Stihl Chain Sharpening How To Video

[Artisan]

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" Proverbs 27

I do not attend church regularly, does not mean I am an atheist, the above rings so true. Watch the video and see what I mean.

This is one of, if not the most informative, down and dirty How To Sharpen a Stihl Chain vids I have seen to date. Very well done it is...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEYUSj1XVFY"]How To Sharpen A Stihl Chainsaw - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Good info!

 

[creekbend]

I really enjoyed watching the video. It covered all aspects of the process and in detail. Thanks for posting. :thumbsup:

 

[Artisan]

Yea that was a good find. I think he has some other vids too...

 

[CHDinCT]

Hay, learned sum'ing too - never loan out your wife. Didn't know that one. :laughing: :laughing: That was a free-bee he threw in at the end.

Seriously, nice video.

 

[LD1]

Definatally some good info there. However, For a newbiee, I wouldnt be so quick to discount the granberg jig that he claims is "Slow, impratical, and clunky." I use one and they do work VERY well. I dont like the guide like he showed that clips around the file because You cant see what you are doing as well. And it dont hold the angle. It is still relying on YOU to line things up.

The granberg is only $30 and worth every penny IMO. Trying to file by hand, most people will have the angles soo screwed up that they either just buy a new chain, or have to have it sharpened on a machine and trued back up which removes a LOT of material and thus shortens chain life. PLUS, that clip on guide, you cannot get an accurate 10 degree tilt either.

Honestly It only takes 5 minutes to sharpen 24" chain with the granberg. Filing by hand may only save a minute or so, for me, the risk of screwing up the angles and having to sharpen again just isnt worth it.

And on a side note, NEVER drag a file backwards as he was seen doing on the rakers. It dulls them.

Not knocking him or the video. IT was indeed informative for a beginner. But keep in mind, that is just one guys opinion. As is mine in reccomending the granberg gig.:thumbsup:

 

[Artisan]

Thank You LD1

I have a lil Granberg I think it is electric grinder and it works great! I am
tying to learn the full spectum, your comments are most appreciative.
See ya in teh Chainsaw forum, I posted up in the Another Junk Saw thread, be sure to read my post...

:thumbsup:

 

[LD1]

Thank You LD1

I have a lil Granberg I think it is electric grinder and it works great! I am
tying to learn the full spectum, your comments are most appreciative.
See ya in teh Chainsaw forum, I posted up in the Another Junk Saw thread, be sure to read my post...

:thumbsup:

If it is a granberg it is not electric.

There are only two kinds of electric sharpeners I know of. One is the dremel attachment. Those are okay. The other is the actual grinders that you have to take the chain off for. I dont like those.

The granberg is a jig that just holds the file angles for you and clamps on the bar. Like the one he referenced in the video somewhere around the 3:00 mark

 

[PossumHound]

This dude should have a teaching job. Dang impressive video!

PH

 

[Artisan]

If it is a granberg it is not electric.

There are only two kinds of electric sharpeners I know of. One is the dremel attachment. Those are okay. The other is the actual grinders that you have to take the chain off for. I dont like those.

The granberg is a jig that just holds the file angles for you and clamps on the bar. Like the one he referenced in the video somewhere around the 3:00 mark

Well, I started scratchin' my knoggin and dug out the sharpener. It is
what I have always grabbed to sharpen with, but I think I want to
get a Stihl hand sharpening set and see about just "touchin' up" my blades
instead of this electric cheater...

 

[LD1]

Get one of these Bailey's - Granberg File-N-Joint Precision Filing Guide

It does have a video to watch too.

Be sure to get a box of the right sized file.

Usually 7/32 for 3/8 chain, 3/16 for 3/8 lo-profile chain, and 5/32 for .325 chain (I think). All my saws take the big chain and 3/8 file.

 

[Artisan]

LD1 I am trying to learn much, chainsaws is one of them. I have a 009
saw, picco bar. Is that 5/32? I need to make a kit for each saw and
label it so everytime I need it I don't have to go re-learn it

 

[Artisan]

Here is the Video LD1 Speaks of;

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMJ8zYJUfIY"]Granberg Chainsaw Filing Guide from baileysonline.com - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Artisan]

I found the filing kit...

5605-007-1027

 

[pacerron]

If it is a granberg it is not electric.

There are only two kinds of electric sharpeners I know of. One is the dremel attachment. Those are okay. The other is the actual grinders that you have to take the chain off for. I dont like those.

