Beginners comments about chain sharpening tools

[fsfcks]

I successfully sharpened my first chain tonight, and my chainsaw is back cutting chips instead of creating sawdust. To help other novices I’ve written up my thoughts and experience. My choice of sharpening tools is based on the chains I need to sharpen:

• Oregon 72V (3/8” pitch, .050” gauge) 16” long (60 drive link) for a Dolmar 5100.
  Sharpens with 7/32” file at 25 degree top plate angle, 10 degree down angle, and .025” depth gauge setting.
• Oregon 90SG Micro-Lite (3/8” pitch, .043” gauge) 8” long (34 drive link) for a Roybi pole saw attachment.
  Sharpens with a 5/32” (or 4.5mm) file at 30 degree top plate angle, 0 degree down angle, and .025” depth gauge setting.

PFERD ChainSharp – I tried the 7/32” version. This seemed like the perfect tool as it would simultaneously sharpen the cutters and set the depth gauge. The side edge of the tool is narrow enough to be able to visually line it up at the correct angle with the witness marks on the cutter tops. It would have been very easy to use, but I found out after purchase that it sets the depth gauge to an aggressive .031” compared to the specified .025”. For me this ruled it out.

Oregon file guide and file (this is the solution I will be using). This only sharpens the cutters, but is as easy to use as the PFERD. It is too wide and covers the cutter angle witness marks, but the top plate angles are marked directly on the file guide to aid visual alignment. I quickly got used to using this, and it does not take long to use. The depth gauges need to be separately checked and filed using the Oregon .025” depth gauge and flat file. Again very easy and quick to use. The part numbers are for the cutter guide are: 7/32” kit p/n 25892 or 7/32” guide only p/n 13253, 5/32” kit p/n 25894 or 5/32” guide only p/n 37422. The part numbers for the .025” depth gauge are: kit p/n 27742 or gauge only p/n 31941. This solution is also easy to use in the field for mid-day sharpening.

Husky 3/8” FileKit. This uses the combination roller guide. Having to move the guide for every cutter made it less convenient then the Oregon file guide. Also it sets a down angle so would not work for the 90SG. Otherwise it would seem straight forward to use but for me not as easy as the PFERD or Oregon hand held file guide.

Oregon Sure Sharp. A somewhat complex mechanical clamp the allows manual precision filing of the cutters and depth gauges. It seemed very difficult to setup initially, and I was not sure what it would be like to setup on subsequent sharpenings. Overall seemed too complex for me (or my skill level?). The Oregon hand held file guide was more straight forward, and also easier to use in the field.

Based on recommendation elsewhere in these forums I did not look at any powered solutions.

 

[clearance]

I was a novice once. Never used a giude, was told "you're gonna havta f------- learn to sharpen your own saw"
My giude? My hands and eye, all you need. A big vice is nice as well, for the weekend warrior types, if you are working out in the bush, suck it up and practice.

 

[Dennis_Peacock]

I have practiced. But there must be "technique" in order to sharpen correctly. I can get the saw to "cut" but I can't get it as sharp as it was when I took it out of the box and put it on the saw-bar.
I'm missing some part of the technique.....but can't figure out exactly what. :censored:

 

[Crofter]

Something I have observed being a problem is having a sweeping instead of a straight line filing stroke. Just like in taking a pool shot your hand has to be directly under your shoulder or you get rockered surfaces on the cutters that make it difficult to get it uniformly sharpened across the whole cutting edge.

 

[redprospector]

Frank,
I think that's a good analogy. It's exactly what I told my new helper last week. Like shooting pool.

Andy

 

[fsfcks]

I setup a vise so I could stand directly in front of the bar tip, and file left/right directly over the bar with slight down pressure to keep the Oregon file guide ontop of the cutters. This is fairly easy with a 16" bar.

 

[Metals406]

I have watched a lot of people try to hurry through the chain... Slow down, and make each stroke accurate. It'd be better to take 15 minutes to get a sharp chain, than 5 minutes on a dull chitty one.

Speed comes with time in the saddle.

Pool-cue is a good analogy.

 

[fsfcks]

You will laugh at this - obvious beginners mistake. Last weekend I sharpened at every refuel, about 5 times. I did 3 strokes on every cutter by counting the cutters - 30 left cutters and 30 right cutters. Unfortunately my math was out - on a 60DL chain there are only 30 total cutters, 15 left and 15 right. I mixed up the number of cutters and number of drive links, and therefore was doing 6 strokes per cutter! It certainly explains why the chain was not cutting too well since the depth gauges were far too high. Fixed all of that this afternoon. This chain is going to have a shorter life Live and learn.

 

[joesawer]

You should be able to see the cutters you have already sharpened.
I have never counted cutters as I sharpened them.

 

[ropensaddle]

I have practiced. But there must be "technique" in order to sharpen correctly. I can get the saw to "cut" but I can't get it as sharp as it was when I took it out of the box and put it on the saw-bar.
I'm missing some part of the technique.....but can't figure out exactly what. :censored:

Actually it should cut better than new if correctly done. Have you checked
your raker height? The depth the file has to fit in the cutter
at the right depth it takes practice but some down pressure and
side pressure into the cutter which is where my index knuckle
used to end up taking a beating.

 

[fsfcks]

Well after todays cutting I can definitely say that the chain was sharp! It was like a hot knife through butter, with lovely chips.

To Dennis_Peacock: I'm using an Oregon file guide to hold the round file at the correct depth (and angle) for the cutters, with 1/5th of the file above the cutter. That combined with slight pressure on the file towards the cutter face, and slight downwards pressure to keep the file in the cutter worked for me. The chain seemed as sharp as a new chain. I also used an Oregon depth gauge tool and file to set the depth gauges.

