How do you guys sharpen chains?

[boilerwood]

when I first decided to sharpen my own chains I bought a grinder from Northern because I figured I'd screw up all my chains if I did them by hand. After reading this thread and several others I watched a few "how to" videos and bought some files.

Proud to say that things have gone better than expected and it really isn't that big a deal to hand sharpen, and touching up when refilling keeps a nice sharp chain throwin' chips!

If I do get them out of whack I can always straighten them up with the grinder, no biggie.

If you're like me and afraid to hand file, give it a shot. You really have nothing to lose.

 

[artbaldoni]

:agree2:

 

[RPrice]

when I first decided to sharpen my own chains I bought a grinder from Northern because I figured I'd screw up all my chains if I did them by hand. After reading this thread and several others I watched a few "how to" videos and bought some files.

Proud to say that things have gone better than expected and it really isn't that big a deal to hand sharpen, and touching up when refilling keeps a nice sharp chain throwin' chips!

If I do get them out of whack I can always straighten them up with the grinder, no biggie.

If you're like me and afraid to hand file, give it a shot. You really have nothing to lose.

+1, excellent!:msp_smile:

 

[logbutcher]

Sooo...how do you sharpen your chains? :arg: opcorn:

Said and accounted for Arthur: PFERD.

 

[David (saltas)]

apology to the op for hijacking the tread. To reply nay sayer

Sorry Saltas--that's wrong in both cases, as in incorrect.....twice. Trees are a crop to many, analogous to food or animals we grow and eat for survival.

The "value" is subjective; anthropomorphizing or bambiizing :msp_rolleyes: trees doesn't make anything more or less valuable. We harvest, we use the product for building as well as aesthetics. Paper. Fuel. Veneer. Chemicals.

Now trees will 'heal' themselves over time. Many generations-old trees have repaired 'injuries' ( e.g. lightening, fencing, rounds, blazes, fire, etc....) that have not affected the growth or functionality of the tree. Can't tell you how many we've harvested for high end use ( veneer or flooring for example) that have "repaired themselves". Plenty of Forestry Science and biology for you to read.

Please, no bambi stuff.

JMNSHO

Nothing I said was nabi pambi stuff

All I was saying in the first statement was that there is not such thing as a tree that has no value.
You said I was wrong and then went on to list all sorts of value a tree might have. So clearly you agreed with me.

My second statement was that trees cannot trees cannot repair damaged tissue. This you not only did you disagreed with me, but you were certain I was wrong. You listed all sorts of damage that trees could "repair".

from HOW TREES SURVIVE By Dr. Alex Shigo

"Trees cannot "go back" to restore, repair, replace or regenerate parts. You do not restore a church by building a new one next to it. All words in English that start with "re" mean that new parts will go back in previously occupied positions or back to an original state. These words have no meaning for trees. These words have been the basis for great amounts of confusion. A tree cannot function in the same ways as animals do after injuries or threats to their survival. The continuing use of such meaningless words for trees is a strong indication why tree basics should be understood by people who work with trees."

go to this link and see If I'm quoting out of context

http://home.ccil.org/~treeman/shigo/SURVIVE.html

The tree grows new wood over the wound, and compartmentalises the damaged wood. "CODIT" look it up. For ever after the tree will have a defect in it and not be as healthy or as strong as one that was not damaged.

Damaging a tree to sharpen your saw is about the #@$%^& thing I have heard in a long time.
For the saw to need sharpening surely their must be some fallen wood or a tree stump that you have just cut that you could use even if you did not have a $10 stump vice.

 

[David (saltas)]

Cry me a river. You guys have any idea how many saplings I run over every day in the woods? You'd all be flagellating yerselves till you was out of blood.

This mamby pamby "don't harm the poor tree!" malarkey is falling on deaf ears. Sell the treehugger propoganda to someone else.

This was very funny :msp_smile:

 

[logbutcher]

Lighten up Saltas................that expert "Dr." Alex Shigo wouldn't be a Proctologist would he ?:msp_tongue:

Hey, my stump vise ain't "$10.00".:msp_ohmy:

P.S. Analogies only go so far in science. (e.g. building a church...)

 

[J.W Younger]

I use a double bevel and/or a goofy+a round for the gullets

]

 

[David (saltas)]

Lighten up Saltas................that expert "Dr." Alex Shigo wouldn't be a Proctologist would he ?:msp_tongue:

Hey, my stump vise ain't "$10.00".:msp_ohmy:

P.S. Analogies only go so far in science. (e.g. building a church...)

No problem. just expressing my self , free speach. right of reply and all of that.

lighten up sure, I thought old timer was very funny.


Back to the tread, I take one saw. two bars and six chains into the woods. more sharp chains than I have ever needed.
some times it file in the field, other times I just swap out the chain,
chance to keep the saw clean on dirty or sappy wood. Or get a drink for my self. I strip and clean saw each time I bring it home and clean and sharpen the chains, more often with a grinder. this is only a light kiss. I treat each cutter as if it is a dollar bill and only grind a penny or two of of it. Just enough to keep it sharp.

the sharper the chain the less my body aches.

 

[Hedgerow]

I use a double bevel and/or a goofy+a round for the gullets

]

Nice Dlomar...

 

[logbutcher]

NOTE: PFERD HAND SHARPENERS WILL NOT WORK ON SKIP CHAINS.

I WAS WRONG:taped: ( AFTER TRYING IT ON ONE OF OUR SKIP CHAINS.)
The Pferd bar rides on the top of the next tooth.

Mea culpa.:msp_scared:

 

[artbaldoni]

Thanks for the clarification.:msp_wink:

 

[J.W Younger]

Thanks for the clarification.:msp_wink:

No kiddin,did'nt need no bi-stinkin-focals to read that!

 

[trailmaker]

Maybe this basic question has been answered but on which stroke are you supposed to apply pressure when using a hand file?

 

[wigglesworth]

FWIW, the Husky Roller guide works on skip chain.

 

[logbutcher]

FWIW, the Husky Roller guide works on skip chain.

Right. Nice simple tool that works on each tooth. We used to carry a couple of them since they're small and fit in shirt pockets.

Most cutters don't use skip chains except for the big boys in the PNW. The Pferd does both the tooth and raker on each pass.

Glad you all like the big print.:msp_w00t:

Hand filing ( the only kind out there in the field ): light pressure on the forward stroke only. Remove the file slightly from the tooth on the return.
Be sure to replace files when there's no filings; the files wear fast. Those stump vises (except for the stump vise deniers) do the job.

 

[slowp]

We short girls use skip chain also. :msp_smile:

 

[logbutcher]

We short girls use skip chain also. :msp_smile:

 

[kelpking]

field sharpen

I usually will end up sharpening in the field or with the saw in a vice on a bench. for the amount of work i do it makes more sense then getting a grinder. plus you dont need a power outlet

 

[fields_mj]

I picked up one of the Husky roller guides to try after reading about it here and watching the video. Mine is for 0.325 chain. It works fine on most chain, but I have a couple of Oregon safety chains with the bumper links, and it does not work on them. The bumpers prevent the guide from sitting down on the chain correctly. Other than that, it's a nice compact little tool, and I don't regret getting it at all. I found that after using it, I still prefer the Stihl guide that attaches to my file, but that's probably because I'm so used to it.