harbor freight blade sharpener

[ponch37300]

I just recieved an email from harbor freight with an ad for a chain sharpener for 29 bucks. I'm not a fan of their tools but I don't use my saw a lot and don't need to sharpen a lot. I've never used a chain sharpener besides a file so was wondering if this might be an alright purchase for the few times a year I would use it?

any opinions on this?

Thanks, Scott

 

[Lignum]

I just recieved an email from harbor freight with an ad for a chain sharpener for 29 bucks. I'm not a fan of their tools but I don't use my saw a lot and don't need to sharpen a lot. I've never used a chain sharpener besides a file so was wondering if this might be an alright purchase for the few times a year I would use it?

any opinions on this?

Thanks, Scott

I have one, and it is a turd...but, it will remove large chunks, mangles out of the tooth when you hit rocks, forgotten lag bolts left in trees...

I rarely use mine, maybe once or twice in the past few years. A good round file and patience is all you need. If I could go back I wouldn't have bought it.

 

[oldsaw]

It is what it is. If you understand it's capabilities and limitations, it works okay. I used it to convert regular chains into ripping chains and to fix rocked out chains. Most of my real sharpening is done by hand. The motor has little power, it can burn teeth if you aren't careful, will flex if you put too much pressure on it, and it doesn't exactly line up left to right. In other words, you need to reset it when you hit the cutters going the other direction. Go at the cutters with a "tap, tap, tap", watch the contact time, and you will do okay.

Hand filing is faster, unless your chain is rocked out.

I recently got the little Oregon sharpener from Chow, but haven't had time to use it yet. MUCH nicer unit, but it sold for a lot more money.

Unlike Lignum, I don't regret buying it, but I didn't expect much from it either.

 

[Torin]

It's one of the tools you'd rather see in person, if you have a HF store near you. I thought I'd pick one up but, after seeing it, no. There was a considerable amount of flex in it. I don't think any two cutters would be sharpened even close to the same.

 

[wi50]

my friend has one, I'm not that impressed with it, but for the price it works to do some things. You get what you pay for.

I've got a $100 one from Northern tool. It's a much better unit and just fine for the average woodcutter. It's still not an awesome machine, but it works well, I'm happy with it for the $100. Just about all my sharpening is done with a husky file guide and a file, less than $20 worth of stuff and great results.