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Sharpening chainsaw


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I’ve been sharpening chain saws since before my father would let me run one and I think I got my first saw when I was 8 or 9, I’m pretty good at it. As anyone who’s run a saw much knows a chainsaw should be sharpened ever time you put gas and oil in it. Ive tried about every different sharpener and method out there and none work as well as a hand file for both the teeth and rakers/depth gauge. For my birthday this year I got an amazon gift card from my mom and didn’t need anything but when I was on vacation my cousins father in law “he’s a logger” was talking about how amazing his new saw sharpener was. Ordered it while he was talking about it and tried it for the first time yesterday and again today. Wow! Is all I can say, I say it cuts sharpening time by at least half if not more and it’s just about idiot proof. I’m not sure how it will work on a cheaper saw because it does file the rakers a hair lower than a regular gauge and file so it may bog on a less powerful saw but on a good saw it works perfectly! I highly recommend it for anyone that uses a saw! 3d716a8d70243156c7d131748a636735.jpg&key=70691696c3fe71542d440643a276f27f3c689e9ec5261616cc051f563112d685
 
 
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Thanks for the info. That looks interesting. I hate sharpening chains. I bought a load and just change a lot and run to the Ace to get sharpened when I go through all 10. They are up to like $8 a piece now so I may need to try this out.

 

There is a video you can watch on here.

 

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/filing-tools/2in1file/

 

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You need a guide/file holder and the correct size file. There really isn't much more to it than that. The one thing I would never do is subject a chain to any sort of motorized sharpening device. They cook the chain teeth and take the temper and durability right out of them. It takes three or four minutes to touch up a chain with a hand-held file. Lots of youtube videos about it. It's not hard.

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8 minutes ago, philoshop said:

You need a guide/file holder and the correct size file. There really isn't much more to it than that. The one thing I would never do is subject a chain to any sort of motorized sharpening device. They cook the chain teeth and take the temper and durability right out of them. It takes three or four minutes to touch up a chain with a hand-held file. Lots of youtube videos about it. It's not hard.

Its an ass pain lol

 

I got a buddy who used to log out west in the Rockies. Man he could sharpen a chain slick as a whistle. It has never been my forte'.

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Haha, you guys are cracking me up! Chains are expensive and last a long time if taken care of! I cut a lot of wood and only go through a chain or 2 a year. Even with a regular old file sharpening is a 5 minute job at most, about the same amount of time it takes to change a chain. And I’m sure you’re running them until they’re dull!


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11 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

And I’m sure you’re running them until they’re dull!


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That I am.   I really only use for trail maintenance though.  Just buy a new chain each year.   But I will check out some vids on sharpening.  I know my grandfather sharpened.  

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1 hour ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

I’ve been sharpening chain saws since before my father would let me run one and I think I got my first saw when I was 8 or 9, I’m pretty good at it. As anyone who’s run a saw much knows a chainsaw should be sharpened ever time you put gas and oil in it. Ive tried about every different sharpener and method out there and none work as well as a hand file for both the teeth and rakers/depth gauge. For my birthday this year I got an amazon gift card from my mom and didn’t need anything but when I was on vacation my cousins father in law “he’s a logger” was talking about how amazing his new saw sharpener was. Ordered it while he was talking about it and tried it for the first time yesterday and again today. Wow! Is all I can say, I say it cuts sharpening time by at least half if not more and it’s just about idiot proof. I’m not sure how it will work on a cheaper saw because it does file the rakers a hair lower than a regular gauge and file so it may bog on a less powerful saw but on a good saw it works perfectly! I highly recommend it for anyone that uses a saw! 3d716a8d70243156c7d131748a636735.jpg&key=70691696c3fe71542d440643a276f27f3c689e9ec5261616cc051f563112d685
 
 
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I think most 8 year olds these days have their own chainsaw.

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Good info.  I have heard of these style sharpeners.  I sharpen freehand, but put the saw in a vice.  Sounds like it would take some of the work out of sharpening.  

As a side note, maybe you guys should mail me all your dull, unwanted chains so I can properly recycle them!

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12 minutes ago, philoshop said:

You fill the fuel tank and the bar oil tank and touch up the chain. Less than ten minutes. Then you get to work. It's not rocket science.

Just so you know I can build a rocket no problem! File a chain saw quickly, no.

 

lol

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Thanks Buckmaster, I’ve been looking at these and am going to get one for each of my saws. Different size chains.  I do have a very old motorized chain saw sharpener from my fathers farm supply store and it does a great job, but you have to wait to sharpen the chain when you are back from cutting.  I can take this into the woods and keep it sharper for longer.  

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I think my dad taught me how to sharpen a chain before riding a bike . The only log splitter we had was the ax in mine and his hands. That old buck stove thanked us ..

Once you get the hang of it ,its a piece of cake. I'll look into that file .

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That 260 was only a week old when I took that photo. Hadn't been dropped from a tree, fallen off the tractor, or been run over by the the truck. Still hasn't been run over by the truck, but the other events have happened. My favorite saw by a long shot. I gave it to my brother because my body doesn't allow me to do that kind of stuff any more. FWIW I used to climb trees with a saw just like it.

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