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Chain Sharpening

D

Donovan Bailey

Joined
Apr 13, 2017
Messages
267
Likes
140
Location
Gainesville, VA
I learned to do it by eye and not with the jig. Took a bit. Seems like most important thing is to take same number of strokes on each tooth. There is a little angle indicator on the top of each tooth, at least on my chains. You also need a flat file to take down the tops of the... oh brain fade, the depth of cut limiter teeth that stick up. There is a guide for that too, but I still just take the same number of swipes on each one. Take them down every 3 or 4 sharpenings...

robo hippy
 
Ditto Robo's comment. It's easier than sharpening a gouge. Get a good round file which exactly matches the chain's teeth, count the strokes, and take the same number off each tooth, especially eaual sides or you will notice the cut "drifting" right or left. A magnifying glass helps to show where the teeth are dull. If you're lazy you can get a Dremel bit which matches the tooth size, but a file is easier IMHO.
 
I use a professional model sharpener. It gives precise angles, depth control, and amount taken off each tooth to make the chain run straight, and rivals a new chain each time it is sharpened. Mine is a higher version of this one pictured, but the principles are the same.

old-139-47998-2t_1.jpg
Sharpening does not get any more precise than this. One just has to be willing to part with about $300 to obtain it.
 
Been using an electric 120 volt Harbor Freight $39 sharpener for sixteen years (they have dropped in price since.) I have it mounted to a heavy shelf on the barn wall and it works very well. I cut wood to heat my house for over 12 years and I never had a problem getting a great edge. I could also change the angle of the tooth a little for more aggressive cutting in softer and green woods. Most of the farmers around here who heat with wood use the HF brand sharpener. .It takes a little knack, but all it takes is hardly a touch, not a hard grind that overheats the tooth. I could not sharpen a Stihl chain to save my life with a file, but that little electric model made sharpening easy. I keep five chains. and sharpen them when I have dulled 4. Hitting gravel or wire in the wood is the usual culprit for dullness. . https://www.harborfreight.com/electric-chain-saw-sharpener-61613.html
 
Perry, mines about the same age and still going strong. About 5 or 6 years ago I bought another one (with 25% off coupon) "just in case" and it's still in the box. I know they're not the highest quality, but by being nice to them, they seem to last...
 
Perry Hilbert said:
Been using an electric 120 volt Harbor Freight $39 sharpener for sixteen years (they have dropped in price since.) I have it mounted to a heavy shelf on the barn wall and it works very well. I cut wood to heat my house for over 12 years and I never had a problem getting a great edge. I could also change the angle of the tooth a little for more aggressive cutting in softer and green woods. Most of the farmers around here who heat with wood use the HF brand sharpener. .It takes a little knack, but all it takes is hardly a touch, not a hard grind that overheats the tooth. I could not sharpen a Stihl chain to save my life with a file, but that little electric model made sharpening easy. I keep five chains. and sharpen them when I have dulled 4. Hitting gravel or wire in the wood is the usual culprit for dullness. . https://www.harborfreight.com/electric-chain-saw-sharpener-61613.html
Click to expand...
Perry and/or Clifton: In addition to the teeth, does this tool also let you file/grind the depth rakers too?
 
I have the HF also. Had to shim the up down shaft to tighten the slop that I didn't like. I adjusted the depth guage and made a attempt to grind the depth of rakers but the grinding wheel is not quite wide enough to do the entire raker. I was able to move the chain slightly to do it, then went over them to round.
Probable just as easy to use a depth guage.

Bob
 
A year or so ago, I graduated to the Granberg jig that Tim presented. It has a stop built in so that each tooth comes out the same length, which you don't get by applying the same number of file strokes to each tooth. It really makes a difference if you have the saw bar clamped and still. I can't say I've mastered the jig, but do know I'm doing better than with a plain file or file in the flat bar with handle. Saw shop sharpening still beats my work.
 
I set the depth stop, grind the top of the raker with about three little grinds, overlapping a bit so the top is flat. I grind them all, then round the fronts with a dremal. I probably take off a little more than I should, but I've modified my saw a little. Rakers don't need to be filed (lowered) every sharpening, but if you've sharpened your chain and it's not cutting, that would be my next step.
Also, I don't clamp the chain tight, but tension the chain clamp so the chain doesn't wobble but can still slide along the guide.
 