 

[metalli445]

Has anyone looked through youtube and found a good instructional video for sharpening a chain?

 

[wood4heat]

You will laugh at this - obvious beginners mistake. Last weekend I sharpened at every refuel, about 5 times. I did 3 strokes on every cutter by counting the cutters - 30 left cutters and 30 right cutters. Unfortunately my math was out - on a 60DL chain there are only 30 total cutters, 15 left and 15 right. I mixed up the number of cutters and number of drive links, and therefore was doing 6 strokes per cutter! It certainly explains why the chain was not cutting too well since the depth gauges were far too high. Fixed all of that this afternoon. This chain is going to have a shorter life Live and learn.

You should be able to see the cutters you have already sharpened.
I have never counted cutters as I sharpened them.

I carry a black marker in my pack and mark the tooth I start on. I would probably miss it and keep going if it wasn't marked.

 

[drmiller100]

i looked on youtube, and couldn't find anything useful.

i'm thinking of making my own just for kicks so the pros can critique me and i can learn more.

 

[logbutcher]

I successfully sharpened my first chain tonight, and my chainsaw is back cutting chips instead of creating sawdust. To help other novices I’ve written up my thoughts and experience. My choice of sharpening tools is based on the chains I need to sharpen:
[PFERD ChainSharp – I tried the 7/32” version. This seemed like the perfect tool as it would simultaneously sharpen the cutters and set the depth gauge. The side edge of the tool is narrow enough to be able to visually line it up at the correct angle with the witness marks on the cutter tops. It would have been very easy to use, but I found out after purchase that it sets the depth gauge to an aggressive .031” compared to the specified .025”. For me this ruled it out.

I was a novice once. Never used a giude, was told "you're gonna havta f------- learn to sharpen your own saw"
My giude? My hands and eye, all you need. A big vice is nice as well, for the weekend warrior types, if you are working out in the bush, suck it up and practice.

I carry a black marker in my pack and mark the tooth I start on. I would probably miss it and keep going if it wasn't marked.

Super thread.

The PFERD tool is a godsend for the not-so-worthy of us who don't want to "suck up" anything Mrs. Clearance. " I'm not worthy". "I'm not worthy." :monkey:

The PFERD gets the job done in shop, in the field when you're too sweaty and blown out to think too much, or look too closly at the edges. I like the way the Stihl RS chains cut with slightly more raker depth. .025 to .031 is not a big deal....never measured it in that detail. Neat job.

Another tool that comes in handy: a stump vise. Just tap in into the end grain for an easy hold in the field. Ditto for a magic marker: because of the deterioration of my brain, I use a big red one.

 

[Nailgunner]

I use the magic marker trick; red vs black is purely down to preference

Nice straight strokes on the file is the way forward, on a worn bar the tooth will tilt under the pressure so angle the file a bit to compensate for this - in other words, once it tips to the side it should file at the correct angle. I find that firm, slow strokes work better than bothering away at it.

I usually sharpen until the dull edge vanishes and the tooth feels nice and sharp, this is usually only a hair's breadth of metal. I don't count strokes as such.

Husqvarna roller file guide: I've got one of these, it's very nice but the "soft" setting on the depth gauge plate is VERY aggressive and made my last chain very bitey. I use the hardwood setting and it's fine. "soft" must be for bread or cheese or something, not proper wood. Apart from that it's good kit.

Thought: rather than sharpening on the bar, would clamping the drive links in a vice make for more reliable angles? might try this next time despite it obviously taking longer.

 

[tawilson]

There's been a few pics posted over the years of some pretty slick vise/clamp setups people have made for sharpening chains. I'll see can I find. I made a rudimentary one out of a couple pieces of flat stock.

 

[clearance]

Super thread.

The PFERD tool is a godsend for the not-so-worthy of us who don't want to "suck up" anything Mrs. Clearance. " I'm not worthy". "I'm not worthy." :monkey:

Once I was not worthy, couldn't sharpen a saw, wasn't that good at running one. But, with much practice, I became worthy, you can too. Guides and machines are ok, but imagine if all you had was file, thats why I advocate the use of a file by itself.

 

[Lignum]

Another tool that comes in handy: a stump vise. Just tap in into the end grain for an easy hold in the field. Ditto for a magic marker: because of the deterioration of my brain, I use a big red one.

:agree2:

EXTREMELY handy when you have a 24" bar and things get a little wobbly. Cheap enough too.

 

[Lignum]

I use the magic marker trick; red vs black is purely down to preference

Nice straight strokes on the file is the way forward, on a worn bar the tooth will tilt under the pressure so angle the file a bit to compensate for this - in other words, once it tips to the side it should file at the correct angle. I find that firm, slow strokes work better than bothering away at it.

I usually sharpen until the dull edge vanishes and the tooth feels nice and sharp, this is usually only a hair's breadth of metal. I don't count strokes as such.

Husqvarna roller file guide: I've got one of these, it's very nice but the "soft" setting on the depth gauge plate is VERY aggressive and made my last chain very bitey. I use the hardwood setting and it's fine. "soft" must be for bread or cheese or something, not proper wood. Apart from that it's good kit.

Thought: rather than sharpening on the bar, would clamping the drive links in a vice make for more reliable angles? might try this next time despite it obviously taking longer.

I use my eyecrometer for the depth gauges. When the chips get a wee bit smaller, file them dudes down a skosh and keep cutting.