best of the file guides for manual sharpening?

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jerseyjeff

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So, after reading through many posts on sharpening chains, and the joys of the powered sharpeners, I have some thoughts and assumptions about getting my chains sharp, because I have two different sized saws (so I dont have CAD yet... really) I will need to different 5/32 and 7/32 files to sharpen my chain. Off to the assumptions

1) a sharp chain is better
2) sharp cutters are not much without properly cut rakers
3) for a newbie such as myself trying to freehand it will end badly
4) powered options (such as the dremel, northern tool, harbor frieght) could also end badly, but faster than freehanding it.

I like the reviews and videos I have seen of the granberg guide, and it looks like oregon has one that is pretty similar. Husky makes roller guides with a gauge plate, and it looks like the pferd csx is pretty slick too, but I would need to get a pair one for each set of chain. My question is what has lived in folks tool boxes the longest? (because it is well liked and effective)

Jeff
 
jerseyjeff said:
So, after reading through many posts on sharpening chains, and the joys of the powered sharpeners, I have some thoughts and assumptions about getting my chains sharp, because I have two different sized saws (so I dont have CAD yet... really) I will need to different 5/32 and 7/32 files to sharpen my chain. Off to the assumptions

1) a sharp chain is better
2) sharp cutters are not much without properly cut rakers
3) for a newbie such as myself trying to freehand it will end badly
4) powered options (such as the dremel, northern tool, harbor frieght) could also end badly, but faster than freehanding it.

I like the reviews and videos I have seen of the granberg guide, and it looks like oregon has one that is pretty similar. Husky makes roller guides with a gauge plate, and it looks like the pferd csx is pretty slick too, but I would need to get a pair one for each set of chain. My question is what has lived in folks tool boxes the longest? (because it is well liked and effective)

Jeff
Click to expand...

From earlier;


Tzed250 said:
After a long wait I finally obtained a tool that I have wanted for quite a while. What kept me from making this happen sooner was the near $200 price tag. Perserverence paid off and I scored one off of the bay for $50 LNIB. I have owned an older metal and plastic Stihl bar mount filing guide for many years, but I have been mostly disapointed with the results obtained from it. I have hand filed for years and I'm OK at it, but maintaining angles and lengths is tedious. I know a grinder will fix all of that, but they bring there own set of issues. I had hoped that the FG2 would be a solution. It is.

The instructions and setup are fairly straightforward. It took me just a short while to get the jig mounted and ready to file. For the first time I believe I can make chain that has sharpness as good or better than the factory edge. Stihl RS comes out of the package very sharp, and it is hard to improve on. Oregon Chisel chain less so. I have long believed that the reason that RS was difficult to copy the factory edge on was because of the toughness of the steel and the chrome thickness. The FG2 provides the needed stiffness to keep the file from chattering. A smooth cut will provide a keen edge. I now feel that after passing over the FG2 my chains are "blueprinted." It is easy to hold +/-.003" on the cutter length. With the clamp it is fairly quick to sharpen one side. To sharpen the other side the whole setup must be flopped, but after a few instances the becomes fiarly easy. This is no flimsy gadget. It is a precision piece of machinery that will produce excellent results with the propper technique. The one disappointment is that it will not adjust to allow square filing. I will probably make the required parts to make that happen. It would have been difficult to part with the $200 retail for this tool, but the results obtained come exremely close to justifying the price. My chains are happy!!!

The tool:


FG2 by zweitakt250, on Flickr

Consistent file indexing:


F1 by zweitakt250, on Flickr

Easy to read adjustments:


A1 by zweitakt250, on Flickr


A2 by zweitakt250, on Flickr

The result:


T1 by zweitakt250, on Flickr

Removing the file holder will allow you to use the clamping mechanism to hold the chain while square filing by hand:


SQ1 by zweitakt250, on Flickr


.
Click to expand...
 
Stihl sharpening kit w/pouch that includes round file w/guide, flat file & gauge, plus Stihl stump vise. Inexpensive, fast and produces a sharp chain with proper depth gauge heights when you get used to it.
 
Tzed250 thanks for posting those pics. It sure does make it easy to see why square ground chain is so much faster in the wood then the round ground. Just take a good look at those angles. The square almost looks like two knife edges put together.

$ 200.00 is alot for one of those when I can almost buy a good grinder for the same money. I have a Tecomec from ebay, $150.00 that works very well.

265985d1354833349-chain-round-file-jpg
265984d1354833346-chain-square-file-jpg
View attachment 265984View attachment 265985
 
Last edited:
Granberg "File-N-Joint" without question. Been using the same one since the late '70s.

Can make cutters like razors while removing minimum metal, quick & simple. Couple of strokes to touch up.

Some assert they can freehand accurately. Sorry, that's BS, IMHO. :msp_rolleyes:
 
3000 FPS said:
A good pair of magnifiers so I can see what the heck I am doing.
Click to expand...
+2 on the magnifier.
I have a Silvey grinder, a few Granbergs, a Pferd, some File-O-Plates, and a few "Husky" roller guides.
Without being able to really see what I'm doing, and the results, the one I'd trust most is a roller guide. I bring those in the woods in case of "emergency". (I usually have enough sharp chains so I don't have to sharpen in the woods).
The others all work well when used/set up correctly. I pretty much only use the Silvey any more. :msp_thumbup:
Before I got that, the Granberg File-N-Joint was my choice in the shop. Don't buy the Oregon copy. I made that mistake.
 
Last edited:
Roller file guide works best for me. I can sharpen a chain with one and it will be faster than a factory grind or any other power grind except maybe square.

Fast.cheap,easy to bring into the woods.Faster than switching chains. Gets them super sharp. Used this alone for the last 6 years or so.

1Medium-3.jpg
 
grandpatractor said:
Roller file guide works best for me. I can sharpen a chain with one and it will be faster than a factory grind or any other power grind except maybe square.

Fast.cheap,easy to bring into the woods.Faster than switching chains. Gets them super sharp. Used this alone for the last 6 years or so.

1Medium-3.jpg
Click to expand...

I have one of those, still packaged. I hear good reviews on them.
 
REJ2 said:
I have one of those, still packaged. I hear good reviews on them.
Click to expand...

The trick is to run it square with the guide and not to follow the angle of the tooth. Make the tooth match the guide or you'll wear out the rollers real quick.
As with any filing. USE A SHARP FILE too. :hmm3grin2orange:
 
Thats just how the logger I worked for when I was a kid did it. But cutting edge of file to cutting edge. It works for me and Im willing to bet that not much is sharper in a five mile radius. Besides would a knife, chisel or an axe be sharpened backwards. Just saying.
 

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