grinder or hand file

[oldsaw]

A couple of times, maybe 4 or 5, depending on how much you file off - more if it is just one or two stroke touch-ups. Oregon chains need raker adjustment more often than Stihl ones, as the cutters descends at a faster rate.

Forget the grinder, unless you rock out the chains - totally different story......:greenchainsaw:

Again, spot on advice. Good work Sawtroll!!

Mark

 

[CaseyForrest]

I used to swear by hand filing. Even had a bench mount jig. You will get a better edge with a file.

You will get more consistent sharpenings with a grinder. Unless you are like the guys that make race chains with a magnifying glass, calipers, and have 3 hours to a week to spend on one chain.

 

[B_Turner]

I was never that great a free hand filer, too inconsistent and wasted tooth. Then for years I used the Granberg bar mounted file holder and although they are a pain to use, I had really good results with it. (Still use in on my .325 saws.)

Then I got a Silvey 510 and quit filing .375, although I think I got a faster cut off my filed chain. But I cut a lot of wood that is on the ground, and go through chains too fast to have time to file, so I stuck to the grinder.

Then I got a Silvey Pro Sharp, and my life changed. I'm now spoiled with wicked sharp chains quickly and easily, and could never go back to anything else. Plus I like how elegant a solution the square cutter is as compared to round which from a technical point of view is a very primitive and inefficient cutter.

Blue ceramic wheels on both grinders made a huge difference in sharpening time, especially with the 510. Again, could never go back to the wheel it came with. (I still use the 510 with semi-chisel.)

 

[grandpatractor]

I haven't had my grinder long, but I find myself still relying on files for the daily grind I mean sharpening and view the grinder as a sort of "reset button", to bring all the cutters back to the same length and shape.

I agree, its what I do also.

 

[A100HVA]

after 34 years it goes like this:Grinder for all customers rocked or not!

hand file for me & SPECIAL FRIENDS:deadhorse: gotta stay in tune!

 

[chainsawworld]

kinda hard to find a grinder a couple miles back in the woods

 

[Gologit]

I haven't had my grinder long, but I find myself still relying on files for the daily grind I mean sharpening and view the grinder as a sort of "reset button", to bring all the cutters back to the same length and shape.

Yup...Save up all your old chains and spend an hour or two in the shop on week-ends getting them trued up. Hand filing the rest of the time seems to work. If it's a choice between one or the other I'd take hand filing.

 

[livewire]

Yup...If it's a choice between one or the other I'd take hand filing.

DITTO!

I ran out of extension cords at 500' sooooo....I had to break out the old fasioned hand file at the woodstack.

I'd add; learn to handfile adequately first...consider buying a grinder later.

 

[Engineeringnerd]

I grind 90% of the time, and occasionally hand file. I'd like to try the PFERD device that sharpens and adjusts the raker simultaneously to see how well it works.

I find the grinder chain is more consistent on angles and edge than a file with a simple guide. I grind for the results, not for the ease. Maybe the PFERD will change that, but so far the Husky roller guides and the Oregon file plates haven't come close to the grinder.

 

[stonykill]

DITTO!

I ran out of extension cords at 500' sooooo....I had to break out the old fasioned hand file at the woodstack.

I'd add; learn to handfile adequately first...consider buying a grinder later.

and just think of the voltage loss at 500 feet


I can't hand file consistantly, just never took the time to learn I guess. If I can handfile my broadheads, I should be able to do a chain....but...


I carry a butt load of chains, I make my own anyway. Then I spend an hour at the grinder once in a while and make em all sharp again

 

[Frank Boyer]

I use the grinder every 4-6 times that I file. If I hit a rock that changes. A grinder is more accurate for angles, cutter length, and raker height. Both filing and using a grinder take a bit of practice. I try to file a couple of strokes every time that I fuel the saw.

 

[StihlCutting]

I've had good results with the Grandberg File-N-Joint. The first time I used it, I was pleased/surprised the chain cut better than when it was new. The chain was throwing nice big chips............no saw dust!

Question on chips... What is considered a good chip ? We sharpen our chains with a grinder and we get nice chips on some stuff then others we get long string type chips (like a verticle cut does). What is perfered ? We were cutting the other day and it was going thru like a hot knife threw butter and someone told us our chains were not sharpened correctly because the chips were not perfectly square... Should they be ?

 

[clearance]

Question on chips... What is considered a good chip ? We sharpen our chains with a grinder and we get nice chips on some stuff then others we get long string type chips (like a verticle cut does). What is perfered ? We were cutting the other day and it was going thru like a hot knife threw butter and someone told us our chains were not sharpened correctly because the chips were not perfectly square... Should they be ?

Welcome to the site. Doesn't matter, whatever cuts fastest.

 

[tawilson]

Hee, hee. Did anybody else notice that 24d dragged up a 5 year old thread and it just took off again? Good one.

 

[24d]

lmao

same 5 pages of threads ova an ova an ova---what is best saw,oil an chain on every page-still the best read'n there is !!!

 

[Tree Sling'r]

I would like to clarify that bench mount grinders and professional grinders are night and day.
I grind - I need speed and consistency. With my Silvey Pro-Sharp I also have the Silvey HDG raker machine.
Filing in my business is a waste of money - time is money.
If I had all the time in the world I can file with some of the best - but I don't so I can't.

 

[Poley4]

I carry a butt load of chains, I make my own anyway. Then I spend an hour at the grinder once in a while and make em all sharp again

That's the only way for me. I don't want to waste time in the woods sharpening my dull chain when I can change it out and in 3 minutes I'm up and running again. I'm sure there are guys out there that can put keener edge on their chains with a file, but I'm not one of them. I just get a more consistent sharpening with a grinder. I am very careful not to remove anymore than I have to, and also not to burn the teeth while grinding. Besides, grinding can't be too bad if all the chain manufacturers grind their chains.

 

[24d]

tree sling'r you sure have some nice toys!!
:greenchainsaw:

 

[SawTroll]

tree sling'r you sure have some nice toys!!
:greenchainsaw:

Did you notise that the tread was nearly 5 years old, when you bumped it up????:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[sILlogger]

hand file..round chisel..4 strokes on the right handers, 3 on the left. pressure determined by chain condition if the chain is LGX i nock the rakers down on the first sharpening.. and then prolly every 3-4 sharpenings after, depends how it is cutting