Chainsaw blade sharpening, how often?

[George Tokarev]

My old buddy, in or out of the woods, does just about all pitches and angles with the appropriate file, which changes as things get down to the short teeth. http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...=1,43072,43086 it may take twelve strokes to equalize left and right after a firm encounter of the rock kind, but worth the money.

[Dale Gregory]

Thanks for all the feedback. It was a new chain, but not a Stihl brand, I assumed it was sharp to start and it was as it was throwing large curls until I started to rip. On the 2nd rip I may have went to far and caught some dirt or a piece of gravel, so it was probably my fault. I got my chain oil from Tractor supply along with the chain (forgot the brand name) so it may not be the best chain oil but it was using it up. Lesson learned, I'll buy a another chain, Stihl oil, sharpening kit, and be more careful when approaching the ground. Thanks again for the good input on proper use and care!

Dale

[Ian Abraham]

On the 2nd rip I may have went to far and caught some dirt or a piece of gravel,

That will be your problem - instant dull chain

Personally I prefer to hand file using a simple guide to keep the angles correct. You can sit down on a tree stump and sharpen the chain as needed after accidentally excavating dirt or cutting dirty wood.

Another hint, when you resharpen you HAVE to grind / file back enough of the cutter so that the edge is in clean chrome. If there is any rounding on the outside of the cutter then your edge wont be in the hard chrome, but in the normal steel of the cutter body. It will go blunt again pretty much right away even in clean wood.
If the chain is only just starting to loose the edge then a couple of file strokes will restore it fine, but if you have cut through a nail / fence wire / rock / concrete block then you HAVE to sharpen back to clean chrome.

Cheers

Ian

[George Tokarev]

Thanks for all the feedback. It was a new chain, but not a Stihl brand, I assumed it was sharp to start and it was as it was throwing large curls until I started to rip. On the 2nd rip I may have went to far and caught some dirt or a piece of gravel, so it was probably my fault. I got my chain oil from Tractor supply along with the chain (forgot the brand name) so it may not be the best chain oil but it was using it up. Lesson learned, I'll buy a another chain, Stihl oil, sharpening kit, and be more careful when approaching the ground. Thanks again for the good input on proper use and care!

Dale

Careful of non-Stihl chains if you have the Stihl bar without the grease holes (Oilomatic) . The Stihl brand chains have an extra oil-transporting hole to keep things running smooth. Might want to check that your bar oil matches the season/temps too. Summer stuff barely moves in the winter, winter stuff flies out fast in summer.

I get things off the ground for ripping, easier to see, brace and control at waist level. Crosscutting on the ground is a necessary evil, ripping needn't involve the risk.

[Charles McKinley]

Cross cutting need not be done at ground level. You can get a log lifter. At the very least get a goot cant hook or pevey so you can cut mmost of the way through, roll the log and finish the cut up away from the dirt.

I recommend the jig you clamp on the bar as well for sharpening. Just sharpen the chain you have. while it is on the saw.