Chainsaw Sharpening question

woodlandfarms · Jan 20, 2016

OK, so I have a little bench mounted sharpener (HF). Works great. Last year the wife got me a sharpener that mounts to the dremel.

I have watched pro chainsaw guys, they seem to run a quck file at lunch and when the wrap up. all by hand, allways just visual. I have no idea if / when they use a machine to sharpen, and if they do that themselves.

This all goes to my questions. This past year on my large bar (36") I have decided to sharpen on the bar, with the dremel. So far so good. I figure at the end of the year I take the chain in and get it "professionally" sharpened. Likewise I am mulling over doing the same on my 14" saw as well.

In the past, I have a wall of chains (at least 4 per machine) and when the blade gets dull I would pull it off, put another on and put it in the "to be sharpened" pile, and then one evening sit in front of my bench mounted sharpener and put on a new edge.

Now i am wondering if I should ever bother taking the chain off, and if it is OK to continue to procede with my sharpening system, or if I should make change.

Guess I am asking what do other people do.

davesl708 · Jan 20, 2016

I use a dremel to sharpen my chains on the saw. I keep them in rotation. I use one when it needs sharpened I sharpen on the saw then take it off and put the other chain on. Rotate the bar at that time too. I prefer the hollow ground finish I get with the dremel as opposed to the flat edge from the sharpening machine.

4570Man · Jan 20, 2016

I use a Timberline sharpener. It works great. I think it cost about $90 and if something happened to it I would buy another one. I tried sharpening by hand and my chains always cut crooked. I can do better with the 3/8 full chisel on the big saw, but still not as good as the Timberline. I highly recommend against having the chain professionally sharpened. They will change the profile and next time you sharpen it it will defeat the point of having it professionally sharpened. There aren't any local guys that can do a good job. I'd be cheaper to toss the chain in the trash and buy another one VS paying two way shipping and the sharpening guy. I wouldn't actually toss it, I'd save it for a job likely to ruin a chain.

stan33 · Jan 20, 2016

Sharpening with a file in a file holder isn't difficult once someone shows you how. Then you can sharpen on the bar out in the woods, no vise or power needed and you can sharpen every couple of gas fill-up's or so, whilst you are working.
Keep the file horizontal to the bar and at the angle notched on the guide. I do 3 forward strokes per tooth.
Stihl dealer told me it was the best sharpened saw he had seen, but i guess he says that to all the guys.

2458n · Jan 20, 2016

My grandfather sharpen the chain on his 1952 Homelite saw by hand when he was using it. As far as I know it was never sharpened by anyone other then himself. I take mine in to get sharpened, and the guy will do two while I wait. Only get about four trips and it is time for a new loop. Running a bigger full chisel chain and have not found the larger stones needed at a local box store. Have purchased both bars and chain off the internet. One time it shipped from a business 20 miles from my home. We do business in person now.

MossRoad · Jan 20, 2016

woodlandfarms said:
OK, so I have a little bench mounted sharpener (HF). Works great. Last year the wife got me a sharpener that mounts to the dremel.

I have watched pro chainsaw guys, they seem to run a quck file at lunch and when the wrap up. all by hand, allways just visual. I have no idea if / when they use a machine to sharpen, and if they do that themselves.

This all goes to my questions. This past year on my large bar (36") I have decided to sharpen on the bar, with the dremel. So far so good. I figure at the end of the year I take the chain in and get it "professionally" sharpened. Likewise I am mulling over doing the same on my 14" saw as well.

In the past, I have a wall of chains (at least 4 per machine) and when the blade gets dull I would pull it off, put another on and put it in the "to be sharpened" pile, and then one evening sit in front of my bench mounted sharpener and put on a new edge.

Now i am wondering if I should ever bother taking the chain off, and if it is OK to continue to procede with my sharpening system, or if I should make change.

Guess I am asking what do other people do.

Like you, I have the cheap harbor freight sharpener and I also have a bag of 4-5 sharp chains. If I'm in a hurry, I'll swap the chains when they get dull and keep on cutting. If I'm not in a hurry, I'll hand file on the saw between fill ups of gas/oil. Anytime I change the chain, I flip the bar, as well.

I guess it depends on how much work you want to get done, how much time you have to do it, and how long it takes you to sharpen on the saw VS swapping chains. Either way, if you cut X amount of wood, you're going to wear out Y amount of chain. Weather you do it by alternating chains or wearing one out, then the other, you're eventually going to use the same amount of chain in the same amount of wood and time, if you keep them equally sharp through the process.

gsganzer · Jan 20, 2016

I'll second the Timberline. It's the slickest and most precise on-the-bar sharpener I've used and worth the money.

cat fever · Jan 20, 2016

I have a dremel type tool made by Stihl that has alligator clips you just hook on to any 12 volt battery. I can sharpen my chain on the saw in 5 minutes. It has a guide line on it so you always maintain the factory angle. My 35 year old one gave up the ghost a couple years ago so I bought a new one. Best 30 bucks ever spent.

Gunny · Jan 20, 2016

I just hit each tooth with the hand file between fill ups. Unless I've gotten the chain into something, all it needs is just a light polish to bring back a good edge. As said, unless you're using chisel chain, keep the file level, apply the same pressure and number of strokes to each tooth and it will keep cutting straight. It doesn't take long and you never have to fool with a dull chain. Cutting crooked means you've got teeth on one side of the chain that are longer or sharper than the other side

I also have a bench grinder, but the only time it's used is if I run into some metal buried in the tree , then it's needed to ease out the burrs and then to make sure all the teeth are ground to the same length

This might not suit someone who is in a hurry, but I don't mind spending the time doing it. By the time I've run a full tank through the saw, I don't mind taking a short break and touching up the chain

motownbrowne · Jan 20, 2016

I'll throw my hat in with the hand file on the saw between tanks of gas crowd. Semi-chisel chain is very easy to file and achieve good results. I'd be much more worried about free handing with any type of rotary tool than with a file. I have heard great things about the Timberline, and would love to try one, but the price is a little steep for the amount of use it'd see.