I did use the HF sharpener when I was using Poulan saws, but when I moved up to Stihls that sharpener wasn’t near as effective. Didn’t want to keep paying my dealer to tune up the chains, so I got an Oregon 520 sharpener. With that am able to get the same angle on the wheel that they use. Makes my saws happier— me too.
I keep several chains ready to go. When I do cut, it’s a lot.
 
My problem with the various manual sharpeners was not the jig it's file. They seem to dull and not cut really rapidly. I've bought them from several sources but all do the same thing.
 
David Hill said:
I did use the HF sharpener when I was using Poulan saws, but when I moved up to Stihls that sharpener wasn’t near as effective. Didn’t want to keep paying my dealer to tune up the chains, so I got an Oregon 520 sharpener. With that am able to get the same angle on the wheel that they use. Makes my saws happier— me too.
I keep several chains ready to go. When I do cut, it’s a lot.
Click to expand...
I never got a sharpener for the Poulon, teeth on the chains were soft enough to get a good edge with the file. Got the HF because the Stihl chain teeth are so much harder. I can do the rakers just fine with the HF sharpener. I have sharpened a few chains, 50 times and never had to return any to the dealer for anything. And I do change the cutting angle for soft woods like Poplar and red maple.
 
I have worked long days with several professional tree trimmers on my Koa gathering excursions. From them, I have learned that on the field the best option is sharpening by hand. Takes a while to get the hang of it, akin to learning the 40/40 grind free hand, but the results are very good. I have a few gizmos to keep the right angles etc, but I hardly use them. I keep up with the height of the rakers, do not want the chain to get too aggressive. I sharpen often. Tried the dremel type but the stone kept getting clogged up with oil.
 
I also do tree trimming (fairly new at woodturning) and use a file routinely to maintain my chainsaws. When I'm up in a tree I want that thing sharp! Back at the shop I always put each machine up on the bench vise and redo the sharpening properly (sometimes its only 3 strokes per link). Each chain size has its file diameter. You may need a magnifier to see what you are doing. Some use angle guides, but I just marked lines on my vise with a marker pen. As robo hippy said, the number of strokes on each side is very important (if you want straight cuts :D). However a depth guide is useful for maintaining the height of the guide teeth.
 
It's been my experience most pro shops have Oregon Bench Grinders, but the top of the line hydraulic Model 620-120 cost between $350 to $500 which is a bit expensive for home use. The trick is knowing the Oregon Bench Grinders are made by the Italian company 'Tecomec'. There's no sense in paying for the Oregon name if you can find the Tecomec equivalent at a cheaper price.

Currently Maverick Mower Supply has the Tecomec Grinder Model 700-010 with Hydraulic (same as Oregon Model 620-120) listed for $270.21 (free shipping). This is $30 cheaper than the NON-Hydraulic Oregon model 520-120 on Amazon.

https://maverickmowersupply.com/700010-chain-grinder-super-jolly-w-hydraulic-clamp

Tecomec_Super_Jolly.jpg
 
My chain is not removed from any of my saws until they are worn out. I sharpen with a file freehand everytime I use a saw, it only takes a couple of minutes. Its important to use a sharp file, they are CHEAP if you buy them by the dozen-replace them often. Once in a rare while I'll use a dremel with a diamond cutter, typically when I've been cutting out privet or chinese honeysuckle for my wife and hit a rock. Even if one has a grinder well set-up, you'll grind away quite a bit of steel. Most saw shops grind away a lot from what I've seen.

I hit the rakers once in a while with a three sided file-again very sharp/fresh.

John
 
Like John J. The chains never come off my saws till they are worn out and have no life left in them.
I do however always have on hand a new chain for each saw, should the unforeseen happen.
I sharpen by hand with the basic guide that holds the file at the correct height to obtain the correct tooth profile. It takes just a few minutes to sharpen a chain on site, rakers are always done at home after a day out in the field.
 
I normally files use files to sharpen my chains when out in the field, but after several (5 or 6) sharpening's my chains just don't cut as well as a new chain. I've tried all kind of gadgets to consistently sharpen my chains by hand, but I still find my bench grinder is best at resetting all the teeth back to the same length and sharpness. Also, the nice thing about owning my own bench grinder is controlling the angles and setting how much metal gets removed. Bench grinding goes pretty quick when you have several chains to sharpen because there's no need to remount chains back on the saw in order to sharpen them by hand. Just saying a good reason for having both types of sharpening available if a person does a lot of cutting.

