Sharpen the chains or buy new?

[ForTheArborist]

I'm just wondering what other guy get their money's worth for chains. I'm starting to believe the the hand held, manual file isn't really the way to go is it?

 

[ShoerFast]

I'm just wondering what other guy get their money's worth for chains. I'm starting to believe the the hand held, manual file isn't really the way to go is it?

Welcome to the site!

Tons of info using the search function on filing chain.

I like to use the chain up till there is nothing left to file anymore. Older more used chain gets a lot dirtier jobs.

 

[Philbert]

A sharp chain is the most critical part of the saw. You can: 1) learn to sharpen your self (lots of different ways); 2) pay someone to sharpen your chains; or 3) replace them when dull.

I believe that on this site, the order above would reflect the preference of most members. Some will go as far as custom modifying their chains. Many will repair damaged chains to get more use out of them.

It's your choice.

Philbert

 

[zacdog]

As above the chain has to be sharp. After every 2nd tank, i give it light swipe with a file to keep the edge, and once in a while with the grinder if i've been cutting dirt (not recommended). I use it till it snaps, chain lasts for ages.

 

[dingeryote]

I'm just wondering what other guy get their money's worth for chains. I'm starting to believe the the hand held, manual file isn't really the way to go is it?

Unless ya rock the chain hard several times, or run into crap someone pounded into a tree, a chain should last you a LONG time with plain old hand filing. Having them ground wastes chain life and money, and they usually aren't near as sharp as when hand filed...

Keep at the file, and look at some of the links.
You'll get it if you keep trying, and from there you'll wonder about folks that pay someone else to ruin thier chains.


good luck to ya!!
Dingeryote

 

[TreeClimber57]

Keep it sharp.. it is worth it.

Having said that, I do have an Oregon chain grinder in the shop and around half a dozen chains per saw. If in field and we hit some dirt, or stones -- we simply swap out and then fix when back at shop.

But keep em sharp!

 

[Treetom]

Hand filing puts the best edge on a chain. An inexpensive file guide (the kind you mount on the bar) will help keep the angles consistent. For on-site filing a stump vise is a good investment. At some point a chain will get dull enough that a file is impractical. A grinder will be necessary to get the edge back-- a chain grinder with an actual wheel, mounted on a bench, not the dremel-type battery operated kind. My 2 cents. Daughter kicking me off computer.

 

[mckeetree]

I'm just wondering what other guy get their money's worth for chains. I'm starting to believe the the hand held, manual file isn't really the way to go is it?

Probably not. You could just buy new ones and send the dull never sharpened ones to me for proper disposal.

 

[STLfirewood]

I know a guy that never sharpens chains. He uses them until dull then save them till he has 10. He sells them on e-bay. He buys his new ones at Baileys. He said that he gets close to new prices because the people who buy his chains are use to the prices of chains at a local store. Me I hand sharpen until the chain is almost gone or cuts like crap. I usually get close to 30 cords a chain.

Scott

 

[Slvrmple72]

To add to what the others have said I strongly recommend you break in a new chain properly by lightly touching it into the ground at high RPM prior to cutting any wood with it. This light coating of dust will help protect it ....

I just cannot do it. I will feel too guilty if taken seriously.

1. Keep your chain sharp.
2. Keep your chain out of the dirt.
3. Sharpen by hand so you get good at it. That way when the jobs taken all day and you need to finish to get paid and you have dulled your chain by sticking it in the dirt you can sharpen it up good enough to finish!
4. Rakers need love too!
5. Know when to say goodbye. 500# of rusty chains hanging on a bunch of 10d nails in the garage/shed/workshop isn't doing you any good, neither will taking hours to cobble together good chains from several bad ones.
6. Buy a little buy a lot. A reel or a loop whatever is most cost effective.
7. Chain tension, chain tension, chain tension!
8. Do you know where your master cutter is? Do you know what your master cutter is?
9. If you cannot sharpen to save your life find someone who can and pay him extra!!! I have lost two of my friends and darn good sharpeners to cancer. I had a workshop for well over 75 guys on sharpening who had relied on these guys! Some of them only needed to see it done and understand the mechanics involved.
10. Is your file sharp? I keep a big mug of new files at the exact same spot on my workbench next to where I put my coffee mug. I sleep standing up and sharpen my chains that way but every know and then when I go to reach for the coffee I get a sharp file up the nose which is a really bad wake up call!:chainsawguy:-Kevin

 

[SINGLE-JACK]

To add to what the others have said I strongly recommend you break in a new chain properly by lightly touching it into the ground at high RPM prior to cutting any wood with it. This light coating of dust will help protect it ....

