Some amateur sharpening questions

[ZeroJunk]

I am not sure if there is any advantage to sharpening in or out . Some old loggers did one side of the chain one way and the other the other. When I came up you had no choice. You did it by hand, no guide, no nothing.

It is not rocket surgery. File it whatever angle suits you, 30 degrees maybe. And down whatever suits you. 15 degrees maybe. I promise you it is not critical within a few degrees ad long as they are the same.

If you cannot file a chain consistently at the same angle then there is no help for you.

Pay somebody to do it for you.

 

[SteveSr]

I am not sure if there is any advantage to sharpening in or out .

I think that you want to always file inside to outside. The reason that I was told that if you file it the other way the first thing that the file touches is the hard chrome plating which will ruin a file in short order.

 

[StoneyMeadowMaple]

So I spent most of the day experimenting with the 3in1 while bucking some big oak and maple. It didn’t look real dirty, but it sure did dull a chain quickly. I was switching back and forth between the 385 and 390, about 2 sharpening to a tank full.
I have come to the conclusion that I am better off with a hand file and a flat file. I do like how it is is easy to keep your angles consistent, but I feel it is cumbersome and it doesn’t take the rakers down to an optimal level, it stops you from going too far, which could be a good thing, but I got a lot more cutting done when I did it free hand with a round and flat file.
For someone who struggles with consistency, it is very well designed, but I don’t think it will become a staple in my toolbox.