Does anyone else find it amazing how many people simply cannot sharpen a saw?

[cheeves]

Same here too!!
Takes practice and patience! Two things amongst other's this new generation seems to lack, unfortunately!

 

[farmer steve]

Same here too!!
Takes practice and patience! Two things amongst other's this new generation seems to lack, unfortunately!

not bragging but i think my dad is one of the best at hand sharpening.practice he's been doing it as long as i can remember.(i'm 58).patience (he raised me.)watching him file a chain is like poetry in motion.precise strokes on each tooth,lifting the file out after each stroke,lightly checking each tooth with his finger before moving to the next.never any gauges to check the rakers,he just eyeballs the chain from the tip looking down the bar and when the chain hits the wood you better stand back ''cause chips are flying.
ps.dad is 83 and he can stihl saw with the best.

 

[pioneerguy600]

There is a lot more to sharpening a chain than running a file across the cutters, you get a lot better once you gain an understanding of how a chain actually cuts wood fiber. A good understanding of all the chains components and their relationship/ interaction together will tell the experienced filer make a chain cut better/faster for a given type of wood under different climatic conditions.

 

[imagineero]

without providing any actual information, that post is about as useful as saying "you need to know what you're doing to do what you want to do"

 

[mdavlee]

I cannot stand to run a grinder sharpened chain, hand filed only by yours truly!

You need t run some chains off a silvey round or square. Those chains aren't bad at all. Most people I know and cut wood with can't Sharpe a chain good. They can half way get it from rock dull to making some chips here and there.

 

[Jeff Lary]

My cousin has an 029 he was at my shop while I was sharpening my partner. He said my saw cuts to the left a little so I tried it,....a little....damn near made lumber. I brought it in the shop put her in the vise and started inn. He said you can fix that...... He and his brother cut and sell 60 cord of fire wood each year. How could he not know what was happening.

 

[Big Natey]

I cannot stand to run a grinder sharpened chain, hand filed only by yours truly!

I agree 100%. you cant fine tune with a grinder, and there is no better feeling than the first cut with your hand shapened chain. i just look around like.....sup bitches?

I think the mistake a lot of new chainsaw sharpeners is to start out with a hopelessly dull and mis-shapened chain. I recommend one gets a brand new chain and the correct size file and run a few strokes on it. Now go do that to the dull one till it looks the same.

it does take a great deal of skill to correct a missharpened chain

Cut oak all day long three days in a row on one sharpening?

You and I have a vastly different opinion on when chains need sharpening.

that was a mild exxageration lol. my point is that when you actually have to hand sharpen your saws, you dont make carelles mistakes like running your bar into dirt, rocks, concrete, etc. the owner of the company i worked for would always give me the strangest look when i wiped mud off logs before i started bucking them..

Not being able to sharpen is only half of it. What amazes me is the patience people have to muscle a dull saw through a piece of wood. I watched my neighbor take about a minute and a half to cut through some green 12-14 inch white ash. He acted as though it was just normal. I would have been embarrassed. I sharpen my chain as soon as I can tell it's slowing down some.

i think most people just dont know what a sharp chain looks or even cuts like.

also, i read in a book one time, that a truly skilled saw man did not have to feel the cutters on his saw chain to tell if they were sharp he only had to look at them. i never understood that till i started sharpening saws everyday, and it is very true. you can have a **** angled cutter tooth that is still sharp, it just cuts in a circle.

 

[Chris-PA]

I can't stand the feel of a chain that isn't cutting right - I can tell pretty quick when the edge is gone. It is amazing how small of a saw you can use if the chain is really sharp.

 

[Little Al]

The only surprising part is people earning a living from a trade/profession that cannot do parts of that trade that they require to be competent at it, I know a good few people who i consider excellent drivers but have not one clue as to what goes on in the mechanical parts of the vehicle, the same applies to me with computers ,,but I`m not making a living from it, working with & on something[chainsaw. logging equipment etc. should give some idea as to being able to carry out routine repairs/ maintenance, to be able to do the job properly [ but in this day & age a lot of folk it`s to much hassle, pay some one else to do it] so slowly the skills die away to repair, & we have become a throw away society, + the fact a lot of today`s kit is easier to replace than repair, or you need VERY expensive diagnostic/special repair kit, so the circle becomes ever more tight

 

[Hinerman]

You are certainly right, but most anyone I talk to thinks it's weird that I even mod my mufflers.

