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

[nmurph]

Well, I can't sharpen a saw, but I can put a decent edge on the cutters of a chain.

 

[old-cat]

bigblackdodge, Very interesting statement!

 

[bigblackdodge]

Well, I can't sharpen a saw, but I can put a decent edge on the cutters of a chain.

NMurph, you never cease to entertain! ;-)



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[Woody912]

Hand sharpen of course. The more i think about it, the more i realize that of all the tree guys i know, only about 10% of them can actually sharpen a saw well. Now i like to thank im damn good at round filing, an ok at square filing, but i sharpened 6 saws every morning for three years, and then resharpened them throughout the day due to careless groundies. On a 5 man crew i was the only one who could sharpen a saw, (properly).

On another note, having to sharpen saws makes you a 10,000 time better saw man. I got to a point wear i could make a round filed stihl rsc chain last about three days cutting oak all day long on one sharpening.

I guess i dont really have a point, just useless banter.

Granberg for me, does that count? Just miked the cutters and resharpened a chain I wore out, cut, patched, broke and repatched. Down to .23" tooth length but it throws some fine chips. I do have a bias in filing and one side seems to stretch out on me after a while ergo the mike to get them back even

 

[KenJax Tree]

With all the guides and gadgets they sell now anyone can het a chain sharp


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[Trx250r180]

Man vs. Machine.......

How can you not fine tune w/a grinder? How can you not like a perfectly sharpened chain? DONE CORRECTLY, it is a better job done, then hand filing, not to mention 3+ times faster, IMO. Every cutter, sharpened to the exact same length, and exact degree of angle.......just touch up the raker's, an your in. Like I seen mentioned in another thread and strive to do myself, you need only to...... just kiss the cutter's.
I only run full chisel an my philosophy may not hold true on semi. I don't know. I'm sure someone will chime in.

I do mainly residential work, so I've hit about anything you can think of, in a tree. On a really wrecked chain. "Seem's like it's always the 32". I may have to sharpen it 2 maybe 3 times, in order not to crystallize
or burn up the chain. I have an older Oregon, an it's a bit slow, so I need to be extra careful not to take off to much at once.......Also, keep my stone clean an prepped.

If you need to drop your chains off at a saw shop, just look at the chains they have already done. If the cutter's blued or burnt, there hacker's, go somewhere else. A lot of these type of fella's won't even gauge or touch the raker's.

In my experience i can get a straiter tooth with a grinder ,but a sharper tooth with a file ,think of the edge of your tooth as a knife blade ,yes a grinder will sharpen your knife ,but a file will get a sharper edge if done right ,most all square race chains i have seen are done by hand

 

[JBA]

I fortunately learned hand sharpening from my uncle years ago. No guides or fixtures. Very happy with the results I get. What I can really sharpen are my chisels and planes. Grind then hone then strop and you can shave with all of them. Major pleasure to use sharp tools. The hacks i work with think a chisel is sharp if it looks like a straight screwdriver.

 

[mdavlee]

I have spent 30 of my 37 years in the woods with one of the Greatest Men in My Life, My Father. I wish I had a $5 bill for every chord of firewood we have cut together. In my early years he did most of the sharpening using a Dremel at the shop, and a file in the woods for touch ups. As I matured, it didn't take me long to realize that using a Dremel was Not for me! I bought a grinder years ago, and I do use it a good bit, as I sharpen for many others now. But I use it mainly to even up the length of the cutters and restore the desired angle for the situation. But I almost always, put them on a saw, and file by feel after that. They will cut just fine straight off the grinder, no doubt. But when touched up right with the proper high quality file, and with the proper technique based on the chain & intended use, the difference is Amazing! Besides, I prefer to have them mounted to file the depth gauges. Makes for a very smooth cutting chain that self feeds well. I believe most saw operators, amateur & professional, subconsciously think that pulling up on the trigger handle....is mandatory for a chainsaw to feed. Nothing wrong with doing so, as I do as well, but only to make use of the saws available power. But most think it's required because they've grown accustomed to resorting to it being the only way to advance the cut. That, is simply from an improperly maintained saw chain. And will lead to premature wear of the Operator, Saw & Chain. I've even had many, fresh out of the box chains, that were grossly under prepared for being put on a Quality Saw and used on a wood. I'm positive a lot of you are thinking I'm Crazy, and that taking that much care is ridiculous and unneeded. And for mostly Softwood, you'd get no argument from me. But 95% of the wood I cut, is Hickory, Oak, Maple, Cherry, Walnut & Ash. Believe me, in Hardwood, it makes a Huge Difference in Cut Quality, Operator Fatigue, and Cutter Longevity.

I would never knock anyone for not filing there own chains. Absolutely nothing wrong with paying someone, who is skilled to do a job, that you'd rather not. It's what America used to be All About!!!! I, however, am the type of person who would rather not 'have' to rely on anyone but myself if possible. It's just preferential difference. I thoroughly enjoy sharpen saw chain. I take a lot of pride in my work. And cutting with one that feeds well, doesn't chatter, vibrate, turn in or out through the cut or leave my arms and back aching? Is all the reason I've ever needed for learned how to maintain my chains to suit my needs.

