How to Sharpen a Chain

[CharlieG]

Hand filing is more forgiving if you make a mistake......................

 

[Blazin]

Ok..So now were into this 3 pages deep. Do all you electric sharpener guys pack a generator 1-2-3-4-6-8 miles deep into the woods with ya to sharpen your chains? Learning to hand file is a must! IMO

 

[gtstang462002]

Ok..So now were into this 3 pages deep. Do all you electric sharpener guys pack a generator 1-2-3-4-6-8 miles deep into the woods with ya to sharpen your chains? Learning to hand file is a must! IMO

I use a 12V electric grinder made by oregon for sharpening. Much like a dremel and uses the same bits, though it's only purpose is chainsaw sharpening. Has the little angle guide on it. It came with a battery clip to hook straight to the battery or can go in the cig lighter. I always have a truck, tractor, or 4-wheeler with me when cutting so I always have 12V power.

 

[gtstang462002]

looks something like this

 

[Dok]

I use hand files and a Northern Tool grinder. I touch up my chains with the file when I refuel. I carry three chains for each saw in case chains get dusted or rocked and require more than a touch-up with the file. If I can keep the chain out of the bad stuff I can keep it sharp for a long time with a file. I use the Northern Grinder like chain maintenance- it trues everything up and is fast at cleaning up the gullets if needed. For me its not about which is better, its about time. I can touch up a chain faster than I can replace a chain, plus it is unlikely I will run out of chains this way. I can fix a damaged chain a lot faster with the Northern Tool grinder than I can with a hand file.
Dok

 

[clearance]

I have sharpened every chain I have ever worked on by hand. Filed hundreds of them to nothing from new. Practice, practice, practice. And don't be shy about chucking files when they get dull. And wear gloves.

 

[gtstang462002]

I used to file then used dad's elec grinder(same as I previously mentioned) got the chain just as sharp if not sharper than using the file in a 1/4 of the time. I also have a mild case of carpeltunnel(check spelling) from turning wrenches for years and found the electric grinder to have far fewer hand cramps occour(man those things suck)

 

[undercut]

For all you hand fillers I would recommend taking your chains in and have them machine ground every so often. I'm one of the few people in my group of saw owner friends that has a decent grinder, I get to see a bunch of chains every year that have been maintained with files. After several hand filings the profile of each cutting tooth tends to take on a shape of it's own, I'm no expert but this can't be good for overall performance?

I would never say that in the correct hands a round file can't make a razor sharp chain but I believe there's a whole lot more skill involved in it than people realize.

Jeff

I have to say i disagree with this. Not trying to give you a hard time, and what you say may apply to people that suck at filing. When you get good at free handing nothing tops it. You never need a machine to touch up your chains. If you find the people that file are bringing you chains that are out of wack it is just because they are not good a filing. Your reccomendation is ok for people that can't file i suppose. Ask anyone that has mastered filing and they will tell you they can bring you a chain they filed that is more accurate and cuts better than you can grind with your machine.

 

[Dok]

I just finished reading this thread all the way through. There is something for everyone here- hand filing, dremel, 12V, bench mount grinders and no flame wars. Way to go everyone!
Dok

 

[undercut]

I have sharpened every chain I have ever worked on by hand. Filed hundreds of them to nothing from new. Practice, practice, practice. And don't be shy about chucking files when they get dull. And wear gloves.

clearance knows what i am talking about. I just use a file and my bare hands, plenty of callus no issues with bleeding or blisters anymore. Any yeah don't be afraid to chuck files. 3, 4, 5, a chain i don't even think about it. Files are cheap and work great some people pay 10 to 20 to get a chain sharpened. a file is a buck and give you brand new if not better sharpness. When you get good you will know it and wonder what you were doing messing around with dremels and grinders and what have you. I suppose i could plug a grinder in the event of a dammaged chain although i just use a file i don't like to mess up my chain I like grinders on rakers though.

