take bar off, clean out bar groove and file chain several times a day, but many miss the most important thing, if its sharp it makes cutting more enjoyable, well it does for me. Feeling a chain pulling itself thru a big trunk is magic.

 

[Old2stroke]

It took me 2 years to learn rakers need to be filed. I owned several sharp chains that produced epic dust clouds so they got tossed out LOL

Yep, too many people don't pay attention to the rakers, they do a good job of sharpening the cutters but never touch the rakers and wonder why their sharp chain just produces sawdust.

 

[Okie]

Took me awhile to figure out these type chainsaw file guides will actually dull a chain when it's used on a chain that the rakers are little bit too high. The guide rides on top of the raker and the tooth. If raker is little bit too high the file will be held up too high on the tooth.
Also these type guides have to be used with the correct size file they were FIRST PURCHASED WITH and some do not have the file size stamped on the guide. Installing a 5/32 file into a 7/32 guide and vice versa is not a good thing.
None of this is mentioned in the instructions.
It's one of them learning experiences.
I found out that: When you get to where you know what you want to accomplish and know what you are doing by looking at the tooth and raker you will no longer need a file guide when hand sharpening.

Oregon Chainsaw File Guide — 5/32in., Model# 25894 | Northern Tool

Oregon Chainsaw File Guide — 5/32in., Model# 25894

 

[KiwiKen]

You are supposed to push with the pointed end. The pointed end is designed to hold a handle.

The blunt end is supposed to be moving away from the operator as metal is removed.

And lifted out of the tooth or at least no pressure applied as the pointed end moves towards the operator.

True. Hmmm.

I also use a file guide which has marked angles and can be used from either end so sometimes I used the correct direction and sometimes didn't. Really the main problem was filing both ways back and forth.

Think I need a lie down.

 

[Okie]

If you are using one of the files guides I mentioned above and your rakers are higher than normal BEFORE YOU START FILING with that type guide, you might as well be peeing into the wind.

AND

Laying down and peeing into the wind will make it worse.

 

[Del_]

If you are using one of the files guides I mentioned above and your rakers are higher than normal BEFORE YOU START FILING with that type guide, you might as well be peeing into the wind.

AND

Laying down and peeing into the wind will make it worse.

I've got a few of the Pferd guides that are 25 years old or so.

I hear what you are saying and mostly agree.

But where I disagree is saying that they are useless if the rakers are too high to begin with.

If the rakers are too high when each tooth is started do not contact the the tooth but instead file down the raker first using the guide. After you get the raker down to a level where the guide can be correctly used, the guide is quite useful. I always start each tooth by doing the raker first using the guide, and then finessing my way into doing the raker and the tooth together.

Of course a racing chain is not the end result as that is a whole another ball game.

A ball game way above my pay grade.

 

[Wood Doctor]

You would be surprised at how many professional loggers never take down the rakers. When the saw starts throwing powder after file sharpening, they pitch the chain. One of my logger buddies with 25 years experience is guilty of this, so I told him to keep those chains for me. Trouble is, he sharpens the cutters on one side far more than the other. Salvaging his chains is thus a first class PITA.

 

[Okie]

Del:

Tell me how you FILE DOWN the chain rakers with the round file in that that Oregon file guide that I mentioned????

 

[Wood Doctor]

Del:

Tell me how you FILE DOWN the chain rakers with the round file in that that Oregon file guide that I mentioned????

I do not and never have used a round file to lower rakers. I suppose it could be done. On occasion, I use this technique with a grinder. Here's a schematic::

This is an option to flat grinding or filing flat the top of the raker to lower it. A round file could be used, perhaps a size larger from the one used to sharpen the cutter, and then going straight across the chain. Just an idea.

 

[link]

I have three Stihls for firewood and trimming trees which I have usually sharpened with a file over the years. Except the results were average, never actually sharp, but the Stihl shop said that was normal for casual users.

Last night I watched a video about sharpening and suddenly realised I had been pushing the file in the wrong direction. Holding the pointed end with my right hand to keep the fingers off the file and pushing it forward...so instead of cutting, the file edges were being flattened. Dang!! No wonder the files went flat so quickly.

The second thing I learned is not to file back and forth: single strokes only in one direction but I'd never been told that.

Feeling really foolish rght now and laughing. Better late than never.

Not really a biggie, mounting your chain in the wrong direction - now thats a biggie...