I just cannot do it. I will feel too guilty if taken seriously.

1. Keep your chain sharp.
2. Keep your chain out of the dirt.
3. Sharpen by hand so you get good at it. That way when the jobs taken all day and you need to finish to get paid and you have dulled your chain by sticking it in the dirt you can sharpen it up good enough to finish!
4. Rakers need love too! 5. Know when to say goodbye. 500# of rusty chains hanging on a bunch of 10d nails in the garage/shed/workshop isn't doing you any good, neither will taking hours to cobble together good chains from several bad ones.
6. Buy a little buy a lot. A reel or a loop whatever is most cost effective.
7. Chain tension, chain tension, chain tension!
8. Do you know where your master cutter is? Do you know what your master cutter is?
9. If you cannot sharpen to save your life find someone who can and pay him extra!!! I have lost two of my friends and darn good sharpeners to cancer. I had a workshop for well over 75 guys on sharpening who had relied on these guys! Some of them only needed to see it done and understand the mechanics involved.
10. Is your file sharp? I keep a big mug of new files at the exact same spot on my workbench next to where I put my coffee mug. I sleep standing up and sharpen my chains that way but every know and then when I go to reach for the coffee I get a sharp file up the nose which is a really bad wake up call!:chainsawguy:-Kevin

:agree2:
Rakers are often overlooked. Every Stihl (and others, too) file kit comes with a raker file and guage. Every stroke with the round file will lower the cutting edge slightly. The raker needs to be lowered the same amount or the chain will cut less wood. Use the flat file after you use the round file, check the rakers EVERYTIME you sharpen.

" ... sharp file up the nose ... "
OUCH!!! I'd have to move my coffee cup!!!

 

[arbor pro]

I guess I've never hand filed a chain simply because I don't have time in the field to do so. It's quicker for me to swap the dull chain for a sharp one and throw the dull chain on the pile for sharpening.

I have about 80 chains of various sizes that I sharpen with a Stihl grinder during the slow winter season to keep me in supply all summer long. If I wear out chains during the summer or run out of sharp chains, I just go buy a few more.

A grinder may not result in the sharpest chains as compared to hand filing but I can grind 80 chains (both teeth and rakers) ranging in size from 14"-32" in about 6 hours. This method works for me.

The $500 Stihl grinder I use more than pays for itself with a single sharpening of 80 chains. There's a bit of a learning curve to do it right and to keep from overheating smaller chains and taking the temper out of them (been there and done that) but, I am now able to get them pretty sharp with the grinder.

 

[B_Turner]

I guess I've never hand filed a chain simply because I don't have time in the field to do so. It's quicker for me to swap the dull chain for a sharp one and throw the dull chain on the pile for sharpening.

I have about 80 chains of various sizes that I sharpen with a Stihl grinder during the slow winter season to keep me in supply all summer long. If I wear out chains during the summer or run out of sharp chains, I just go buy a few more.

A grinder may not result in the sharpest chains as compared to hand filing but I can grind 80 chains (both teeth and rakers) ranging in size from 14"-32" in about 6 hours. This method works for me.

The $500 Stihl grinder I use more than pays for itself with a single sharpening of 80 chains. There's a bit of a learning curve to do it right and to keep from overheating smaller chains and taking the temper out of them (been there and done that) but, I am now able to get them pretty sharp with the grinder.

I rarely hand file either. I have many loops of each bar size and I find it much productive to swap in a fresh and very sharp chain. I seldom see someone in the field take the time to do a really good job to file, as generally there is much time pressure for them to hurry up.

Also I feel if done correctly, grinding does not need to waste very much cutter, although admittedly that is not the norm in a shop who generally have young monkeys in the back do the sharpening.

