Whats the best way to sharpen a chain?

[DroppedP51]

file or grind? or other?

 

[Erick]

Depends on the chain, what you were cutting with it (wood or cinder blocks), and who's wielding the file.

But I'll vote file.... for most folks most of the time.

 

[Elim]

:agree2:

You can get a fair edge from grinding, but to get a real sharp chain you need to file it.

 

[biggenius29]

:deadhorse::deadhorse::deadhorse:


opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:

 

[kspakland]

What is "other" ?????

Is it the chainsaw sharpening fairy showing up during the night waving her magic wand over the saw and it's sharp again ??

 

[TreePointer]

I'll vote for filing. Specifically, filing with a bench mounted tool.



Other = Throw away dull chain. Buy new sharp chain. ???

 

[a. palmer jr.]

File, but it takes practice. After several years I finally have a little of the knack of it. The longer the bar the harder it is to get it going straight.

 

[MostShady1]

I stick with filing unless I hit something that causes enough damaged to need the grinder. Personal tests have proven better in straight cuts and noodling with filed chains.

Only "other" I can think of is taking them to a shop to be done, and the costs around here these days is insane!

Edit: unless you count rotary tool grinding as different than bench grinding. I'll still stick with the file.

 

[TreePointer]

What is "other" ?????

Is it the chainsaw sharpening fairy showing up during the night waving her magic wand over the saw and it's sharp again ??

Which chainsaw fairy? There's more than one here at AS.

 

[Erick]

Which chainsaw fairy? There's more than one here at AS.

You got something you're tring to tell us TP????

 

[TreePointer]

You got something you're tring to tell us TP????

Oh, I think we've all seen the pictures, but the moderators take them down really fast. Sawyers in underwear, diapers, mules performing unspeakable acts, burly bearded lumberjacks in pink tutus. I better stop typing--it will just attract them to this thread.

 

[Erick]

 

[MostShady1]

Which chainsaw fairy? There's more than one here at AS.

I thought most of them had been banned by now.

 

[BobL]

File, and once it a while throw it onto a grinder to get the cutter lengths all the same.

 

[browneye]

file... stihl bench mount

i asked for the stihl bench mount guide for christmas last year and that was the best gift ever...after a few trial runs i had it down..a lot sharper than the grinder my buddy had

 

[Arrowhead]

File, and once it a while throw it onto a grinder to get the cutter lengths all the same.

:agree2:

 

[spacemule]

You didn't give any specifics. Is the chain rocked out? Are you filing to cut wood or race? How many chains do you have to sharpen? Are they already mounted on the saw? Square or round?

 

[Erick]

You didn't give any specifics. Is the chain rocked out? Are you filing to cut wood or race? How many chains do you have to sharpen? Are they already mounted on the saw? Square or round?

Souldn't you be pleasantly plucking pheasants???

 

[DroppedP51]

file or grind? or other?

just the normal run of the mill sharpen

I use a file'n'joint But ive also had chain ground,found that the chain became harder to file sort of glassy? and the man ground half my chain away,But it was sharp
I sharpen my saws before i put them away then there allways ready to work

 

[madhatte]

I sez "Other".

What I mean by this is simple: grinding is for setting a standard. Filing is for maintaining it. Every few sharpenings a chain should be ground in order to set cutter lengths, angles, and depths to the same value. This goes double for rakers -- if you are truly filing progressively, you will be truly creating uneven raker depths as you create unequal cutter lengths.

SO: file by hand MOST of the time. Grind when a) it's been awhile and things are uneven or uncertain or b) you rock the chain and filing is too much work.

That's how I roll, anyway.