Chain saw sharpening question

Dan Mosley

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Palm Springs, Ca
I have a grinder for chain saw blades that I got from Northern Tool. It works fairly well but its not as sharp cutting as a new blade.

Question: Is there a simple tool-file setup or something that is not complicated that will restore a blade to as sharp as store bought ?
Someone posted a diamond blade for the bench sharpner that is supposed to put a very sharp edge but I wanted to see if anyone else is using them before I buy one.............I saw the utube video on the Oregon Powersharp which seems like a slick thing if it works as well as the video says......anybody using one ??..........Thanks
 
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Well Dan, I can give you some pointers for how I sharpen my chains. I clamp the bar in a vice most of the time and file with the 'ole round file. I just guesstimate the proper angle and have at it. Wear a glove so that if you slip you won't get cut. The best way to get a sharp chain with a file is by filing into the cutter so that the burr will be at the back of the cutting edge rather on the cutting edge. This is a little harder. the reason is that if the burr is on the cutting edge it will break off right away and dull the edge. The point of the cutter is the most important part of a sharp chain, and does most of the work.so make sure you file the tooth until the point is sharp. Also remember to file down the rakers a few strokes with a flat file. the raker sets the depth of cut for each tooth/cutter. The better chainsaw sharpeners can be set so that the cutting wheel is cutting toward the back of each tooth. So in other words you sharpen every other tooth at about 30 degrees and then swing the cutting wheel around and reverse the motor so that the wheel is always cutting toward the back of the cutter. Most of the machines on the market have motors that only spin in one direction. They work O.K. but a premium sharpening rig is reversible. I have a cheap harbor freight sharpener for the real long chains I sometimes need to sharpen.

One of the finer points in sharpening is to roll the file into the tooth so that the file pulls the burr down. It takes a bit of practice to get used to.
 
Dan I have had chains sharpened with a grinder style and didn't like it. I got this one. It is simple and really does a nice job IMHO. When I am going out to get a lot of turning wood or cutting firewood I have about 5 chains that I keep sharpened with it. When my chain gets dull it takes me like 3 minutes to put a sharpened chain on and off I go. Cost $30 and works quite well and got it from Oregan.
 

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Dan I have had chains sharpened with a grinder style and didn't like it. I got this one. It is simple and really does a nice job IMHO. When I am going out to get a lot of turning wood or cutting firewood I have about 5 chains that I keep sharpened with it. When my chain gets dull it takes me like 3 minutes to put a sharpened chain on and off I go. Cost $30 and works quite well and got it from Oregan.

I've got the same one and I too really like it, works well for me!
 
Thanks.............I am going to buy one and appreciate the comments............I ordered one but it does not come with a file......how do you know what kind of file to buy ? does it tell you in the directions that come with it ??
 
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Thanks.............I ordered one but it does not come with a file......how do you know what kind of file to buy ? does it tell you in the directions that come with it ??

One more vote for that sharpening guide. I really like mine, and have used it on several different sizes of chain. You need to size the file to your chain. The file diameter needs to be the same as the teeth on your chain. An experienced sharpener will tell you which file you need by just looking at your chain. Otherwise, take your chain to the hardware store and get a file that fits the tooth gullets snugly.

Also, don't get carried away with filing. Unless you've really screwed up the chain, just three or four strokes per tooth will be all you'll need. After a few sharpenings, you may also need to file the tops of the guides (in front of each tooth) to bring their height down to just below the tops of the tooth. The instructions in your new filing guide will tell you how to do that, too.
 
Kiljoy here. I have one of those clamp and file affairs. The file doesn't seem to do anything to the chain. It seems impervious to my sharpening efforts. A friend who does a lot of cutting says he has same experience. Methinks a Harbor Freight power sharpener is in my future. Or continue taking to my favorite sharpening shop.
 
Kiljoy here. I have one of those clamp and file affairs. The file doesn't seem to do anything to the chain. It seems impervious to my sharpening efforts. A friend who does a lot of cutting says he has same experience. Methinks a Harbor Freight power sharpener is in my future. Or continue taking to my favorite sharpening shop.

Sounds like you might have the wrong sized file. :dunno: Your friend does a lot of cutting, but does he do a lot of sharpening? ;)

I've got something similar to the Oregon jig and once I figured it out, I really like it. I also have the Harbor Freight electric sharpener (couldn't resist a sale price a couple of years ago) but it's still in the unopened box, since the Oregon manual one has kept me going. I'm saving the electric one in case I really hose a chain on embedded rocks or something.
 
I had the HF sharpener and sold it. I use a good quality round file, and replace it when it gets dull. I have a simple Oregon jig that helps align the file, but is still held freehand. This works much better for me than the HF machine.
 
When I ordered mine I asked the guy at Bailey's about what file I needed. He asked me my chain number and said I needed such and such file.

Frank don't know how your friend is sharpening but I sharpened a chain last week with this jig. I cut down a 18" ash tree and cut it up into blanks. I didn't change chains until the last quarter of the tree. I probably could have finished with that chain but I am getting lazy in my old age.
 
The correct size file and sharpen every tank of gas will make a chain last a long time between machine sharpenings. Once you get the hang of it, you don't even need the guide. Of course, staying out of the rocks and dirt helps too!
 
I have the Northern Tool bench grinder and it works fine but it does not put the edge on it like a new chain would have. I watched a tree trimmer awhile back that was cutting and when he stopped he used a guide and file. When he started again the saw cut great and when I asked him about what he thought of how well the file system worked he told me better than any resharpen chain because most shops will use a bench grinder to resharpen. He was correct because the 2 shops that I have taken my chains to previous to getting the bench top used them. He told me with a file you can put a much sharper edge on your chain and with practice you can have a better edge than new. So im going to give the file system a shot and keep the bench grinder for badly damaged chains...................so im hoping
 
Here's a little different spin I guess. I got this one for my dremel tool. http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-1453-Chain-Sharpening-Attachment/dp/B0000302YO I just keep it on the tool so it's always ready to use. When I'm cutting I'll keep 3 or 4 chains ready to go so if one gets dull I'll just change it. When I get home I'll touch them up with the dremel. If I had to sharpen in the field I'd go with the Oregon. I got mine for 10 bucks local and it was the best 10 dollars I've spent. I can have a blade sharpened in just a couple of min.
 
Thanks.............I am going to buy one and appreciate the comments............I ordered one but it does not come with a file......how do you know what kind of file to buy ? does it tell you in the directions that come with it ??
To size the file you need to know the size of the chain.
 
I don't know if I'm doing it right or how sharp I get my chains, but I use a file and just hold the chain in the slot on the blade with a gloved hand... I slip the file into the notch of the tooth and make 4 or 5 sawing passes over the tooth... it does cut better after I do that.... mostly right now I'm using an electric WORX 16" around the shop... having trouble with my gas powered chains saw... I think I used ethanol gasoline and let it sit too long with gas in the tank... can't start it now... it acts like it wants to start, but so far no joy....
 
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