Depends a little on your grinder, and I am lucky enough to have a 510 and a PS. Ahhh, fresh square off the grinder in the morning...

 

[wood4heat]

Hand filing isn't all that difficult. Watched my dad file a couple teeth with one of those cheap wood handled guides and that was all it took. I touch my chains up often and "try" to keep them out of the dirt and they cut great. I can usually get a days worth of cutting out of a chain but will touch them up in the field if I feel like they need it. Probably not practical for professionals to stop & sharpen but for a casual wood scrounge like me it works.

Takes 10-15min using these:

 

[ForTheArborist]

I guess I've never hand filed a chain simply because I don't have time in the field to do so. It's quicker for me to swap the dull chain for a sharp one and throw the dull chain on the pile for sharpening.

I have about 80 chains of various sizes that I sharpen with a Stihl grinder during the slow winter season to keep me in supply all summer long. If I wear out chains during the summer or run out of sharp chains, I just go buy a few more.

A grinder may not result in the sharpest chains as compared to hand filing but I can grind 80 chains (both teeth and rakers) ranging in size from 14"-32" in about 6 hours. This method works for me.

The $500 Stihl grinder I use more than pays for itself with a single sharpening of 80 chains. There's a bit of a learning curve to do it right and to keep from overheating smaller chains and taking the temper out of them (been there and done that) but, I am now able to get them pretty sharp with the grinder.

This is clearly the way to go pro both time and cost wise. I don't have 80-100 chains yet, but I will by next year.

Thanks for the tips, fellas. I appreciate that you bring that know how of yours out from the shadows of your companies that many other people would never conjure up. Heck, we could make a "how to book" just on chains or at least one chapter from just this thread.

Back to the grind again,
FTA

 

[lego1970]

Depends on the day and how I feel. I prefer to hand sharpen the chain a few times then toss it out rather then always reaching for a new chain, but if I'm tired, it's close to the end of the day, or my hand/foremarms are already cramping for the day, I'll just swap for a new chain. Even when doing tree work full time, I seldom keep more then two chains with me. I can't stand the clutter. I'm ok with sharpening by hand but after a few times I notice it not only doesn't cut as good, but doesn't stay sharp for long. I'm probably messing up with the rake part of it, because I seldom check that. The few times I've tried filing down the rake, it seemed to either make no difference, or I filed too much causing the chainsaw to contantly bite instead of smoothly cutting. Practice makes perfect and if I did tree work constantly, I'd probably approach the whole chain sharpening thing differently, but for what I do I just count on buying a new chain every few jobs.

 

[Philbert]

Depends on the day and how I feel. I prefer to hand sharpen the chain a few times then toss it out rather then always reaching for a new chain . .

Again, a lot of personal preference.

One advantage of a grinder is that the chain does not need to be mounted on the saw. So if you run through some chains, and have a pile of them (or box, or nail hanging on the wall), you can pull them together on a rainy day and bring them back into shape pretty quickly. Touch them up with a file in the field, but bring them in for heavier work and to get things lined up again.

Kind of like what Arbor Pro said, but without having to buy 80 chains. You could do it once a week or so. Pay for your grinder pretty quickly.

Save chains, save money, make productive use of down time, etc.

Put the sharpened ones in heavy duty / freezer Zip-Lock bags for storage until re-use.

Philbert

 

[BRCCArborist]

I always hand file unless I rock the chain. Everyone has their own way to sharpen, it can take a while to find your groove, but once you do, you can really get great results for much cheaper.

 

[Tree Pig]

not for nothing but this question is kinda like... Should I put more gas in my saw or just go buy a new one? Of course sharpen the chain. Learn to do it yourself for general maintenance and have it done at the shop if its too bad. Or spend money on a decent grinder. If you cut a lot a good grinder will pay for itself in no time. Even better find a friend with a STIHL grinder and get him to do them for you. caugh caugh... Thanks STEVE.

 

[asetree]

A grinder may not result in the sharpest chains as compared to hand filing but I can grind 80 chains (both teeth and rakers) ranging in size from 14"-32" in about 6 hours. This method works for me.

80 chains in six hours including rakers? 4.5 mins a chain with no water breaks.........what is your secret?