Chainsaw chain sharpening

knucklehead · Apr 30, 2003

I agree with Mark about overheating the chain; maybe there are some pros here that could lead the way, but my experience is that a touch up at each re-fueling keeps it cutting better, longer. I do find that as I get near the end of the chain's life, it seems to dull quicker - probably because I have pushed it a few times to get the last few sips of fuel out of the tank before walking back and doing maintenance. I also wondered if the tooth becoming smaller as it is ground away has anything to do with things - either heat-wise or edge-wise.

When I bought the saw, it was set up with a smooth muffler guard in place of the wicked set of picks found on some saws. I asked the older, experienced owner of the shop what he thought about using them, and he smiled and said he would give me one if I wanted it. I asked him what they really added, and he said nothing if you know how to keep the chain sharp.

It's hard to stop the saw, especially if I've just started and hit a little dirt or something. I always wondered if I sharpened too much. Sometimes I can get two tanks out of a chain before sharpening, if the wood is clean and I stay out of knots and dirt. Generally, I think my human error making slight variations between each tooth accumulate as the chain teeth get worked back - it looks like I am keeping my angles right, but they're not all exactly the same. I'd say it was user's choice, but it's less hassle to sharpen than to change for me.

Never thought about running multiple chains......maybe changing chains is something to think about. That way I could touch one up a few times, change it, and then get them all re-done and trued up, whether at home with a machine grinder or at a shop. I get 6-8 cords of hardwood per chain hand filing. At $15.00 per chain, I guess that's not bad. I'm going to get another one, and I'll ask the dealer about overheating, chain life, multiple chains, electric sharpeners, and such and report back, hopefully within the week.

I'll take an action item on that ... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

PhilNH5 · Apr 30, 2003

OkieG,
I am a weekend wood cutter and still quite the novice. Like you and others I "touch-up" on each tankful. You mention the file not cutting. The little rat tail files do wear pretty quick. Someone once told me to throw the file away each time I replace a chain. The files are pretty cheap so I adopted the practice. Could be all my imagination but it seems to help. Course I don't change chain to often so it really is cheap insurance in my case.

My dealer doesn't have great hours inn the fall when I am cutting most. I went to the hardware store once for a sharpening. Young kid running the grinder. Sharpened the teeth but never touched the rakers. Figured I would learn myself at that point.

Phil

sendero · Apr 30, 2003

Thanks for all the replies. Being a "do it yourself" kind of guy, I'm not exactly hearing the answer I wanted /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif but I have to say what I'm hearing makes a lot of sense.

I think the heat thing in particular sounds relevant. Sometimes, I keep pushing when I should stop. I know the chain is getting hot, it never occured to me that could cause permanent damage.

Of course - I'm sure the shop uses a mechanical device, but if they only used files my attitude would be that if they can do it so can I /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif There I go with that DIY attitude again!

PhilNH5 · Apr 30, 2003

Sendero,
You can do it yourself. Like you I read all sorts of instructions. But hands on experience is required. I started with rat tail file in a guide. I then "promoted" myself to freehand as the guide was to cumbersom to use at every tankful of gas when out in the woods. Also being out in the woods precludes some sort of bench top grinder. Most chain comes with a line etched on the top. This is a limit of filing mark. If you have sharpened your chain down to this mark it is time to get another chain. fortunately the mark is the same angle at which you need to hold the file. So there is a built in guide to do it freehand. I never worry about tooth lenght. I do use the nifty little guide for the rakers. Make sure you have the right size file for your chain. I know it is obvious but relying on my "memory" I have purchased quite a few of the wrong files.

I cut about 6 cords a year. Actually my wife does most of the cutting - she does love the chainsaw! I have never stretched a chain to far to be usable as you mentioned in your original post. I have had a few teeth go down to the etched line. This is usually from hitting something. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Like the other posters I think the "touchup" is key as you never really let the chain get to dull.

