hand sharpening - whats your routine?

[Anthony_Va.]

Man I really don't do anything special.

I stand my saw on the handle pointing the bar toward the sky. Grab a seat on the nearest stump or log. Do one side left hand, then switch to right hand to do the other side. Once you get used to filing with both hands it works great. It's how I was taught by an experienced logger I meant once. I file the rakers with a stihl gauge. I can usually keep all my cutters the same length like this. Don't need but 2-3 strokes unless I get into something thats buggers my chain up pretty bad. Then I just go by the shortest one and eyeball the rest down to it's length.

I don't have any fixed scedule for when I file the chain. I can feel it getting dull and I file it when it needs it. No real science here. But alot of guys around here like to bring thier saws around for a filing so I must be doing a decent job on them. Gonna have to start charging them!

 

[gwiley]

4 strokes on each cutter for every tank sounds like a lot... are you cutting hardwoods, or cutting in dirty conditions?

Shaun

Lately a lot of red oak, white oak, hickory, noticeable crud on the bark (skidded out of a dirty clearing job). In softwoods like pine I might skid a tank between sharpenings and I run LGX and LPX so they tend to dull more quickly.

My theory is that the time it takes to sharpen depends on touching each link, the number of strokes (1-4) doesn't contribute meaningfully to the time required compared to stopping, setup etc.

The other thing is that I HATE dull chain -I would rather wear the chain faster than deal with dull chain so I err on the side of more aggressive filing.

 

[Evan]

i fiel on the saw clamped in the vice on my bench always from the inside out. i never sharpen a cutter from outside in .
ill use a marker and mark the cutter i start on then go around till i get back to it. then flip the saw around and use the same mark again. the marked cutter isnt realy needed because i can usualy tell wich ones have been sharpend. though it does kinda keep me looking for that cutter to come around

 

[precaud]

I use one from time to time. Got mine at Enco, they still stock them. I don't like buying from them though, their shipping charges are on the high side.

When I was an apprentice many years ago we used to use a thing called a 'file card' to clean our files, but I haven't seen one for near twenty years...

Anyone still seen or use them ?

 

[edisto]

When I was an apprentice many years ago we used to use a thing called a 'file card' to clean our files, but I haven't seen one for near twenty years and everytime I think to ask at the industrial wholesalers they all give me a blank expression (but maybe I just bring that out in poeple ?)

Anyone still seen or use them ?

I was pretty excited to find one in a box of tools I got at an auction, but I haven't seen int he local hardware stores.

 

[Evan]

get a file card wear you would get machinisht tools or maybe have to order it. they work well. kinda have to have them unless you buy a new file ever couple files.

ive found a wire brush will do a so so job of cleaning the file

 

[tdi-rick]

I use one from time to time. Got mine at Enco, they still stock them. I don't like buying from them though, their shipping charges are on the high side.

If they're exxy to you, imagine what they might be like to this side of the globe.

Looks like some ringing around is in order to the big city tooling suppliers.

 

[J.W Younger]

I dont have any set prcedure, just run it bar deep in wood to get the oil off it if needs it, ck the tension,file the glint off and ck the rakers.

 

[imagineero]

I sharpen at the end of every day of cutting, before I clean the saw. That way I'm not running filings around the bar.

Thats a really good point, and one i hadn't given any thought to! I usually clean my saw before sharpening, but I think I'll do it the other way round now, or do an extra clean after sharpening. I use compressed air for cleaning and take off the cover and blow things out at the same time, blow out the air filter.

For those guys talking about the file cards, I usually blow my files out with compressed air too. The bar oil seems to make filings stick to files a lot more than dry metal would, but it blows off real clean if you have air available.

Shaun

 

[imagineero]

I touch up my chains on my mill while I'm milling, like this;

Hi Bob... This pic makes it look like you file one set of cutters back towards the saw? But sounds like you are saying in your post you file all cutters towards the front of the saw right?