We all know wood cutters who can't consistently hand file a chain more than a few times in a row to save their lives. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure I can show them how sharpen a chain consistently using a decent bench grinder without bluing any of the cutters. Just ask my kids. :D
 
As mentioned, I use a professional sharpener, and I learned to be meticulous about the amount of metal I grind on the tooth. I actually just kiss the cutting edge ever so slightly, unless I have hit a rock or something and need to fix a damaged tooth or group of teeth. I don't believe I take off any more than most people do when using a file, and for me personally, the precision of the grind with the angle, depth control, and consistent amount taken off beats what I could do with a file, even though I'm pretty good at that as well.

Before I got my professional chain grinder, I used to take mine to the dealer for sharpening once in a while, and they did take off more than I thought was necessary, but they are more interested in speed and collecting the sharpening fee, then selling another chain than they are getting the most life out of a chain.

I am able to get maximum life from a chain, and every time I sharpen, it rivals a new chain in performance. It was worth the cost of the grinder to me, since I've saved a lot on the sharpening fee, plus extended life of the chain, not to mention the performance of a perfectly sharpened chain on my saws.
 
John Jordan said:
My chain is not removed from any of my saws until they are worn out. I sharpen with a file freehand everytime I use a saw, it only takes a couple of minutes. Its important to use a sharp file, they are CHEAP if you buy them by the dozen-replace them often. Once in a rare while I'll use a dremel with a diamond cutter, typically when I've been cutting out privet or chinese honeysuckle for my wife and hit a rock. Even if one has a grinder well set-up, you'll grind away quite a bit of steel. Most saw shops grind away a lot from what I've seen.

I hit the rakers once in a while with a three sided file-again very sharp/fresh.

John
Click to expand...
I tend to flip the bar every 4 or 5 sharpenings. Not sure if this helps, but since my mentor professional tree trimmer and logger got me started with it, it's now a habit. He told we do it so the bar wears out even. Made sense to me. I own 5 chainsaws, I do maintenance on all of them every time I go up the mountain looking for Koa or periodically. I hate urban trees, they always have nails or spikes, steel, etc, not worth it, they ruin the chains. Unless the tree is super nice, like a Lychee, or something worth wrecking a few chains...
 
At first I thought it was faster to swap chains then to hand sharpen, and I still do. But another reason, for me, is the "force stop".
A time to stop, take a breather, get some water re-evaluate the job etc etc. I think sharpening with a file is a skill anyone who uses a chainsaw should have, kind of like sharpening your lathe tools free hand or with a jig. Another thing to think about is dressing the bar. Basically draw filing the bar so to keep the top/bottom of the bar flat and square with no burrs. Kind of a cop-out to say internet search
"how to dress a chain saw bar" but a pic is worth a thousand words...
 
Clifton C said:
At first I thought it was faster to swap chains then to hand sharpen, and I still do. But another reason, for me, is the "force stop".
A time to stop, take a breather, get some water re-evaluate the job etc etc. I think sharpening with a file is a skill anyone who uses a chainsaw should have, kind of like sharpening your lathe tools free hand or with a jig. Another thing to think about is dressing the bar. Basically draw filing the bar so to keep the top/bottom of the bar flat and square with no burrs. Kind of a cop-out to say internet search
"how to dress a chain saw bar" but a pic is worth a thousand words...
Click to expand...
I agree! I flip the bar over after every cutting job of any size, and it is for even wear. I also use a file to flatten the bar. If one cuts a lot of wood, they will notice a bit of a groove gets worn into the edges of a saw bar because the chain dragging across the length of the bar to the tip just will wear away the bar, and it is more pronounced if one does not keep the chain properly oiled.

I have had my Husqvarna 359 for at least 15 years, and still using the same bar, although I did purchase a new one a couple years ago. Have not needed it, and I have cut more cords of firewood than I can remember in count, not to mention the many, many trees used in turning. That has to be numerous truck loads as well.

