Saw file holder

[Gearhead1]

There have been plenty of different ideas I've seen floating around this forum about how to sharpen a saw chain. Well this simple file holder is the only way I ever saw my Dad use on his saws, and its the way he passed on to me. If we cut for an entire day, we'd start by sharpening the saws and then touch them up again at lunch. Unless you hit something with your saw (like the dirt) we didn't have to sharpen more than the two or three times a day. Just a couple strokes on each cutter are all it takes to freshen it up. See the handy angle indicator built onto the tool too? You just flip it from one position to the other for your 30 degree guide reference.
When I worked at a saw dealer, all sharpening was done on a bench mounted chain grinder, which I've always thought gives a much shorter chain life than hand filing. We also sold many, many chains there too . In the shop at work now, I use the bench mount to clean up or straighten up chains that have been messed up by improper filing or cutting. For just "touch up" work though, I've gone back to hand files.

 

[Gologit]

Neat file holder. Is it homemade or store-bought? How old is it?

 

[Gearhead1]

It is a store purchased file holder for sure, although I don't know from where or what year. Its been around at least 30 years I can recall, and worn a few files out in that time. I can't say who the manufacturer is either, as there are no identification marks to be found. I'll ask my Dad (if I can remember) when I see him this weekend; it is just possible he might recall.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

I sharpen all my saws with a file guide like that. Important thing to me is to replace the file after maybe 5 sharpenings, as they are really cheap. Can go all day if the trees are clean, on a single sharpening.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

There have been plenty of different ideas I've seen floating around this forum about how to sharpen a saw chain.

Yeah, like wear gloves!!!! This happened Wednesday night. Eight stiches!!

That is a cool old file holder though.

 

[Gearhead1]

I didn't mention the importance of wearing gloves while sharpening the chain, but it is a practical necessity. When those cutters are honed to a fresh edge, even something as simple as pulling the chain ahead to get to the next set of teeth can take nicks out of your hand. I'd hate to think of what would happen if your hand slipped off the file, or if the file broke while sharpening!
Another pointer (for anyone new to chain sharpening) is to file all the cutters of one direction cutting and then switch to the other direction cutters. In this way, you skip every other cutter while filing the chain, and then switch over to the other set.