Agree with you on the therapy... I enjoy sharpening my chains as much as i enjoy running my saws And some of us need more therapy than others! ;-)

Shaun

 

[Evan]

whats wrong with filing around the bar, thats more like polishing grit for my drive links, i havent cleaned a saw this year clean the filters sharpen the chain and let the red dust keep building up

 

[imagineero]

whats wrong with filing around the bar, thats more like polishing grit for my drive links, i havent cleaned a saw this year clean the filters sharpen the chain and let the red dust keep building up

Ill send you all my leftover filings if you like, you can polish all your saws a bit more ;-)
Shaun

 

[REJ2]

One, Two, Three strokes, your out. Sorry its baseball season around here. REJ2

 

[angelo c]

OK,
I must be the odd man around here. I stand behind the power head with the handle between my legs and file one side right handed and the other side left handed. I spit on one tooth and it usually is very obvious which one was cleaned. I used to clamp and file from one side but never felt that I was doing a good job. I tried this way in fustration and seem to be having some luck. I never realized how quick the files could wear. Maybe that's some of my "weak" techique. How can you tell if the file is worn?

I would much rather attend a GTG where we all got some lessons in sharpening then seeing who has the most ported/loudest saw in town. Keep in mind I'm in NJ which just having "A" chainsaw( no less 9) and listening to country music makes me feared in the neighborhood.

 

[imagineero]

OK,
I must be the odd man around here. I stand behind the power head with the handle between my legs and file one side right handed and the other side left handed.

When i was doing forestry this is how i sharpened my saws in the woods. it was ok, and you get good and fast at it after a while but you can never really get a consistant angle. The other thing i found is that while this works fine for a 20" bar, it really doesnt work on 36"+ which is the bar size that this thread mainly concerns.

OK,
I never realized how quick the files could wear. Maybe that's some of my "weak" techique. How can you tell if the file is worn?

I dont know about this whole subject... I keep changing my mind ;-) There seem to be 2 schools of thought on this one. One says "new file every time i sharpen my saw". The other one says "i've been using the same file that my grandfather passed down to me 35 years ago".

Both are probably fairly extreme views. From a purely practical standpoint, as long as that file is still taking metal off, it has some sharpness. Then you get into the nitty gritty of whether its really leaving a hard edge vs a jagged edge, and how much effort you want to put into the sharpening. I do notice the difference with a nice new file, and they're cheap if you buy them by the dozen, but i pretty much just keep using mine for a long time (6 months~ a year).

There are lots of threads out there about files though, and i dont really want to steer this thread into the direction of being all about files. It's more about sharpening routines - position of saw, technique, cleaning, how often, how many strokes etc. There's some really useful information coming out so far.

Shaun

 

[angelo c]

If the bar is in front of you how does it matter if the lenght is 20" or 36" ? I'm not pointing it UP at me it's staying perpendicular on a stump or some other log/platform. I'm finding it's easier to keep consistant angles from "behind" the saw as opposed to "beside" the saw?

Great advice and posts so far !

 

[imagineero]

If the bar is in front of you how does it matter if the lenght is 20" or 36" ? I'm not pointing it UP at me it's staying perpendicular on a stump or some other log/platform. I'm finding it's easier to keep consistant angles from "behind" the saw as opposed to "beside" the saw?

Great advice and posts so far !

Sorry Angelo,
I might not have understood you there
From the first post i thought you sit down and have the handle resting in your crotch with the bar pointing skywards and unsupported. Thats the way i used to sharpen saws in the woods, but i found that once the bar gets to a certain size it becomes awkward, and slow.

It sounds like you are resting the bar on a log, with the handle on the ground? I do like the method of being at the powerhead with the bar pointing up, makes it easy to put the pressure back into the cutter and not down on the bar. But i find with this method its really hard to keep a consistent angle on the file/saw. too much slop. With the saw and bar clamped on a bench, i find i can get a very consistent angle, and i think this is the key to a good sharp cutter.

Lots of good posts so far, what Im really hoping to get out of this is all the little details that people wouldnt normally discuss. Things that may seem really obvious to people sharpening their saws but might not necessarily be about 'sharpening' per se. Like that one about cleaning after sharpening, i hadnt thought of that.

