Chain sharpening

[Circle B MN]

I don't think I have seen this addressed yet, so here goes. My Stihl saws run 3/8 .050 chain. The Stihl brand chains call for a 13/64 file, the Oregon LG series chains call for a 7/32 file. Can one file or the other do the job on both chains..? Thanks.

 

[Philbert]

I don't think I have seen this addressed yet, so here goes. My Stihl saws run 3/8 .050 chain. The Stihl brand chains call for a 13/64 file, the Oregon LG series chains call for a 7/32 file. Can one file or the other do the job on both chains..? Thanks.

Yes.

Philbert

 

[Circle B MN]

Yes.

Philbert

If you charge by the letter, I'll put another nickel in the slot to get some more detail...

 

[Philbert]

If you charge by the letter, I'll put another nickel in the slot to get some more detail...

There is a difference of 1/64 of an inch, but you will probably not notice it as long as you use the same file diameter for all of the cutters on a chain. You will notice that the same size wheel (3/16") is used for both chains when using a grinder.

If you switch to the larger file diameter, it may take a few extra strokes the first time to enlarge the gullet. If you switch to the smaller diameter file, it might take a couple of sharpenings until the new file naturally 'seats' in the larger gullet.

So switching back and forth might be noticeable, but not if you use the same file all of the time.

Philbert

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Good post Phil but it's not just about getting any edge, the edge has to be hard up against the cutter top plate and side plate.

Instead of edge look for "glint". A edge can form on a cutting edge without it necessarily being in the right place. This is why using a finger is not ideal for assessing sharpness.

In the RHS magnification the edge can still have an edge and your finger can still feel an edge but it is not in the right place and this cutter will not cut as well as the LHS cutter. The thing to look for is "glint" , if you can see glint, the edge is not in the right place. Keep sharpening till your see no glint - the edge should look black. In my home shop I wear head magnifiers to make sure I have no glint.

The rounded over cutter on the right can be avoided if the chain is touched up during fueling. Unless it hits something hard.....

I was cutting for my church. One guy said..."You must keep that thing razor sharp!" Most people are used to having to work to get a saw through a log. I've gotten much better at knowing when to stop and bring out the file. Also, a dull file doesn't do much for a dull chain.

I am keeping my ears/eyes open for a chain grinder....

Dan

 

[Circle B MN]

There is a difference of 1/64 of an inch, but you will probably not notice it as long as you use the same file diameter for all of the cutters on a chain. You will notice that the same size wheel (3/16") is used for both chains when using a grinder.

If you switch to the larger file diameter, it may take a few extra strokes the first time to enlarge the gullet. If you switch to the smaller diameter file, it might take a couple of sharpenings until the new file naturally 'seats' in the larger gullet.

So switching back and forth might be noticeable, but not if you use the same file all of the time.

Philbert

Thanks for the info...

 

[Philbert]

Anyone else notice that this is turning into a Minnesota and Australia thread?

Philbert

 

[BobL]

I don't think I have seen this addressed yet, so here goes. My Stihl saws run 3/8 .050 chain. The Stihl brand chains call for a 13/64 file, the Oregon LG series chains call for a 7/32 file. Can one file or the other do the job on both chains..? Thanks.

Have you also thought about what the differences mean in terms of saw use?
The 14/64 is lightly bigger than the 13/64 so the former will give slightly more hook to the cutter making the saw grab a little more and self feed a little more. On the down side being more pointy a cutter means it it will go blunt a little quicker.

 

[olyeller]

I don't think I have seen this addressed yet, so here goes. My Stihl saws run 3/8 .050 chain. The Stihl brand chains call for a 13/64 file, the Oregon LG series chains call for a 7/32 file. Can one file or the other do the job on both chains..? Thanks.

I have both 13/64 and 7/32 files and tried them both on my Stihl 3/8 .050 RSC chain. I thought the Stihl 13/64 was easier to use because it didn't "fill" the cutting gap quite as full as the 7/32 file did and it cut away the tooth material with less grabbing and hassle.

 

[Circle B MN]

Have you also thought about what the differences mean in terms of saw use?
The 14/64 is lightly bigger than the 13/64 so the former will give slightly more hook to the cutter making the saw grab a little more and self feed a little more. On the down side being more pointy a cutter means it it will go blunt a little quicker.

Sounds correct. I guess my real question was if that 1/64th of an inch was big enough to amount to anything noticeable.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

My .02......

I have to tip my hat to buzzsawyer, who at our GTG showed my how to hand file, with Save-Edge files, which are far and away much better cutting files than Stihl or anyone else has. And if you take the proper posture, easy to do...but, I still like to hit the woods with at least 1 or 2 spare chains for each saw, I can swap much quicker than field file..maybe it's my age, who knows. A neighbor up the road has a grinder, and trashed several of my chains by grinding too much off..... if you cut too much and "blue" up the chain, then it's toast...the steel on the teeth becomes too hard to hand file. A buddy and myself are going in on a 511AX Oregon grinder, pricey but no mods needed.

