Somebody recommend a good chain saw sharpener.

I have only been using my chain saw about 6 months and now it doesn't want to cut. I'm going to buy a few extra chains to have but what do you guys use to sharpen your saws.

 

6 months ? ahahahaaaa......I sharpen mine about every tank of gas.

Seriously, the key is NOT let one get too dull...better a touch up every tank than trying to revive a dead chain.

Tried a bunch of different sharpeners, but always go back to a file, which is all I've used in a long time. But get a clamp on guide for the file. I got one at the Sthil dealer....it has the cutter angle marks on it to keep you filing at the proper angle, and also lets you use ALL the file.

 

I have about three extra chains for my Stihl (which I used yesterday) and I take them all in and get them sharpened, too lazy to do it myself.

 

A file (especialy with a guide if not used to it) works fine, especialy if you are just useing it part of the time. I make my living with a chainsaw though and so the time spent sharpening costs me money. I have a Dremmil tool and you can get a guide that goes on it to keep you at the right depth and has the lines to show you the proper angles to sharpen at. You basicly need to watch what the saw dust looks like and when it stops spitting flakes of wood and starts throwing powder or dust you need to sharpen the saw. As long as you do it this way all you have to do with the dremmil tool is touch it to each tooth for 1-2 seconds. Once you are used to it you can sharpen a normal size chain (say up to 24 inches or so) about as quick as you could change it out for a new one and I normaly take about 10-15 minutes to sharpen my BIG chain (36 inch bar). You will need to be sure you get the right bits for it. They make ones that are grey for the smaller (homeowner size) saws and then kind of a pink colored ones for the biger teeth on the felling saws. I have a small inverter that I can hook to the truck and plug the dremil tool in at the truck to sharpen chains as well as in a normal outlet if at home but you can also get the cordless ones.
Thats the way I have decided to go at least and have been useing them for about 5 or 6 years now and they work well. Around here the bits are usualy in 2 packs and run about $5 a pack and will sharpen a chain maybe a couple of dozen times and for say an 18 inch bar the chain takes me 5 minutes or less to sharpen and dose a great job.

 

Monkeyman,
What about the raker height? While I do not cut for a living, I do cut for my hobby - woodturning. I've learned to sharpen with a hand file (and guide) and also use a dremil type tool. But usually once or twice a summer I'll send the chain with my FIL to work since he has a chainsaw sharpener.
Now when he has it he will also file down the rakers using a guide that he has. A buddy of mine has been "trying" to get his chain sharp for some time. I borrowed his chain,used my FIL raker guide and presto, almost like new, cutting better than ever.

Now my question, where to get the guides to file the rakers? I've checked the local "home improvement" stores, but no go. I've found them on Ebay, but didn't like the shipping costs.

Thanks
Ryan

 

Thanks guys I went out and bought a guide and a few files that are the right size for my stihl. Worked the chain over twice. Took the saw out to see and just like I remembered....like new.

Sorry about the 6 months chainsaw guys. I'm a city boy just moved to the country.

 

Not a problem at all, glad to help and we all started sometime and theress undoubtedly others who can use the same info but are just to shy to ask.

I just use a flat file on them say about every 5 or 10 times I sharpen the teeth and just make sure to use about the same number and length of passes for each one. On the Stihl chains if you look real close there are also light marks on them so you can go by them for how far down you are. Once in a while I even just use the dremil tool to grind them down a bit but Ive do it often enouph that I freehand it and even with doing that reagularly its still not perfect but better than haveing them to tall and not being able to bite into anything. On my little chain for the big saw I keep them ground way down anyway, I have an 046 magnum Shihl that will take a 3 foot bar with no prob and most of the time run an 18" bar on it so it has the power to pull it with them ground down further so it cuts faster.

 

file is the best old school method and it runs on person power so it is easily recharged... keep some of the old ways in your life it will pay dividends....

 

A file

Edit add , BUY a Sthil ONLY FROM the dealer & ONE handle , dealer only !!
Don't waste money on toys , LEARN as most have . 2 EZ

 

The U shaped file guides have several uses. Guide the angle for the round file. Lay lengthwise on top of chain with rectangular cutout over a raker. Use flat file to file raker down even with bottom of guide slot. Rakers should be a little lower than front edge of tooth. Curved end is used to pull through the chain guide slot in bar to clear debris.

Be sure to file each tooth back the same amount. Because the teeth are slanted up, longer teeth will cut deeper and make it cut in a curve to the side with longer teeth.

If you hit a rock or grit it will chip the chrome off the leading edge of some teeth. ALL teeth need to be filed back evenly until none have chipped chrome. Otherwise the chipped ones will dull faster and cut curved.

 

Thats the one you plug into battery right?

 

Use files but have Dremel and a Craftsman sharpener. Sometimes I get the angles wrong and they cut "curves" so I just hit the other side a lick or two and get it cutting straight again.

 

Pretty much what's been said, use a file with a guide. Easiest (and cheapest) method for us part-time users.

When I worked in Guam, we'd have to go out and clean up after the storms (typhoons). Had 3 brand new Husquevarna chainsaws, plus one old dinosaur. The majority of the trees that came down were good for firewood (and would mysteriously get cut into 18-24 inch lengths, piled up by the side of the road! LOL), and wouldn't dull a blade too quickly. But the ironwood trees.....well, let's just say they're well named! I'd have to sharpen the saws at lunch time, then again at the end of the day, for the next morning, if we were cutting that stuff! With a good file & guide, I could knock out a chain in about 7-10 minutes, max.

 

Grandpa had one with leads for truck battery when we ran through five or so cords a day he would sharpen while i split....