I tend to keep several chains in my toolbox I take with me to any cutting site. I have probably six or seven freshly sharpened chains for my Husqvarna 359 with 20" bar, and four chains for my 390XP Husqvarna with the 28" bar on it. If I hit a rock, or perhaps there is just a lot of grit in the bark, then I will swap out chains at the cutting site, especially when I refuel and refill the chain oil.
 
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Just to follow this line, I have noticed that bar wear in others chainsaws is often a reflection of working with a dull chain or running low on chain oil. The tendency is to apply more pressure to cut when it gets dull, rather than stop to sharpen or refill (as at the lathe). Otherwise, I flip the bar every time when cleaning up each machine for the next day.
 
I don't mean to imply that the grinders are bad, not at all. Just that its not a big deal for a basic saw user to sharpen by hand without problems. I don't spend days at a time cutting, but since I work from logs I have cut more than a little the last thirty years. If you actually take the time to sharpen and maintain the chain/bar, you'll be way ahead of many/most folks, regardless of the methods used. :) Kinda like turning!

Emiliano, I sent you an email.

John
 
I have a cheapo grinder, somewhere between the Harbor Freight and Oregon models. (may be closer to HF) It does a pretty decent job and I keep a lot of chains on hand. (shop, garage, truck) When it gets dull, I just swap for a sharpened chain. When I get a bunch of them dull, I sharpen them all.

I sometimes will clean up a yard for someone for a decent haul of wood. I keep some crap bars and worn chains so I can offer to cut the stump at ground level for them. Makes them happy and there's often some decent figure, but it is hard on the bar and chain.
 
My son uses chainsaws on the regular in his timber framing business, so I use his manual grinder. Oregon chain grinder I do 3 at a time and get a consistent result much faster then using a file. In the field I just swap out the chain when it gets dull. I still keep a file and Stihl jig on hand but rarely use it any more. However you do it, having a really sharp chain makes a huge difference, especially with a relatively low-displacement saw (I have a Husky 353).
 
Sarah S Elkind said:
For manual chainsaw sharpening, has anyone compared the Stihl 2-in-1 (https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/accessories/2in1file/) to any of the roller-style file guides like the Husqvarna X-Cut SP33G File Kit (https://www.husqvarna.com/us/filing-equipment/file-kits/)?
Click to expand...
I have not made the comparison about which you ask, but I have found the Stihl 2-in-1 to be a very good sharpening tool. I have used hand-held files, files stuck in flat carriers, and the Glanville (?sp) jig, and the Stihl tool is better than any of them. However, if I have a chain that has kissed some asphalt, I take it to the shop where they use a grinder such as Darryl and Kevin have mentioned.

EDIT: It was the Granberg jig, and the manual, non-powered version.
 
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I do take files when my chainsaw goes to the woods, just in case, but normally use a chain grinder in the shop since it is so much faster and can give a sharper chain. I first bought a cheap grinder from Northern Tool and learned my lesson. Got a good Oregon from Bailey's Online, my go-to for everything related to chainsaw and arborist things, PPE, etc..

Bailey's Online Homepage

www.baileysonline.com www.baileysonline.com
If I can't find what I want on their website I just call - they've always been very helpful.

But the best thing to take to the woods is a spare bar and chain! Just swap with a worn chain and sharpen both when I get back to the shop.
Ever pinch a saw in a kerf? Just take off the head, put on the spare bar and chain, and cut the pinched one free.

Someone mentioned the excellent practice of flipping the bar at each sharpening and filing the bar smooth as it wears. Another thing is handy: after a while the groove in the bar can widen and the chain can get sloppy, lean from side to side, cause the cut to wander, and accelerate the wear. Long ago I bought a tool made for squeezing edges of the bar to better fit the chain and extend the life.

And one of the best things I got, the same month I bought this farm, was an education. Some was from several books but especially from this little book, "The Good Woodcutters Guide"
He explains the what and the how and the what NOT to do, warns against ways things can go wrong that can injure or kill.

How can you guard against what you can't imagine?

JKJ
 
I bought the cheapest HF chain saw sharpener just to see how it worked. I can't believe how well it works. the chains cut straighter. I believe that's because it uses the back of tge tooth to register so each tooth is not only sharp but the same size. the only real downside is when you shift the angle to do the opposite teeth it's hard to align it exactly. that hasn't seemed to make a difference. after just a few hand sharpenings the saw wants to track one way or another.
 
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