chain sharpening

[john taliaferro]

hand

i hand file, use 3/8 stihl rsc ? i use a 3/16 file it seams small is that what their talking about am i pushing down to much and cutting to deep . john t

 

[J.W Younger]

i hand file, use 3/8 stihl rsc ? i use a 3/16 file it seams small is that what their talking about am i pushing down to much and cutting to deep . john t

I belive you need a 7/32 or a 13/64 file

 

[Arrowhead]

I prefer using a hand file, I think it gives the sharpest edge. After several times of hand sharpening, I will do them on the grinder to true the angles.

 

[slowp]

Hand file, and I can tell if the chain is good and sharp when the chips hurt.
Owie. Good night and don't forget those clocks.

 

[chugbug]

I can't believe there isn't more dremel users out there !!!!! Maybe I'm missing something here , kind of why I wanted to see what everyone was using . In my younger days I used a file and hated it , I had a old Oregon file holder and that was it, . I thought it was very time consuming and didn't enjoy it at all . When I got my OWB and got back into cutting I now owned a dremel and figured I wasn't going back to hand filing ever again ,BUT lately my chains just don't seem to cut as good as they should , don't get me wrong they cut pretty good but it seems like I need to put more force on the saw to get the speed I want .The saw isn't pulling itself into the log . I'm going to try sharpening one of my newer chains free hand with a nice new file and see what happens !! Any tips welcome.

 

[smokinj]

I can't believe there isn't more dremel users out there !!!!! Maybe I'm missing something here , kind of why I wanted to see what everyone was using . In my younger days I used a file and hated it , I had a old Oregon file holder and that was it, . I thought it was very time consuming and didn't enjoy it at all . When I got my OWB and got back into cutting I now owned a dremel and figured I wasn't going back to hand filing ever again ,BUT lately my chains just don't seem to cut as good as they should , don't get me wrong they cut pretty good but it seems like I need to put more force on the saw to get the speed I want .The saw isn't pulling itself into the log . I'm going to try sharpening one of my newer chains free hand with a nice new file and see what happens !! Any tips welcome.

The problem I see with the dremel is not consitant enough and I have one.
After sharpening just a few times the chain is way off for me.Free hand I would start with a jig til you get the hang of it

 

[BobL]

I can't believe there isn't more dremel users out there !!!!! Maybe I'm missing something here , kind of why I wanted to see what everyone was using . In my younger days I used a file and hated it , I had a old Oregon file holder and that was it, . I thought it was very time consuming and didn't enjoy it at all . When I got my OWB and got back into cutting I now owned a dremel and figured I wasn't going back to hand filing ever again ,BUT lately my chains just don't seem to cut as good as they should , don't get me wrong they cut pretty good but it seems like I need to put more force on the saw to get the speed I want .The saw isn't pulling itself into the log . I'm going to try sharpening one of my newer chains free hand with a nice new file and see what happens !! Any tips welcome.

Did you read my post #7 in this thread about "feels sharp", against is "actually sharp"?
and
About getting the saw to self feed by giving the cutter more hook?

I would also suggest start with a file holder/gauge, it helps with holding the right angles and correct file depth. If your chain is filed right and you touch up after every full tank of mix it should only take 2 strokes of a file to take of the cutter edge glint every time. That way you should never have to be using 10-12 strokes unless you really let the cutter angles go out of whack.

 

[WPanhandler]

I use grinder as most of the wood I cut has been drug around that woods by a skidder and then tossed into large pile. if I get one tank out of a chain I am doing good and sometimes I have to cut them back alot further than I would like.

 

[alinicoll]

Hand file every time. Hard work some times but its the best way imo.

 

[J.W Younger]

I can't believe there isn't more dremel users out there !!!!! Maybe I'm missing something here , kind of why I wanted to see what everyone was using . In my younger days I used a file and hated it , I had a old Oregon file holder and that was it, . I thought it was very time consuming and didn't enjoy it at all . When I got my OWB and got back into cutting I now owned a dremel and figured I wasn't going back to hand filing ever again ,BUT lately my chains just don't seem to cut as good as they should , don't get me wrong they cut pretty good but it seems like I need to put more force on the saw to get the speed I want .The saw isn't pulling itself into the log . I'm going to try sharpening one of my newer chains free hand with a nice new file and see what happens !! Any tips welcome.

Try useing a file-o plate. Even if your chain does not file at the plate angle it will keep the file height where it should be and you may have angle etch on the chain. You can also keep the rakers progressively lowered and tapered at the same time. Anouther plus is it keeps some of the fileings out of the chain.

 

[chugbug]

Bob , sent you a PM

JW , is there any file-o-plates that are better than others and do they work on .325 chain , I have a carlton plate but I don't think it will work on .325 chain .

 

[grandpatractor]

I use the roller guide. I have yet for somebody to tell me that a chain I sharpened wasn't fast. Over the years I have tried the Granberg file guide and freehand. The roller is almost as fast as freehand and more accurate than freehand for me.
You can always see which guys are used to dull chains when they dog in as they are bucking wood. I don't have to put any down pressure when cutting as it will feed itself.

 

[chugbug]

Grandpa tractor , what brand of roller guide are you using

 

[MCW]

Bob , sent you a PM

JW , is there any file-o-plates that are better than others and do they work on .325 chain , I have a carlton plate but I don't think it will work on .325 chain .

You can get File-O-Plates for all common chain types mate. They are available in .325" Full Chisel and .325" Semi Chisel.

 

[grandpatractor]

Grandpa tractor , what brand of roller guide are you using

One like this

 

[chucker]

hand file! elect. only when there rocked to hard...

 

[J.W Younger]

Bob , sent you a PM

JW , is there any file-o-plates that are better than others and do they work on .325 chain , I have a carlton plate but I don't think it will work on .325 chain .

I can't help you with the part # I only have 3/8 but I bet someone here knows.

 

[chugbug]

I can't believe it !! , I picked up a couple 3/16 files and a handle today to give filing a try after maybe 25 years . What I can't believe is how nice the file cut into the cutter , just like butter !! Now this was a real nice chain , all it needed was touched up . I free handed 2 strokes each and went out to the wood pile and found some ash and red oak logs that I had skidded down this past summer , man it cut better than a new chain , it had that good pull into the wood like it should , and I wasn't getting that with my dremel tool . I don't know why I was so against files from my youth except maybe they were all worn out , I can remember struggling with the files and they wouldn't cut ,they would feel like they were just sliding across the cutter and not cutting . Well now I'm looking forward to filing up some real good sharp chains and getting some nice big chips !!!!! Thanks for the input guys !!!!

 

[ghitch75]

I use the roller guide. I have yet for somebody to tell me that a chain I sharpened wasn't fast. Over the years I have tried the Granberg file guide and freehand. The roller is almost as fast as freehand and more accurate than freehand for me.
You can always see which guys are used to dull chains when they dog in as they are bucking wood. I don't have to put any down pressure when cutting as it will feed itself.

:agree2:

 

[nmurph]

hand file in the field and grind every couple of days of cutting to true-up the angles. grinders require a delicate touch or the results will be disappointing. tap, tap, tap with the disc to allow the cutter to cool, and only take of a bare minimum of material.

i tried the dremel, and to me the downfall is that the radius of the grinding stone is constantly changing.