How often do you sharpen your chain?

[67L36Driver]

I sharpen a chain only once.

It's up to the new owner to determine when to sharpen it again.

Note: I only overhaul saws. I don't burn wood nor do I cut wood. I just rebuild turds for amusement and (very little) profit.

 

[Wood Doctor]

How is this accomplished? Anyone got a picture?

Next time I'm with Andy out in the field, I'll take a snapshot. He sits down. The saw's powerhead is held between his legs and the bar goes over his left shoulder. He sharpens with the file in his right hand. Surprisingly, the angle is just about right. It takes a little practice and I've never mastered it the way he has.

 

[old-cat]

I don't know why anyone would want to sharpen their chain. All the chain does is pull the cutting teeth!
As soon as you start cutting, the teeth start getting dull, so WHENEVER I want the cutting to speed up, I sharpen or replace.

 

[Chris-PA]

Next time I'm with Andy out in the field, I'll take a snapshot. He sits down. The saw's powerhead is held between his legs and the bar goes over his left shoulder. He sharpens with the file in his right hand. Surprisingly, the angle is just about right. It takes a little practice and I've never mastered it the way he has.

Interesting approach. Many of my bars are too short for that and I like a view of the cutter from a different angle.

 

[lindnova]

I find the little Stump Vice device to be very useful. In the field it works on any decent size log or stump, and I even use it when at home to sharpen the saw on a bench.

+1 on the stump vise in the field.

 

[Del_]

Providing you don't saw the soil, do you sharpen after every fuel fill or more?

Every Tuesday evening.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Sharpening a chain is much like playing a violin. I've found that tickling cutters with a violin bow really gets them sharp.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Interesting approach. Many of my bars are too short for that and I like a view of the cutter from a different angle.

Hmmm... Well, Andy is not that tall but he is strong as a gorilla. I don't think either height or strength is much of a factor. Practice does mean a lot, however. I have also made him 4" file handles that I have turned on my lathe, and he says to make no more because they get in the way.

When working full time on a job with big logs, he says that it's not uncommon for him to file sharpen five or six times a day. This largely depends on the species and the tree's condition. Flood-damage trees near the rivers are the worst of them all because of the sand that invades the bark. It dulls the chain faster than greased lightning. And, of course, the harder the wood, the faster that it wears the chain.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Hmmm... Well, Andy is not that tall but he is strong as a gorilla. I don't think either height or strength is much of a factor. Practice does mean a lot, however. I have also made him 4" file handles that I have turned on my lathe, and he says to make no more because they get in the way.

When working full time on a job with big logs, he says that it's not uncommon for him to file sharpen five or six times a day. This largely depends on the species and the tree's condition. Flood-damage trees near the rivers are the worst of them all because of the sand that invades the bark. It dulls the chain faster than greased lightning. And, of course, the harder the wood, the faster that it wears the chain.

I worked with an older fellow that was our skidder operator, he filed saws for us with the saw between his knees and the bar up against his left shoulder. His sharpened chains cut very well, he would file our chains for us if we would run mainline out and set the chokers. Was a fair trade off for the younger sawyers.

 

[Gypo Logger]

I worked with an older fellow that was our skidder operator, he filed saws for us with the saw between his knees and the bar up against his left shoulder. His sharpened chains cut very well, he would file our chains for us if we would run mainline out and set the chokers. Was a fair trade off for the younger sawyers.

Was he French? I've only seen one guy do that before and he was from Quebec.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I worked with an older fellow that was our skidder operator, he filed saws for us with the saw between his knees and the bar up against his left shoulder. His sharpened chains cut very well, he would file our chains for us if we would run mainline out and set the chokers. Was a fair trade off for the younger sawyers.

Fabulous post, PioneerGuy. Andy trained his son this past year to operate his skidder. His young son dragged several smaller but tall "immediate firewood" trees to where I could buck them up and carry them away to the splitter. I promise to work with Andy to train his son to sharpen the chains. If his son refuses, I will do it and train myself for the fresh air and yet another chance to help a really good logger earn a living for his family.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Was he French? I've only seen one guy do that before and he was from Quebec.

He was from Northern New Brunswick, so yes he was French. He is the only guy I know that does it that way but I heard that others do as well. I was taught the common way with bar horizontal. I really like hand filing, sort of an art to it.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Sharpening a chain is much like playing a violin. I've found that tickling cutters with a violin bow really gets them sharp.

Takes a lot of, rosin don`t it?

 

[Gypo Logger]

He was from Northern New Brunswick, so yes he was French. He is the only guy I know that does it that way but I heard that others do as well. I was taught the common way with bar horizontal. I really like hand filing, sort of an art to it.

I guess it's all the same whether the saw is vertical or horizontal.
I wonder. If it's possible to file laying on your back with the saw grasped with one foot and the other foot holding the file with both legs in the air?
I guess it would work but your feet might get cold though.

 

[pioneerguy600]

I guess it's all the same whether the saw is vertical or horizontal.
I wonder. If it's possible to file laying on your back with the saw grasped with one foot and the other foot holding the file with both legs in the air?
I guess it would work but your feet might get cold though.

Would take some practice and just a bit of finessing!!

 

[Wood Doctor]

I guess it's all the same whether the saw is vertical or horizontal. I wonder. If it's possible to file laying on your back with the saw grasped with one foot and the other foot holding the file with both legs in the air? I guess it would work but your feet might get cold though.

Do you habitually make stupid posts like this one? I doubt it. So much for me posting any Pics of a professional logger with 20 years of experience sharpening a saw chain in the field while working for a living. This is ridiculous and disgusting. 'Nuff said and no icon required.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I worked with an older fellow that was our skidder operator, he filed saws for us with the saw between his knees and the bar up against his left shoulder.

been looking for a vid of this method...anyone have one?

 

[lambs]

Carry these in my lunch bag every day, just sharpen as necessary

Hey Treesmith, how do you like the Stihl multi-tool? I have one but I'm not crazy about it. I guess if I was in the woods quite a ways from my truck, I'd have it with me though.

 

[Bilge Rat LT 20]

Knowing when to touchup a chain is easy.
About the time you notice that the bleeding has stopped from the last touchup is about right.

Carry a spare loop, a file and a few saws. When those are dull i am ready to take a break. Head to the farm house, sit on the porch and set up the Granburg while the minions stack wood.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Do you habitually make stupid posts like this one?

All the time, since I joined anyway.
Lets see your pro logger filing.