How to sharpen chain saw

[lfnh]

Thanks for all your help, I think I'll grab a file on the way home tomorrow.
ps I have a jonsered 625 that was giving to me and I can't get going, anyone in Orange County NY or NW NJ that can help or point me in the right direction
Thanks

First of all, Welcome to AS greyfox. Lots of good people here.

Post the question over in the Chainsaw forum.
Lota very helpful, smart members there.

Might need to have pics of the 625 ready...

Check out filing guides at the shop when you stop for the file.

 

[deerlakejens]

I would second the idea of going to the Chainsaw site and doing a search on sharpening. There is a wealth of info. I think I'm filing the chain hardening advice with the wood in the dryer trick, though!

 

[7sleeper]

Just heat treat the cutting edges and never worry about sharpening. I bought a house in the woods that previous home owner never removed any dead trees that fell. I went through three chains this spring (cutting rotten trees on the ground) and took the old chain to work to test it on the Hardness tester. The Oregon chains (cutting edge) are heat treated to Rockwell 38. This is very soft compare to Carbide with Rockwell 88-95 that you will find on most table saws or commercial lumber mills saws. They do this on purpose so you keep on buying chains. I bought micro torch that runs on propane and heated just the edges of each tooth till they were glowing red, then pressed ice cubes into them. Been cutting for the entire summer and fall without ever needing to sharpen. And I've been cutting only nasty stuff laying on the ground with grass growing on top. I have six cords of wood from rotten trees and probably another 4 cords of waste I cut off that was all moldy and completely rotten. My chain finally fell apart (broke chain ling) right before Thanksgiving. The chain was just worn down all over the place and bar groove was all messed up. That's how long the chain lasted. Got new bar and chain and heat treated the edges right away. I have two more trees that are few years old on the ground and then I get to cut some nice clean fresh wood for a change. I'm tried of cutting this garbage but I have to clean up what is laying around first.

That sounds very interesting! Can you show us some pics on how you do it? How do you resharpen when a tooth hits a rock or similar? Do you have a diamond file? How does it stand up to healthy/non rotten wood?

I believe that I am not the only one very interested in your results.

7

 

[SkyP]

Just heat treat the cutting edges and never worry about sharpening.---SNIP--- I have six cords of wood from rotten trees and probably another 4 cords of waste I cut off that was all moldy and completely rotten. .

Ya think maybe cutting rotten wood is what made the chain last?

:monkey:

 

[Swamp Yankee]

File and jig

If you're just starting out hand filing jet a decent jig, Granberg is good, mount everything in a vise and take your time. The jig will provide a couple benefits.

First as you file you'll learn the angles and what a sharp chain looks like. This makes learning to freehand easier as you have a feel for what needs to be done.

Second, when you rock a chain the jig makes it easier to get everything back to spec.

Take Care

 

[branchbuzzer]

Ya think maybe cutting rotten wood is what made the chain last?

:monkey:

I was wondering just how that rotten wood was measured in cords. Was it stacked up for firewood? and just what is the difference between 'wood from rotten trees' and 'wood that is moldy and completely rotten'.

Sure would like to see that miracle chain on the black locust and hickory 'round these parts.....

 

[beav700]

I used dremel tool for sharpening before I made harder blades. The three Oregon chains I went through in the spring were all sharpened 3-4 times before I got rid of them. I also had a lot of nails in the trees. The previous owners were crazy about hanging all kinds of crap from the trees, killing trees in the process, then let them rot right in front of the house. They were into hoodoo. Don't ask.

You guys can lough all you want. I'm not the one buying chains all the time. It's like light bulbs, sure they can make them last longer but that's just stupid. Money, money, money.

I only had I tooth chipped, which I didn't even feel when cutting.

 

[7sleeper]

I used dremel tool for sharpening before I made harder blades. The three Oregon chains I went through in the spring were all sharpened 3-4 times before I got rid of them. I also had a lot of nails in the trees. The previous owners were crazy about hanging all kinds of crap from the trees, killing trees in the process, then let them rot right in front of the house. They were into hoodoo. Don't ask.

You guys can lough all you want. I'm not the one buying chains all the time. It's like light bulbs, sure they can make them last longer but that's just stupid. Money, money, money.

I only had I tooth chipped, which I didn't even feel when cutting.

As I already mentioned, could you show us your setup and make some pics of your results/chain after treament? It sounds like a simple process that would be easy to follow. The initial investment sounds small also. Have you already tried to sharpen hardened chains?

7

 

[TreePointer]

Why not just by a Stihl chain? You pay a little more, but you don't have to expend time and effort for the hardening process. Furthermore, hardness is not the only characteristic that's of value in a chain. What about brittleness (or ductility, if you prefer), ease of sharpening, and hard file costs?

 

[pook]

I have only used files. Watched several guys use a dremel and the results were poor. They just free handed the dremel and the grindings lacked consistency from tooth to tooth.

ya= dremel aint a file or even a wannabee

 

[pook]

ya= dremel aint a file or even a wannabee

unlesss properly used, eh?

 

[logbutcher]

Hand file jig.
The easiest and best:

PFERD
Pro dealers and Baileys.

 

[beav700]

Nothing really to show on pictures. The teeth get discolored when you heat treat them but as soon as you cut some wood with sand and dirt on them, they get nice and polished again.

 

[banshee67]

Hand file jig.
The easiest and best:

PFERD
Pro dealers and Baileys.

+1, love that little thing

 

[Wood Doctor]

Oregon 511A

Oregon 511A. Best chain sharpener in the business. Glad I bought it.

It's resting on the oak stand I made for it. Fabulous piece of equipment.

 

[banshee67]

Oregon 511A. Best chain sharpener in the business. Glad I bought it.

It's resting on the oak stand I made for it. Fabulous piece of equipment.

how much$$?

 

[Wood Doctor]

how much$$?

Get one on e-bay for less than $300. I paid $400 for mine.

Worth every penny. I got all the money back in a month by sharpening chains for $5 apiece that loggers gave me and by sharpening all of my own chains.

Better yet, I even picked up a bucket of scrap loops from a logger that fit my saw after he said, "Edwin, they are yours." I doubt that I'll ever have to buy another chain loop again.