Chainsaw sharpening (off bar)

[gwa000]

just started sawing a bunch of ash trees taken down (by a tree service) so i've been cutting the wood. when i need to sharpen the chain i take it into my basement and clamp the bar into a vise.

i have a another chain i would like to sharpen without having to put on the bar (yeah, i know it probably only takes 5 minutes!). is it possible to just clamp the chain (with a piece of wood on each side of the chain) in a bench vise? i know i would have to move the chain more but i think (?) that this would be easier.

any tips as to the easiest approach to sharpen "off bar" would be appreciated or if i should just put it on the bar each time.

i don't want to buy a spare bar or any other device as i use the chainsaw so infrequently.

thanks!

 

[Andyshine77]

Sure you can do that, they do sell chain clamps that work with a vise.

 

[Efisher26]

Or an inexpensive bench top electric sharpener. Yes I know it sharpens better by hand but for backup chains it’s much easier imo.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[heimannm]

https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/i-made-some-chain-vises.240935/

Check out the thread above, and search for "chain vise" or "chain vises" for additional suggestions.

Mark

 

[Ryan'smilling]

What Mark said. Mike's vises are worth every penny. Very nice quality.

 

[gwa000]

https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/i-made-some-chain-vises.240935/

Check out the thread above, and search for "chain vise" or "chain vises" for additional suggestions.

Mark

i started going through that thread previously but when i saw that it was 30 pages i sort of got tired of going through the posts.

i only need to sharpen my chain (off bar) a few more times and just want to put it in a normal vise with a piece of wood on each side.
i just want to make sure that doing it this way will not damage the links at all.

 

[Andyshine77]

i started going through that thread previously but when i saw that it was 30 pages i sort of got tired of going through the posts.

i only need to sharpen my chain (off bar) a few more times and just want to put it in a normal vise with a piece of wood on each side.
i just want to make sure that doing it this way will not damage the links at all.

You don't even really need the wood, the chain doesn't really need to be all that tight and the drive links are pretty hard. I've done it many times when Square filing.