With all that said. I've never used or touched a square grind chain. Those of you who have, have you used them on much Hardwood? How well do they hold up compared to others? And to those who maintain them, is it really that difficult to learn how?


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Square ground or filed will work just fine for hardwood. I run a lot of it in hickory, oak, chestnut, and elm. It's a whole different world from round filing. I won't say it's hard to learn but it will be a learning experience.

 

[discounthunter]

i guess im 10,000 less of a saw man. interesting thought to the op; do you rebuild your own car engines?, refurbish your old apliances?,build you own homes?i find it interesting when people can do something then assume no one else can .

 

[RedFir Down]

In my experience i can get a straiter tooth with a grinder ,but a sharper tooth with a file ,think of the edge of your tooth as a knife blade ,yes a grinder will sharpen your knife ,but a file will get a sharper edge if done right ,most all square race chains i have seen are done by hand

Very true!! That is why I have a few different borazon wheels for my Oregon grinder... Now think of how much sharper you can get a knife with a diamond hone. Same concept with the borazon wheel.

Oh and nice job with hand filing your square chain BTW.
I just got done making a chain vise and Im really excited to take the time to learn and experiment with sharpening square chain by hand. (I cant justify spending a $1000 on a square grinder now... plus with a grinder its not as satisfying)

 

[angelo c]

You know that question will bring up all types of personal preferences about chain brands and cutter types, right?

In GENERAL, for the same brand and type of chain, I think of taking a smaller, shallower bite for hardwood and frozen wood; and a steeper, more aggressive bite for softwood.

Start with a 'standard' top plate angle of 30 degrees, and a depth gauge offset of .025 inches.

For only hardwood or frozen wood, you might use a less aggressive 25 degree top plate angle (with 0 degrees being perpendicular to the bar).

For only softwood you might try a more aggressive top plate angle up to 35 degrees, and a depth gauge offset of .030 inches.

These settings assume that your saw has the power to pull these chains. Adjust as appropriate. You can also see why 30 degrees is chosen as an 'all-around' setting.

Square ground chain is it's own animal.

Because constantly changing the angles wastes a lot of the cutters' life I don't encourage people to go back and forth a lot. I suggest that they grind/file and keep separate hardwood and softwood chains if they go back and forth between different types of wood and want to have special chains.

JMHO

Philbert

thank you sir...well done as always

 

[zogger]

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.

Glad you like it. I have the setup on my battery saw, and I think it works just great, now waiting for them to come out with full size 3/8ths. I want that for when I am cutting dirty wood.

 

[bigblackdodge]

Square ground or filed will work just fine for hardwood. I run a lot of it in hickory, oak, chestnut, and elm. It's a whole different world from round filing. I won't say it's hard to learn but it will be a learning experience.

Thanks mdavlee! I've been very curious for a long time. Mainly due to the fact that it's done just as I sharpen any other edge, outside in. Just never committed the time to making it a priority and learn it. But I think I may this year. Not to hijack the thread here and I'll be scouring over the forum to educate myself as I have time, but any quick recommendations as far as file brand, best chain to start with? Always cleaning out the remaining gullet? Etc, etc?


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[mdavlee]

Clean out the gullet to the extreme before you start to square file. It will keep the file from digging into the gullet area and make it harder to keep a good angle. I like bahco and save edge the best. Both are made from the same blank as far as I can tell but the bahco seem to chip less on the corner. They're not quite as aggressive as the save edge. You can find them as bahco chisel chain files.

 

[gunrac]

[quote="bigblackdodge, post: 4660517, mem


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And will lead to premature wear of the Operator, Saw & Chain. I've even had many, fresh out of the box chains, that were grossly under prepared for being put on a Quality Saw and used on a wood.

Dang u type a lot of noise......go w/short. simple an quick.....if i wanted to read a book......i'll go to the
library.......no offence.......but to much BS
......

 

[old-cat]

Does anyone make a diamond file for square sharpening?

 

[Termite]

If the chain is not just right.......what is the point in using a ported saw?

The point is it allows monkeys to make a living. LOL

 

[RedFir Down]

I can grind chain or file it. I like filing because I like silence.[/quote]

And you like running saws??

 

[Ron660]

My Dad taught me when I was a teenager how to sharpen a chain. He started me on his oldest chain on his Homelite. I usually sharpen my hunting buddies saws in exchange for beer. They use to bring'em to the dealer but now I never run low on beer.

 

[Big Natey]

I'm not amazed at the number of people who can't do something well. What is strange is the lack of communication skills most people who can do something well exhibit when teaching it to someone new. They would sooner blame the student for lack of patience when they have very little of it. When a master covets information, he is a paper dragon when held near the fire. True mastery of a craft is attained when you are able and willing to teach it.

I can grind chain or file it. I like filing because I like silence.

well......i have had my philosophy lesson for the day.