I'm really looking for ways of improving my sharpening routine, not my sharpening ;-) I think my sharpening is pretty good (dont we all though!), but i'm sure there are better ways for me to go about setting up the saw, positioning, sequencing etc...

Shaun

 

[BarkBuster20]

4 main points to consider when concerning sharpening your chain. 1 = Good sharp file 2. proper angles 3. even number of strokes per tooth 4. keep your damn rakers even. use these 4 steps and youl become an expert hand filer with enough practice.

it cannot be stressed enough how important a good file is, the stihl files are JUNK, if you want good edge dont buy a stilh file, buy a saveedge. I throw out worn saveEdge files that are sharper than brand new stihl files. The file is one of the most critical aspects of getting a good sharp chain.

 

[imagineero]

it cannot be stressed enough how important a good file is, the stihl files are JUNK, if you want good edge dont buy a stilh file, buy a saveedge. I throw out worn saveEdge files that are sharper than brand new stihl files.

I've heard some guys make that exact same comment about stihl files compared to every other brand of file. I cant say Ive got an opinion because i havent used the saveedge files and I'm not sure if they are available in aus. I usually buy whatever files are available at my local dealer, with no real interest in what brand they are.

I do professional sharpening of knives, chisels, planer blades, scissors etc as part of my business, and Ive been involved in sharpening for about 15 years now which started from an interest in collecting swords. I do most of my blade sharpening on low speed water cooled stones in high precision jigs, and i dont know if i can really draw much of a parallel with saw sharpening, but i would say this; more aggressive files which cut harder are probably offering a rougher cut than those which need an extra stroke or two. Of course, the issue of whether a rougher more 'micro serrated' finish as opposed to a (relatively) more polished edge will cut faster or stay sharp longer is a whole other issue....

Some of it depends on the hardness of the chain also, and the cutting application. Milling guys might use extra hard chains and smooth edge cutters for a cleaner finish. Felling guys are looking for a quick fell and maximum trees per sharpen. Most of us are probably somewhere in the middle. I find it interesting that most chainsaw files arent rated in terms of 'grit' or coarseness of cut even though i notice there is a big variation in the coarseness from one manufacture to another, and in some cases even between batches from the same manufacturer.

But to keep this thread on topic, file selection and when to replace your file is only one part of a sharpening routine.

Shaun

 

[BarkBuster20]

I've heard some guys make that exact same comment about stihl files compared to every other brand of file. I cant say Ive got an opinion because i havent used the saveedge files and I'm not sure if they are available in aus. I usually buy whatever files are available at my local dealer, with no real interest in what brand they are.

I do professional sharpening of knives, chisels, planer blades, scissors etc as part of my business, and Ive been involved in sharpening for about 15 years now which started from an interest in collecting swords. I do most of my blade sharpening on low speed water cooled stones in high precision jigs, and i dont know if i can really draw much of a parallel with saw sharpening, but i would say this; more aggressive files which cut harder are probably offering a rougher cut than those which need an extra stroke or two. Of course, the issue of whether a rougher more 'micro serrated' finish as opposed to a (relatively) more polished edge will cut faster or stay sharp longer is a whole other issue....

Some of it depends on the hardness of the chain also, and the cutting application. Milling guys might use extra hard chains and smooth edge cutters for a cleaner finish. Felling guys are looking for a quick fell and maximum trees per sharpen. Most of us are probably somewhere in the middle. I find it interesting that most chainsaw files arent rated in terms of 'grit' or coarseness of cut even though i notice there is a big variation in the coarseness from one manufacture to another, and in some cases even between batches from the same manufacturer.

But to keep this thread on topic, file selection and when to replace your file is only one part of a sharpening routine.

Shaun

One thing with saveEdge files it is a little harder to get a really smooth stroke if you arent pretty good with a file, no slow strokes. i have used a few different files and cannot see any advantage to using duller files, the more strokes you need to apply, the faster your cutters are gonna lose there perfect angles, no matter how good you are. I keep my cutters pretty good as fas as angles go, but the more strokes, the more mistakes.