Sharpening Poll

[Locoweed]

Which do you use to sharpen chains?

 

[ccicora]

Well the other night I tried the rock method... I could of turned the chain around after that and it would of cut better... Oh I found the rock 3 foot up in the wood pile, right where the puppy dropped it.

As for sharpening I am slowly moving over from round to all square ground chains.

 

[Chopwood]

I file while using and grind after the day is done.

 

[preach it]

I round file and square file depending on which saw. Then grind once in a while to even out the chain. I had one this summer that no matter how I filed it, it still cut in a curve. I ground and squeezed the bar and it still cut in a curve. In desperation I ground the chain to even it out and it cut straight. I didn't think it was that much off. The cutters and rakers need to be evened out every once in a while.

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

i file sharpen my chains from the first time they need sharpening to there last sharpen..i never use a grinder..

 

[woodshop]

File only, would be hard to justify a good grinder in my case. If I'm running out of daylight in the woods, I will just quickly throw another spare sharp chain on, otherwise I find a stump I can get comfortable at. Back in the shop I stick the bar in vise and trun on some tunes. I found that Stihl chain is harder to sharpen and dulls the files faster than Oregon. Not sure if it lasts longer in wood though, guess it does if its harder.

Dave

 

[Lawn Masters]

I use files and a grinder on occasion depending on how screwed up the chain is.

 

[canguy21]

I take the chain to the shop where I work if it needs more than a touch up. O.K, so I am lazy.

 

[Stumper]

Hand sharpen with round file generally. I have a couple of grinders but seldom use them- I did use the Nielsen recently after hitting a rock grown into a stump. I recently got a loop of square ground that I'll try square filing on.

 

[smokechaser]

hand filing is the only way. imho

 

[a_lopa]

hand filing is the only way. imho

yes if you cant do it your screwed!the only time i dont bother with a chain is when the chromes gone.a vice really is a must have IMO although i can file with the bar horizontal just as good

 

[Justin Garrison]

I hand file with the chain on the bar on the saw. I took a chain to a shop once and they ground it but did a horrible job and didnt even touch the depth gauges. Last time for that.

 

[chainsawworld]

if i am in a big hurry i will use a grinder to take out the back of the cutter and a bench grinder to thin the rake. rake depth, top plate,side plate and chisel all get filed by hand. this would be on competition chain of coarse. marty

 

[oldwild]

hand file, but if the chain is really bad shape, will take it to the father in-law who has his own sharpening biz.

 

[belgian]

regular file sharpening is the way to go, I would say. It takes you some discipline to do it on a regular base (before you produce dust), but it really pays off.

 

[John Ellison]

I round file my smallest saw chain but use a combination of grinding and filing my larger square ground chain. I think that for a work chain it is hard to beat a ground chain. Assuming that you are grinding it yourself. But I also like to file some in the woods or playing around. I can get a bit faster chain by filing but it wont last near as long.

John

 

[tinman44]

i use a dremel tool to sharpen before the job, and carry files to sharpen on scene. also keep an extra chain or two sharp and ready to go

 

[Kenskip1]

When I sharpen my chains,the dull chain is first washed in a coffee can, then allowed to dry. Then I put a used bar in my vise and set up the Oregon apparatus onto the bar. As I lower the file into the cutter I watch carefully so that the file makes contact with the tooth. No light will be visable between the file and tooth. As I slowly beguin filing, I slowly twist the file while making stroks. After both sides are now sharp, the chain goes back into a seckond coffee can with a strong magnet on the bottom. The magnet treatment really does the job!. The chain is then dried and Aa light coating of oil is applied. Next the chain is placed into a zip lock storage bag Ken

 

[woodshop]

I am curious Ken what the "magnet treatment" does for the chain.

Dave

 

[Lawn Masters]

I believe its supposed to remove the metal shavings from the chain, and keep them seperate.