Coarse or fine tooth files...

[wdchuck]

Was looking at my files more closely and noticed that a couple appear to be fine tooth, and those particular chains have been remaining sharper longer compared to when I use a coarse file. Could a fine file hone the cutter better therefore keeping its edge better? It certainly isn't a change in sawing technique, black locust and hitting the grass/dirt every so often and I'm getting about 2 cords or more worth of cuts (200, I counted) without much degradation in chip size/quality.

If there is a difference, then I may keep fine files on the shelf for touchups, and the coarse files for cleaning up after dirty wood or other damage.

How many of the hand filers have a preference?
Coarse,
Fine,

Doesn't matter as long as it gets the cutters sharp.

 

[avalancher]

Good question, and what really irks me is trying to tell the difference between the two when ordering because as far as i have been able to tell they dont market the files as "coarse" or "fine". I have found that certain brands run the same. Stihl brand files that i get at my local shop are finer, where as the oregon brand are coarser, available at my local hardware store. I finally wrapped some colored tape around the tips, red is coarse and blue for fine and keep both in my truck box. I prefer the fine toothed ones for that touch up when fueling up. Coarse one if I happened to get in some dirt on the bark, hit the ground, etc.
It would be nice if they would market them as coarse of fine toothed though.

 

[ShoerFast]

Good high quality files made for chain sharpening will remove stock fast and get you were you need to be.

Nickelson makes a 'Fine' round file that I like to give all the cutters just an extra swipe as the chain will definitely be sharper then if it were left in the white.

If you some time to kill, take a leather-shoe lace or the like, curved stick and make a bow, use some polishing rouge (the green stuff from Lowels) and buff the cutters. It will make you think the wood is rotten. But be carfull, get that chain anywhere near a plastic fuel tank or gallon of oil and you will get a leaker,,,, takes skin off the same way, gloves are a good invention for sharp chain.

 

[Coldfront]

takes skin off the same way, gloves are a good invention for sharp chain.

LOL I have a 1/2 inch cut on my index finger middle knuckle right now from just barely brushing it on my chain. Kind of like my fishing hooks for Muskie fishing my finger start to bleed just by looking at them.