Stihl 2 in 1 chain sharpener question

[mogulmasher]

So I have a Stihl 2 in 1 sharpener and so far have loved it. Very simple and effective to use. However, last couple of chains I've sharpened it taking the rakers down too far on one side. When sharpening the other way it's setting the height spot on. This has happened on 2 different saws.

I wondered if the guides were bent or something but everything looks straight. Anyone else experience this?

 

[Hambone]

I’m hoping you get plenty of replies, I’m
curious about this sharpening tool.

 

[mogulmasher]

I hope so. It worked so good for the first 3 or 4 chains I sharpened, now the uneven raker height is making saw cut sideways.

 

[Huskitoter]

Post pics of a cutter from each side that shows the hook.

 

[mogulmasher]

Here's some pics, don't know how clear it'll be. This chain was still pretty sharp, each tooth only had 3 or 4 swipes. First is the side that just a hair came off the rakers.

This side had same number of swipes and look how flat the raker got.

Here's from the top looking down. You can see how much more material came off.

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

I really think you're well better off to learn to file without those things. You can do a much better job you can steer the file around the tooth as ya need too to clean the gullet and you can get much better file life also. A husky depth gauge tool is very cheap and very simple to use and your chains even on a dodgy old bar will still cut straight

 

[Justsaws]

Couple of things to check...
If the file guide is not held at the same level from side to side it will hit the depth gauges differently, same with pressure applied to the handles.

Check the flat file to make sure it is not damaged from hitting a chromed depth gauge. I have had two separate chains in the current rotation that have a couple of depth gauges on one side that were way harder than the file, damaged the file. Have to do them with a grinder and they are chewing through a grinding wheel. Cutters file fine. It does not take hardly any effort to damage a file to the point where it just grazes across the depth gauge.

I use the Stihl and Pherd file guides regularly without issues beyond file damage . I have not encountered the issue you are having with a good chain and a good set of files in the guides. You might have a bad guide, I got a pair of bad chains.

I would try the guide on different chain after checking it over for sloppiness, damaged file or other weirdness.

 

[dustinwilt68]

Pferd actually makes these, Stihl just has them made in there colors.

 

[scottr]

Here's some pics, don't know how clear it'll be. This chain was still pretty sharp, each tooth only had 3 or 4 swipes. First is the side that just a hair came off the rakers. View attachment 750169

This side had same number of swipes and look how flat the raker got.View attachment 750170

Here's from the top looking down. You can see how much more material came off.View attachment 750171

Mogulmasher , your first and second pictures look like the cutter working corner is bent down .
I'm not familar with the 2in1 tool but would guess that it uses that working corner to set the depth gauge height .

 

[trains]

You have husky chain, use the husky roller guide.

I like how quick, simple, and easy it is to get a good finish on the tooth.

The above posts have some good info for you too.

edited to add.
It wouldnt hurt to round off the leading edge of those depth gauges too.

 

[mogulmasher]

I thought it may be uneven pressure or wrong angle, but have tried to really take time to make sure I do both sides the same and it still happens. No matter what I do you can just feel the file digging hard on rakers on that one side.

This has occured on 2 different chains too.

Scottr, this tool uses guides to set raker height. There's a guide running across top of the cutters before and after raker.

 

[scottr]

Mogulmasher , are the tool guides angled or are they flat ?
If they are flat and if the cutter has a bent front corner then the raker will be filed lower like you show in your picture .

 

[Customtaco]

I hope so. It worked so good for the first 3 or 4 chains I sharpened, now the uneven raker height is making saw cut sideways.

I've seen the same thing from time to time but it hasn't affected my cutting. The biggest issue I have with it is changing from side to side. I think that has as much to do with it as anything. I don't believe anyone can change from side to side and produce the exact pressure. Also, the guide bars run on top of the tooth. If a tooth has more metal removed it's going to take more off of the rakers.

All in all I love this sharpener and it keeps my chains laser-sharp. I started using one November of last year, it did take some time to get used to and I watch a lot of videos on how to sharpen a chain. Not just with this but also with a regular file. That allowed me to get a better idea of the entire chain anatomy and understand what I was doing with this sharpener.

 

[JW51]

I’m glad you posted this. I thought I was the only one.

My 2 in 1 almost destroyed two brand new chains on their first sharpening. I didn’t realize how much raker it had taken off until I ran them on the saw. Lots of people have great luck with these. All I can figure is that they had a bad production run and I got a lemon.

I ended up having to file those teeth more than half off to have a usable chain.

I’ve studied it and it’s going to do the same thing no matter how I use it. A waste of nearly $40. Filing with no guide whatsoever has been my method since and works so much better

 

[mogulmasher]

Yes it will be too bad if I can't figure this out because it does make chain extremely sharp.

Jw51, glad to hear I'm not alone, however sorry it was a waste of money. I'm remaining hopeful that I'll be able to figure it out. I actually mentioned it to my Stihl dealer when I was in there the other day and he said if I can't figure it out he'll see what he can do to help.

 

[Jwaldner]

if I hold a straight paper on my screen on your pics, level with the raker, at the cutters angle, the raker height is about the same in relation to the cutter.

I have one of the stihl 2 in 1s in .325, works excellent, the stihl files are miles better than the Oregon. I bought one in 3/8 but haven't used it yet.

 

[mogulmasher]

Jwaldner, think it may be angle of those photos. Look at this one, it's clear the raker on left is lower than one on right.

 

[mogulmasher]

In any event, I think I found the problem. I flipped the square file over and the problem switched sides....started cutting taller rakers down and now wouldn't even touch the lower ones.

I held file down on a level and it is clear it is bent. That'll do it!

 

[Hambone]

So what you’re saying is I need to take a straight edge with me when I go to buy one. Hopefully your dealer will take care of the issue.

 

[mogulmasher]

Guess so! I know I'll be pulling it out of packaging and checking new one! And that's a pretty darn thick file, no way I bent that.