The granberg is a jig that just holds the file angles for you and clamps on the bar. Like the one he referenced in the video somewhere around the 3:00 mark

What's wrong with taking the chain off? Gives you a chance to clean the
buildup out of the bar slot, check the bar for uneven wear on the sides, remove any burring, check the sprocket, make sure the oiler is not clogged, and remove crap that you can't get at any other way. If you soak the chain in a little oven cleaner or spray it on and wash it off your file or grind wheel will last much longer and do a better job of sharpening. The chain rivets will be cleaner and more flexible.
I'm not saying do this in the field. In the field a file and a couple spare sharp chains are the way to go.
I didn't watch the video, since the remarks said it was rather basic. The still frame did show the bar clamped in a vice so it must have been in a shop, not in the field. If the video covered all the things I mentioned above you got a double dose.

 

[Artisan]

One thing I noticed that that video covered and no one else ever does
is checking the height of the rake and lowering it as the chain changes.
He even says in his comments "this seperates the men from the boys"
or something very close if I remember right...

 

[dex3361]

LD1 I am trying to learn much, chainsaws is one of them. I have a 009
saw, picco bar. Is that 5/32? I need to make a kit for each saw and
label it so everytime I need it I don't have to go re-learn it

I have a Stihl 009. It has been a reliable saw but I have to watch that I dont idle it to long. It pumps oil out even at idle. I always fill the oil tank all the way up but the gas I only fill about 3/4. Just a little insurance to prevent burning the bar up.:thumbsup:

 

[LD1]

What's wrong with taking the chain off? Gives you a chance to clean the
buildup out of the bar slot, check the bar for uneven wear on the sides, remove any burring, check the sprocket, make sure the oiler is not clogged, and remove crap that you can't get at any other way. If you soak the chain in a little oven cleaner or spray it on and wash it off your file or grind wheel will last much longer and do a better job of sharpening. The chain rivets will be cleaner and more flexible.
I'm not saying do this in the field. In the field a file and a couple spare sharp chains are the way to go.
I didn't watch the video, since the remarks said it was rather basic. The still frame did show the bar clamped in a vice so it must have been in a shop, not in the field. If the video covered all the things I mentioned above you got a double dose.

Nothing wrong with taking the chain off. It just takes longer IMO. Plus the grinders remove TOO much material IMO and shorten the chain life.

One thing I noticed that that video covered and no one else ever does
is checking the height of the rake and lowering it as the chain changes.
He even says in his comments "this seperates the men from the boys"
or something very close if I remember right...

I never mention rakers because I dont like .025 raker depths. I like them more like .050-.070. A chain with .025 rakers EVEN new seems dull to me. I take a BRAND NEW chain and take at LEAST 3-4 file strokes across the rakers before even using.

 

[pacerron]

Nothing wrong with taking the chain off. It just takes longer IMO. Plus the grinders remove TOO much material IMO and shorten the chain life.
I never mention rakers because I dont like .025 raker depths. I like them more like .050-.070. A chain with .025 rakers EVEN new seems dull to me. I take a BRAND NEW chain and take at LEAST 3-4 file strokes across the rakers before even using.

If you grind them yourself you don't have to remove too much. The important thing is grinding so all teeth are the same length. Shorter teeth are not as high at the cutting edge so they do nothing for the cut. It is very hard to keep the teeth the same length with a file unless you are a pro lumberjack with years of experience.
The height of the tooth compared to the raker height is very important.
You can have perfectly sharpened and angled teeth but if the rakers are too high you'll get fine chips and not much cut as if the chain is dull. Folks then apply more pressure straining their wrists and backs plus overheating the chain causing it to burn and stretch.
Removing too much raker height will give you a faster cut the same as changing the angle of the teeth but extremes in either case wipe out the chain fast and wear out the chainsaw much faster. If your in a competition cut match go for it.
If your a home/farm user stay within the engineered spec range or you will waste more time sharpening and spend more money replacing than necessary.

As far as too much oil use, running out of oil before gas, some saws have a screw so you can adjust the flow of oil a bit. The viscosity of the bar oil has a lot to do with it too. Some folks mix their own, some folks buy cheap stuff that is not gummy enough. Some ( most ) chainsaws leak some oil. The day after you use the saw if there is a puddle of oil under it you have a problem.

 

[cqaigy2]

I never mention rakers because I dont like .025 raker depths. I like them more like .050-.070. A chain with .025 rakers EVEN new seems dull to me. I take a BRAND NEW chain and take at LEAST 3-4 file strokes across the rakers before even using.

You also need a saw with enough power to pull the extra drag on the chain, Which i'd expect yours does. Of course if you go to far, it will probably mess with the motion of the cutter so much as to only add drag and cut less efficiently. Not an expert cutter.