Hand Filing - Just Give It A Go

[JohnL]

For me the Granberg file n Joint is a good teaching tool, it makes you think about each angle when setting it up and using it. Use it for a little while, then take it off and try to hold the same angles when free hand filing. I have not had much luck with any of the other guides out there.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

Best advice I would offer to learn freehand filing is use a short chain.

 

[KASH]

Short chain good tension and GOOD LIGHT and a comfortable position with no distractions.Treat it as an adventure into a new skill do a tooth and compare your tooth and angles to a new chain or one from a sharpening pro.Main thing is be patient it takes time to learn a new skill.Every one has a side they sharpen a little easier so don"t get frustrated if you are off a little on one side.Sharpen your rakers to each tooth height .
Kash

 

[GoBigRed]

I put myself through a self taught complete chainsaw course when I got tired of my saw not starting, running poorly, and cutting slow. I knew I needed to do something when my buddy gave me his Stihl to finish the job of bucking firewood. It was embarrassing.

ironically, I’m now the guy my buddy comes to when it time for saw service, repair and sharpening

the point is, I was a guy that drove a desk for a lot of years in the white collar world. When I gave that up and started working with my hands I realized that the human mind and body and can accomplish some pretty cool stuff. It took time and practice, but I can now efficiently get the job done. I just had to realize that a man’s hands can get dirty and I didn’t have to be afraid to pick up a tool and make mistakes along the way.
The way I see it, I’m just playing with adult legos and erector sets. Maybe even Lincoln logs if folks remember that

 

[thomasinvancouver]

I hand filed 3/8 with a 13/64 file and a guide from day one. It’s not rocket science. I don’t understand why so many insist on not using a guide.

 

[Philbert]

I hand filed 3/8 with a 13/64 file and a guide from day one. It’s not rocket science. I don’t understand why so many insist on not using a guide.

A guide helps you achieve uniform, consistent results. Some guides are 'fixed', so if you want a different profile (depth, hook, angle, etc.) you are constrained. Some guides allow adjustment, or can be modified to achieve different settings.

For some guys, however, it is about ego.

Philbert

 

[Okie]

Paying attention to detail and knowing the shape one wants the cutters to look like is the more common overlooked part of hand filing. It takes good concentration, good light and some hand to eye coordination to get a decent cutting chain, all learnable if one puts in some time to learn.

might add that I prefer for hand filing I like for the bar to be clamped down stable and at the correct height so as I can get easy access to each side of the bar, but I can hand file in the deep woods without a vise if necessary, just not my preferred method.

Hand sharpening a chain with the WRONG size file is not a good thing. (especially if you do not notice such until the saw hits the wood and just producing dust)
I do not use file guides anymore. Files guides are ok if you know and understand their LIMITATIONS.
(know quickly how to read a cutter and immediately see if the file guide is producing the correct tooth pattern for sharpness.

 

[Karrl]

For me the guides were a gateway to learning how to hand file, but at this point I get worse results from the stihl 2 in 1 and husky roller guides. If you get better results with a guide then keep doing that. I don’t judge people unless I see them running a dull chain all day with no regard, that’s dumb.

 

[Philbert]

Files guides are ok if you know and understand their LIMITATIONS.

'A man's gotta know his file guide's limitations . . . "

Philbert

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

Same goes for free hand filing. I work on a lot o' saws and grind a lot of horrible chain. For every guy who's good at free hand filing, there are two more who aren't.

 

[Squareground3691]

It’s all about the filing and understanding how a cutter is supposed to work efficiently a sharp chain should sink into the wood effortlessly with the crack of ur throttle with it one hand on it and don’t forget about ur dang rakers

 

[user 122190]

When I broke the file barrier, I became a bit obsessed. After a while, I realized having the optimal cutter comes at a cost. Best to back off, save the metal, and the chain will last longer and you can still out cut most everybody.

