How do you sharpen a chainsaw?

[Richard Kennedy UK]

Erm thats the question I have an electric chainsaw I don't use much but think its time I sharpened the chain. What is the best way?

Any tips?

Richard

[Gerald Senburn]

Every chainsaw I've owned came with a small file to sharpen the blade. Not hard at all, but if it's been quite a while you might want to take it to a shop for sharpening. Or just buy a new chain.

The easy way to tell the blade is bad off is if you're producing fine sawdust instead of large chunks. That means you essentially rubbing a groove through the wood instead of cutting.

[Tom Hildebrand]

I bring mine to the equipment rental shop to sharpen. 6 bucks,,, totally worth it!! I hate doing that job.

[Chuck Wintle]

or buy a new chain...and leave the old chain to be sharpened....and use original as a spare.

[glenn bradley]

Hand file with the little "guide" that spring-clips to the file. The set is quite inexpensive. Just check your manual for the right diameter file and follow the instructions.

[Lex Boegen]

Dremel makes a nifty chainsaw sharpening attachment. It's got an angle guide and a grindstone. If you already have a Dremel tool, it's faster than hand filing.

[Chip Lindley]

+1 on the Dremel tool with cylinderical grinding stone! Especially good for small chainsaws with short bars. In the time it takes to file a chain sharp, you will be on to bigger and better things. Just make sure you get the specific diameter sharpening stone for your chain.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

There are a couple hand sharpeners out there. The most important thing is to keep all the teeth at the same height. That means taking the same amount of file strokes on each tooth. It's not hard to learn. As mentioned, you can go to virtually any store that sells chainsaws, they have the cheap file holder. It has angle guides. Takes only a few tries to get the hang of it. I have a Granberg sharpener. Does the job well. I don't know how you control how much teeth you'd grind away with the Dremel (or any other manual grinder).

Just my $0.02.

[keith ouellette]

Dremels and other electric sharpeners are fine if the chain is very dull or nicked up and you want to remove a lot of material from the teeth.

if you sharpen regularly, before the chain is very dull, then a file is the best way. makes the chain last much longer

[vic newsman]

I agree with Keith. It usually only takes 3 to 5 strokes per tooth with the file for a regularly maintained chain.

Vic

[Greg Portland]

If it's the original chain on the electric saw then you might be better served getting a quality chain (crosscut for typical use, rip cut for cutting turning blanks in half). Most electric saws are not intended for heavier use so they get the cheapest chain possible stuck on them by the manufacturer. There is definitely a difference in chain quality, just like saw blades.

[Richard Kennedy UK]

Thanks everyone for your responses I have a cheap as chips electric machine which is not really much good for cutting bigger stuff. I guess when funds allow I will look to upgrade to a bigger maybe petrol powered machine I will go to my local store and see if I can pick up a file set as this one will have to do for now

The Vortex is just too darn powerful!!!!!!

[Bruce Volden]

I have to chime in here too as I cut wood for winter, I use a jig for proper angling. BUT I have know for a fact there are differences in the makes of files and prefer the "tighter" toothed higher quality files.

Bruce

[John Nesmith]

I have the little 10" Remington electric. I just bought a new chain for it. $12 shipped. It wasn't worth trying to sharpen the old one to me.

[Kevin Godshall]

If you don't use a chainsaw a lot. ......... and I mean A LOT....... you are far better off taking your chain to a shop and having it done. The worst thing about taking it to a shop is that they like to remove a lot of metal......... and I mean A LOT.

Even with some of the clamp on guides, you need to have the set up just right (pitch, angle, height, file diameter, etc) or you end up ruining your chain. Also, after a few sharpenings, you need to file the rakers down, or the tooth cannot reach the wood to cut it.

If you are gonna run the saw a lot, 1) you need to get a gas powered one, and 2) most of the hard core guys in this part of the woods do it by hand: no guides. It is a skill and it comes with a lot of experience........ and when I say a lot.......... well, you probably already know. ;-)