 

[mountainlake]

Grinders have a place as well, but I think a chain will last far longer if it is filed rather than ground. It is just too easy to take too much off and even overheat the teeth with a grinder.

I have several different type of file guides and switch around depending on the type of chain I'm sharpening. If the Carlton File-O-Plate will work, that is always the first choice. I also have the Husqvarna guide with the rollers, but find it also only fits a limited number of chain types.

One of my most used guides is the simple V backed guide I got from NPA. With a 7/32" file I can sharpen most .404 and .375 chain regardless of the rest of the design and I have one with a 1/4" file for the 1/2" and 9/16" pitch chains.

A few good ideas for filing:

1) Get the saw/bar/chain at the right height so you are not bent over or have to stand on your tip toes

2) make sure the saw is solid, I like to clamp the bar in the vise

3) get your feet comfortable and properly positioned

4) lock your elbow/forearm against your side/hip to and rock your body back and forth to keep the file straight (thanks to John Glover for that good advice)

With a suitable depth guage there should be no need to take a chain to be ground, unless you are buying a lot of e-bay saws the last guy used it to carve his way through a concrete sidewalk.

Mark

Ther is no reason to take off to much or overheat the teeth with a grinder, takes me less than 5 minutes to take the chain off sharpen and put back on. Steve

 

[capeferrelo]

I'm a little late on the draw here, but I picked up one of Granberg's clamp-on file guides at, off all places, a huge rummage sale, for $5, and it works like a charm. It took a bit of fiddling to get it set up accurately, and it's certainly not as accurate as the grinder I don't have, or as fast in field as a simple file guide (which I touch up with when I am down in the woods), but it plain works well.

Hope this helps muddy the water a bit.

Steve

 

[Cliff R]

Those file guides work fine. I used one for years, mostly in the shop, rarely in the field. It eventually ended up in the bottom of the saw tool box, and I gave it away last year to a friend who was just getting into firewood cutting.....Cliff

 

[SteveH]

I have a grinder and a Granberg. I use the Granberg twice as often as the grinder, at least. Once you get used to setting it up, the Granberg works great. I used to just freehand file, and at first I thought the Granberg was no better [disappointment]. Over time, I began to like it a lot.

After a while, mine began to drag a bit so I hit it with a shot of silicone spray where the guide rod slides thru the holes at the top of the unit.

 

[capeferrelo]

Ditto the dragging. I just use some old Redline assembly grease on the slide, works like a charm. And it was a bit frustrating to set up properly, but once I did it was second nature. I'm sure I'll invest in a grinder eventually, but that Granberg will always be a good backup.

 

[Gypo Logger]

A grinding wheel will do the job of several boxes of files, but nothing beats the hand filing. Where most make a mistake is in not paying attention to the gullet, allowing material to build up there, reducing cutting ability by 60% regardless how sharp the chain is. To prevent this simply make a final stroke forward to the back of the raker using down pressure every time you file. This progressively cleans out the chip channel. Making an aggressive hook in the cutter is not a good thing at all.
Gypo

 

[056kid]

Take a new chain, grab a 7/32 and mimic the angles that are allready there.
Make sure the chain is tight on the rail so you get uniform angles, (A wedge shoved between the rail & chain works good).

How you sharpen is up to you, sitting, standing, spinning on your head, the more the better you will be!


practice makes perfect!!

 

[garmar]

When I bought my used 034 the guy (at a small engine repair shop) told me to never file my own chains but to buy two and bring them both in when they need sharpening. I asked how much he charges to sharpen a chain and he told me eight bucks a pop. I considered this and figured that every time I brought them in it would be 16 bucks plus gas money (enough to buy a new chain!) and I cut a lot of black jack and hickory fence row stuff, so I learned how to do it myself.

I pretty much filed one of my chains down to nothing learning and now I can file a chain that cuts as well or better than his "ground" chain which was no prize I tell you! Burned looking cutters and I thought that chain wore out prematurely. My other chain, approx 20 bucks, still looks like it's brand new. So I figure I've saved hundreds of dollars doing it myself. It's tedious when you have to mic out the cutters now and then, probably a good idea to have them ground if the saw starts to cut strange, if you can find someone who can do it right. It'll start to cut more to one side and other issues. Careful filing and measuring can be done, though.

Besides, my dad never had his chains ground...didn't even use a file guide (I do, though).

 

[056kid]

One other thing I can say is, file often
3 licks on each tooth to revive an edge is wayy easier than cutting 2 or3 milimeters off each tooth cause the edge has been shroomed or chipped off...