I agree. I sold my MS460 to a friend who does tree work (he is a self taught climber). I told him I gutted the muffler, added a dual port cover, and trimmed the limiter tabs. He goes, "Huh, what's that?". I said--"Be sure and wear ear plugs" and left it at that.

 

[old-cat]

An old logger came to my shop one time, to talk about sharpening chains. For several years he sold fire wood on a u-cut and haul basis, he said VERY few people could do a good job sharpening. He's now writing a book about his experiences.

 

[Hinerman]

I don't have a grinder. I started out with a dremel. Now I hand file. I am not great but I am learning and getting better. 08's video taught me I was using the depth gauge wrong,,,doh! I was bucking a 34-35" oak on Sunday and hit metal, about 6 inches deep, with brand new chain. There were metal shavings stuck in my chain. The owner had lights in the tree. Sunday night I used my dremel and then hand filed to repair the chain as best I know how. Went back out on Monday to finish the tree. Much to my surprise the chain was cutting really well until I hit metal again. I told the owner I am leaving the trunk for this reason. It pained me to leave about 15 feet of 34-35" oak.

 

[nomad_archer]

I feel like as a chainsaw operator that I should learn how to sharpen my chains. Seems basic to me. I only cut for firewood to heat my home so there are a lot of months where my saw sits idle. But I have a grinder and a hand filing guide on there way. I got through last year with a HF junk grinder this year I am trying the norther tool grinder. But I plan to do the majority of my sharpening with the granberg. When I am out cutting I dont bother to sharpen chains as I have 3 or 4 for each bar length I take with me and if I dull all of my chains I go home and come back another day.

 

[angelo c]

Sharpening is one thing....sharpening for the specific wood, chain or saw is another.

Ill admit im pretty good on softer woods but struggle with the big red dry oaks. I have to learn how to make the adjustments on the fly for the site.

If some one could post a "soft wood" setup and a "really hardwood" set up on the same chain i would be appreciative.

 

[farmer steve]

Sharpening is one thing....sharpening for the specific wood, chain or saw is another.

Ill admit im pretty good on softer woods but struggle with the big red dry oaks. I have to learn how to make the adjustments on the fly for the site.

If some one could post a "soft wood" setup and a "really hardwood" set up on the same chain i would be appreciative.

you opened the door angelo, softwood husky, hardwood stihl. i couldn't resist.apologies to the OP.

 

[old-cat]

Sharpening is one thing....sharpening for the specific wood, chain or saw is another.

Ill admit im pretty good on softer woods but struggle with the big red dry oaks. I have to learn how to make the adjustments on the fly for the site.

If some one could post a "soft wood" setup and a "really hardwood" set up on the same chain i would be appreciative.

When you run a lathe for a living , you have to learn how to sharpen for hard metal and soft metal. The same techniques apply for cutting wood. Knife edge tool for soft and bulldozer blade shape for hard.

 

[C SAW 090]

Its pretty easy if you sharpen before the chain is smoking. I know guys that are afraid to take the rakes down. Can't learn if u don't try. I don't like trying out anothers saw cause ill never be impressed, there never sharp. Id rather punch my self in the teeth then run a dull saw.

 

[Chris-PA]

It's fun to play with different angles and such, but if all you do is sharpen it properly to the manufacturer's settings then you'll be miles ahead of a dull chain.

 

[treesmith]

When I was in Scotland the neighbours would bring me their saws to sharpen, in shocking condition normally, was never sure if chain was on the right way

 

[Molan Labe]

A couple days ago I purchased a power sharp set up. Did not have to sharpen it the first day after many many small to medium sized trees, pretty happy about that.
The second day, sharpened the power sharp for the first time early in the day. What a breeze, all of a few seconds to sharpen a 18 inch chain. Worked every bit as good as new for rest of the day might have to sharpen one more time before the 4-5 acres of trees are down and done with the project.
Have to say I could not be happier with the purchase.
The power sharp makes you pro at sharpening chain I have to say... in a matter of seconds.