Phil

djradz · Apr 30, 2003

Sendero, I've done it myself for about 20 years. But I always use a guide. It's a simple device that clamps on the bar so the angle is always correct. Get the right size file and follow the instructions. It's easy and you should NEVER have to push the saw. I usually get 3 or 4 wood cutting trips, at a cord or more each, out of any one sharpening. I truly feel the job the guide produces is as good as any factory or shop. The problem I have with the shops is they use a grinder not a file, so they take much more off with each sharpening. I've found in no time the teath are gone. I can get 10 years out of a chain by doing it myself. With the shop, its more like 3 to 4. Give the guide a try, I think it'll work for you.

mikim · Apr 30, 2003

Like everybody else I was never satisfied with hand sharpening -- never got good at it - started with a hand file - went to a grinding stone in a dremel - but I never got the knack of getting the angle on the dangle quite right - and as time went on and my eyes got old - it actually got worse. SO -- I bit the bullet and bought a bench grinder from Baileys for about $250 and it works like a charm!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I use it about 6 times in a weekend (2 saws) and at $5 per sharpening, $30 per weekend, It'll pay for itself in short order - not even considering convenience. I have 3 chains I take to the field with me - that oak & mesquite will dull 'em in a hurry - and I spend the evenings cleaning the saws and touching up the chains on the bench getting them ready for in the a.m. That grinder is one of the best tools I've bought lately - no running to town to get 'em sharpened, no down time, etc. Keeping in mind that I'm currently a weekend warrior and places aren't open when I need them to be so having it at the ready really means a lot. The grinder looks like it was made in china and has a cheap look to it - but it works good for me. I don't think I'd want to run it everyday in a business - but 2 weekends a month ... I did ruin one chain practicing - but planned on that and used an old chain that was ready to be retired anyway - and I will probably go through more chains doing it this way - but a sharp chain makes a world of difference in how hard you work it, and just like knives, I think a sharp one is safer than a dull one. At the same time I bought the grinder I bought a pair of chainsaw chaps -- after 20 years of using chainsaws with no protection, I finally got smart and started using the safety equipment that's available - the little amount of money spent on it - has the potential to save me a whole lot more in Dr bills and pain.

rancar · Apr 30, 2003

I've given up even trying to sharpen chains. I have a Stihl 044. I agree with you. The new chains cut like butter and the Stihl chisel point chains I buy last a long time. At first I tried to sharpen them and even brought them to the dealer to bench sharpen them for $5 a chain. The sharpening never lived up to my satisfaction and I still found it was taking approximately twice as long to cut up a log with a dealer 'sharpened' chain than with a newly purchased chain.

What I do now is wait for the annual 2 for 1 sales at some Stihl dealers I know. This brings down the purchase price to about $16-17 per chain. If I offset the $5-6 I save by not having my old ones sharpened, I can buy these new ones for about $12 each. For me, it's worth paying the bit extra to cut with a new chain rather than struggling with one that's been heavily used.

...Bob

fishman · Apr 30, 2003

Yeah, I began to wonder why I bothered to sharpen my chains, when I saw Bailey's will sell me a new one for about $12.

Spencer · Apr 30, 2003

( I pay for several sharpenings a year. The price has gone up from $5 last year to $6 this year. The saw file I have doesn't seem to cut the metal of the saw blade at all. Very discouraging.
Put "sharpener" in the Search for Product space and look at Nick the Grinder at this link. The grinder pictured is much like the tool I see used to sharpen my blades when they go to the shop. For the price, I am tempted to buy one. Anyone use something like this to sharpen their blades?

OkieG
)

OkieG, that product looks very similar to the Oregon Chain Sharpener I bought From Northern Tool. I have been happy with the Oregon unit, I found it easy to set up and use. It does a great job on my chains. I too got fed up when the last chains I took in to get sharpened cost me $7.50 each. I can (and do) buy chains at Menards on sale for around $10 for my 14" saw so I always have 4 or 5 chains on hand. I wait until I am down to my last chain and then I sit down and sharpen them. It is so easy to just swap out the chain when it starts feeling dull.

A friend of mine who lives about 90 minutes away (Kalamazoo Michigan) had a bad storm hit his neighborhood last year. He went out and bought a new saw so he could clean up all the fallen trees in his back yard. His chain got dull fast so he went out and bought another one to finish the job. He was telling me about all the different kinds of trees he lost when I figured out part of his problem. He cut up the hardwood trees first and left the pines for last. I explained to him that if he would have cut the pines first and then the hardwoods that chain would have worked a lot better for him.

MODiesel · Apr 30, 2003

For saw chain questions, there's one fellow out there that has forgotten more about chains then I could ever hope to know. He can be found on arboristsite.com -- Walt Galer

From his bio :: "Past Tech. Serv. Mgr. for Windsor, and Eng Test at Oregon. Did service schools for Shindaiwa. 30yrs in Chainsaw industry."

Click on the "Search for all posts by this user" link in the top right of the above-noted page, and you can read his responses. He hasn't posted in some time, but you might find good references in his discussions. In general, that's an excellent site for anything pertaining to saws.

Best Regards,
Jay