 

[gtstang462002]

I find a good flat file on the rakers to go faster than the grinder generally one to two pushes on a flat file with a depth gauge and it is where it needs to be.

 

[palogger]

whats up with u guys that think grinding in 10 minutes is fast. i can refuel my saw and have it touched up an be back to cutting, either firewood or logs in less than 10 minutes so whos wasting time filing

 

[Blazin]

I just 'rolled' my dremel over the rakers the first time in about 10 sharpenings and it's good as new.

Yes, the diameter of the stones can get too small, but that's kinda what I was talking about if you mess it up. If it's not sharp, compare two of the bits.

A power inverter for your cig lighter as somebody said is about $20 at radio shack.

I have no problem with the hand filers, but it seems to be more of an art and for all practical purposes I'd rather not be spending my time on 'practice' when I can take 10 minutes and be done with a dremel even when I used it the first time.

I'm sorry...

 

[allthegross]

always sharpin mine with a dremmel, i try to keep it at a lower speed or it would just grind the blade away but if you just hit it quick it does a great job. i also found a web site that you can purchess new chains for pretty cheap i will try to find it again and post it here

 

[palogger]

i'm not sayign that grinding is a bad thing but when people brag and say that they can grind a chain in 10 minutes and consider that fast, and also say that the ones filing by hand are wasting time, now do u see my point, oh and by the way i'm only 20 and started filing my own saws when i was 15 so i don't have 20+ yrs filing

 

[WidowMaker]

"Fact is most people cannot master a file and they likely would not no matter how much time they spent!

===

I can't imagine someone not be able to master a chain file if they spend any amount of time with a saw in there hands....

WidowMaker

 

[WidowMaker]

Physical limitation not withstanding, I think anyone able to safetly operate a chain saw can surely file a chain to a degree of sharpness useful for cutting firewood. Face it, we are not all filing race chains and it ain't rocket science...actually its quite easy...

WidowMaker

 

[gtstang462002]

I learned how to sharpen my chains with a hand file. Then I learned that the grinder bit on the dremel look alike was a whole lote easier on me as I have stated my hand issues previously. Though if my "field grinder" goes south on me I do have a couple of files that move with the chainsaw anyhow for backup. I cut another trailer full of wood today and touched my chain up one time with my "ginder" in about 3 mins. There was no rushing there, nor was the chain truly dull either but on a 20" chain where every other link is a cutting tooth I dont think that 3 mins is bad time for a touch up.

 

[Festus Haggen]

I'm no mechanical wizard, and I just learned a couple years ago how to hand file chains. I touch it up after every tank of fuel, never use a grinder. Seems every chain I took to the shop came back with 80% of the life ground out of it. Started with an Oregon guide, now I just use a file and handle.

10 minutes is a long time- my amateur fumbling only takes 5 min or so to hand file. That's only 1-3 strokes on each tooth. My chains cut like nobody's business, I never let them get dull enough to smoke or blue. One chain will generally last me a season (10-18 cords for me and others), then goes into the case as a spare in case I hit a rock/nail with chain #1. Most important tool I have in my case is a red sharpie to mark the chain where I start/end. Suppose I could count them if I was a genius like some people.

So no, I'm not up to Indy 500 pit stop speeds, but hand filing does not take that long anyway. Besides, it's nice to enjoy a few minutes of silence between tanks, makes the roar that much nicer!

 

[Wood Doctor]

12-Volt Sharpener

Festus, I used to have my chains professionally sharpened. They would last about three sharpenings and then there wasn't enouigh tooth left to keep them.

So, I bought one of these and several grinding wheels to match the teeth:

Now I can sharpen the chains myself, and sometimes I get 10 sharpenings out of each chain. This little puppy paid for itself in less than three months.

Also, I sharpen whenever I want to, including outdoors at the work site. Once I got the hang of it, my sharpenings are every bit as good as the bigger commercial machines. It takes me about one minute per inch of chain from start to finish, and I do not need to remove the chain from the bar.

Thanks, Granberg.