Chainsaw blade sharpening

[SlugSlinger]

I've cut a load of downed trees over the last couple of weeks. Does anyone have advice on sharpening a chain? Something that actually works.

I've tried the file method with little to no luck getting a good cutting edge.

 

[264killer]

Dremel chain saw sharping stones ., see walmart ETC. works great.

 

[JEVapa]

I used to use a little jig kit from HD but I don't think they have it anymore. It used a chicom knock off dremel.

I still have a regular file/jig sharpener that works decent.

They have these cool little attachment sharpening jigs now that are sposed to work really well, I need to try one out:
https://www.amazon.com/Chainsaw-Sharpening-Jig/s?k=Chainsaw+Sharpening+Jig
https://timberlinesharpener.com/

 

[WoodsCraft]

I used to use a little jig kit from HD but I don't think they have it anymore. It used a chicom knock off dremel.

I still have a regular file/jig sharpener that works decent.

They have these cool little attachment sharpening jigs now that are sposed to work really well, I need to try one out:
https://www.amazon.com/Chainsaw-Sharpening-Jig/s?k=Chainsaw+Sharpening+Jig
https://timberlinesharpener.com/

I have similar kit from TSC

 

[rawhide]

The Dremel tool/guide does a decent job. If your chain is really dull I suggest paying to have it sharpened. Usually $4-5. Otherwise, I highly recommend the all in one file. There are other brands, but Stihl can be easily found locally.

https://www.amazon.com/Stihl-2in1-C...ocphy=9026498&hvtargid=pla-386239199401&psc=1

 

[swampratt]

I have had a mower shop sharpen my stihl chain, a friend owns the shop.
No charge I watched him.
I sharpened my own other chain the same way on his machine and on an electric a buddy gave me.

The trick for my cutting style is 30°
Factory Stihl chains I use are 30°

25 cuts slow.
Those electric machines do not get the chain near as good as my hand filed chains.
In fact every chain that got the electric treatment cut so poor that i hand filed them to make them cut to my standard.

On a Stihl chain there is a hash mark on the top of the cutter tooth and that hash is at a 30° to the cutting edge.

Makes it easy to file by hand keeping that angle.

Both sides need the same angle or the chain will not cut straight and will want to bind in deep wood.

Files cut 1 direction do not pull a file backwards it will dull it and cutting performance of the file will suffer.

If you go electric then just tap the tooth and release and tap again and release.
You do not want to over heat the cutting tooth. If you do it will not keep an edge.

Make sure the chain gets a lot of oil when in use on the saw.
Should go without saying but my newer MS250 and a buddies 250 do not plow near enough oil.
I had to modify them.

I leave the chain on the bar when sharpening it.
Of course keep it out of dirt and rocks when using it on the saw.

Take a very close look at the cutting edge of the tooth .
Notice the very outside leading edge of the cutting tooth.
Is it slightly beveled in or chamfered in on the outside.
If yes then it will not cut well until you grind that tooth to eliminate all that bevel.

That bevel is from dirty wood or dirt or rock.
It may be 1/2 the length of the cutting tooth if you ran it a lot in the dirt .. if that is the case time for a new chain and clean the groove in the bar out really well.


You may know all the above already but if not then ya do now unless i can't type what I wish to explain.

 

[OKRuss]

The Dremel tool/guide does a decent job. If your chain is really dull I suggest paying to have it sharpened. Usually $4-5. Otherwise, I highly recommend the all in one file. There are other brands, but Stihl can be easily found locally.

https://www.amazon.com/Stihl-2in1-C...ocphy=9026498&hvtargid=pla-386239199401&psc=1

X2. A little pricey so be sure to get the Stihl brand with made in Germany or it's a China made knock off. Half price is a dead giveaway.

 

[rickm]

If your hand filing dont wait til it is dull to sharpen it, it is harder to get back sharp but just every so often take a break and hit it with a file.
Back when i run a saw on a daily acurrance i always kept 5 or 6 chains per saw in the truck so i could swap out on a regular basis, but then i was out at 1 or 2 am cutting trees and didnt have time to stop and either take the chain in to be sharpened or hit with a file

 

[OHJEEZE]

Stihl makes nice file kits.

Practice!

 

[Glockisgood17]

Imho most people over sharpen their blades. It shouldn’t take a whole lot of filing to get a chain resharpened unless it’s in bad shape. Get Stihl files, they seem to work the best for me. I have 4 saws now, 3 sets of blades for each one with the correct size file. Also, change the bar over, I do it every time I change, chains. Just flip it 180 degrees when you put the bar back on.

Regards,