Sharpening Poll

[Kenskip1]

Dave, The magnet placed on the bottom of the coffee can attracks and holds the metal filings from the chain onto the bottom of the coffee can, Ken

 

[Kenskip1]

Mike, I use the shavings in my labratory. I mix liquid hydrogen, along with potassum sulfate and add the filings.The filings are the catalist.Free heat!!

 

[bottlefed89]

Hand file. Grinder would be too much $$ for me right now. Of course I bring an assortment of chains to each job so that any saw I may use has a backup chain just in case, but unless I reall rock out I'll just touch up on site if needed. Only one I've ever really mangled beyond fixing on site was cutting the last stump pieces on a big oak removal and hit some kind of spike or giant nail or something, don't know what it was, but it got my attention pretty fast.

 

[Chopwood]

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

I didn't realize the anal retentive chef from Saturday night live had taken up chainsawing. Just kidding around Ken, I don't have the paitiance for so many steps.

 

[TonyM]

I have always hand filed my chains until there is nothing left. After several sharpenings, I've used a pair of calipers to make sure the teeth are all the same length. I never let my chains get bad enough to merit grinding, unless something unforseen occurs, like barb wire, or a nail in a tree! I have been using my grinder some lately, mostly for sharpening chains for others, many of which need to be ground as they are so dull. I need to get a vice mounted in my shop, though, and I am finding I like to use the grinder to do the rakers. I found the right thickness feeler gage, so that I can put it under the stop on the grinder, bring the wheel down above the tooth, and back off the stop screw until I just see a spark. Then I remove the feeler gage, and voila, the correct raker depth.

 

[Kenskip1]

Chopwood,
Thanks for the back handed complement. However attention two detail is what it is all about.My 028, and 041 cut like you would not believe.I have sharpend many Other peoples chains and they are very happy with the results.I use both Stihl, and oregon chains, Ken

 

[njforestfire]

File used while 'in the field' and a grinder back in the shop. Any thoughts from anyone regarding the use of a dremel to sharpen?? I've been told they are good for touch-ups only.

 

[Fish]

Of course, I use grinders, because I work on saws far a living. I must add, that I do
a horrible job, because I hate being too busy

 

[WoodTick007]

File used while 'in the field' and a grinder back in the shop. Any thoughts from anyone regarding the use of a dremel to sharpen?? I've been told they are good for touch-ups only.

I bought the little dremel kit for my brother to use and he said it works great. The only problem he has is that the little grinding stones keep breaking off the
the steel post they are glued to. I asked him if he was like an APE and he said nope that sometimes they last 4-5 sharpenings and other times one. He also said that they get filled with oil and wood fiber making not grind well with no way to dress the stone.

 

[Pioneer]

I used to use files until I tried the Stihl stones in my Dremel. They cut the work time down greatly, and the teeth are so sharp I have to be careful not to bump the chain against anything while moving the saw. I was still using a file for setting depth of cut, but i might start grinding after reading TonyM's use of an adjustable stop on his grinder.

 

[chainsawworld]

does anyone remember the old craftsman that you threw a lever on the side of the saw and it ate er-ah i mean sharpened the chain? marty

 

[geofore]

Mac had them too, depress button to sharpen. Homeowners special, let the homeowner remain clueless on how to sharpen a chain by hand and clueless on how much better a sharp chain cuts. Simply put they were not a winner. I never thought it was a good idea to shapen the teeth from the top down.

 

[ray benson]

does anyone remember the old craftsman that you threw a lever on the side of the saw and it ate er-ah i mean sharpened the chain? marty

Early 1980's they had a 3.7 cu. in. saw ( maybe a Roper ) that had the auto-sharp feature.I had its twin without that feature.Cause it was $50.00 more for the auto-sharp.
Ray

 

[Oregon_Native]

Oregon Filing Jig

I use a jig to hold the angle’s and a depth set for the raker's all I have to do is pay attention to how many strokes I took an every tooth and what the proper angles are for the chain.

 

[cybergeek23851]

Although I still am not very good at it, I hand file. I just have to keep practicing till I get the technique right.

 

[Smeagol]

To truely become a Master, one must conquer the simple path of the hand filer...

 

[cybergeek23851]

To truely become a Master, one must conquer the simple path of the hand filer...

I concur

 

[Stumper]

Has anyone seen the .404 Barracuda chain? (Barracuda was the style used on the autosharp saws.) In .404 it was series 80 chain. I have a New In The Package set of Oregon filing gauges for hand sharpening the .404. I once had a little saw with autosharp. I was surprised at how well it worked. That Barracuda chain was AGGRESSIVE.