My most recent evolution was buying a progressive raker gauge. I''m still not sure why but the chain seems to cut better after using a progressive, vs the older style that would bridge two cutters and have a depression into which I was to file.

 

[Fireman Bill]

Hey it looks like your doing great. I learned from my pops and from a chainsaw instructors course i took years ago. They made us run our new chains into the dirt then file them back. We had to cut 3 felling cuts (face cut) into a totem pole. Instructor judged us and commented on the chips laying on the ground. In the field sharpening Ive learned to have a stump vice to help hold the saw i used to bear hug it and sharpen but kinda hard on jackets and shirts. Anyway its ok if the angle is off on the top plate some as long as they are all about the same. Or at least thats what I’ve noticed. As my eyes have gotten tired over the years good lighting for me is so important. A headlamp even in daylight helps me see. Also a brass bristle brush ran over the teeth before sharpening can extend your files life some. I bought a new Stihl 362C with electronic carb and 25” bare to see hoe I’d like it. Heck on the second cut bucking an white oak up i hit a piece of barbed wire in the tree. Jeez. Well had to put the spare new chain on. I use a 7/32” file on the 3/8” chisel chains as i feel the slight less angle on the cutter gives better performance and sharper longer. Great seeing your spreading the word my friend and thank you……

 

[Sierra_rider]

A guide helps you achieve uniform, consistent results. Some guides are 'fixed', so if you want a different profile (depth, hook, angle, etc.) you are constrained. Some guides allow adjustment, or can be modified to achieve different settings.

For some guys, however, it is about ego.

Philbert

I look at guides as being a method to teach you proper filing technique. Most people don't file enough to ever move to free hand filing, and that's perfectly fine, but it's a good way to learn desired top and side plate angles.

I graduated to the point that I consider myself an "expert" at free-hand round filing...I didn't use guides(maybe ego) and I messed up a few loops of chain along the way. I'm now trying to master square filing, which is quite the process and very humbling. My square-filed chains are pretty good nowadays, but I don't think I can call myself an expert at it yet.

 

[Okie]

Sierra_rider wrote:
I look at guides as being a method to teach you proper filing technique. Most people don't file enough to ever move to free hand filing, and that's perfectly fine, but it's a good way to learn desired top and side plate angles.

AMEN:



Some files guides will actually file a chain dull riding too high on the cutter as they wear back because the depth tang is holding the file guide too high.
When this first starts happening the chain just gets progressively duller due to constant sharpening trying to get it too cut and the more times it's filed and the tooth cut back the duller the chain becomes and then time for a new chain and the cycle returns. Moral of story: Keep a heads up and file down the rakers before using a file guide that sets on top of the rakers.

I've seen guys have a dozen good spare chains and take them to town to get sharpened because they would not take time out to learn how to hand file. I also noticed that most of those type people could not chew gum and walk at the same time, so I just stayed quiet..

I've had guys ask me to show them how to file a chain (before computer days and you tube)
I would show them a file guide and raker gauge and how to use such at first, then show them how to eventually quit using the raker gauge and file guide and how improper use of a file guide will actually not get a cutter sharp and how to hand sharpen in the deep woods.

 

[Cricket]

It’s all about the filing and understanding how a cutter is supposed to work efficiently a sharp chain should sink into the wood effortlessly with the crack of ur throttle with it one hand on it and don’t forget about ur dang rakers

I'm reasonably sure that none of the places that do sharpening around here even remember there *are* rakers.

 

[Squareground3691]

I'm reasonably sure that none of the places that do sharpening around here even remember there *are* rakers.

Unfortunately ur probably right

 

[Squareground3691]

Unfortunately ur probably right

A smooth chain is a fast chain and rakers have a big part in that equation

 

[bwalker]

Ding ding ding we have a winner.
problem is government and teachers beat this out of our children .
well they do in my country anyway

People are lazy. Instead of taking the time to practice filing they buy the latest 2in1 gimmick tool.

 

[Squareground3691]

Hand filed square she’ll cut eh ?