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Begginer sharpening chains by hand or??

Started by opticsguy, March 16, 2012, 01:54:06 AM

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John Mc

Quote from: Logger RK on August 09, 2018, 08:04:42 AM
How about tearing one end off the wrapper & blowing in the end to see how far the wrapper goes?
Extra points if you can hit your sister in the face with the wrapper from across the table.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

thecfarm

We did not use many straws growing up at home. I drank out of the small milk cartons at school.
Kinda like the plastic bags thing. They are so bad for environment. Well stop making the Dang things and go back to paper. ::)  Problem solved.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

gspren

Quote from: thecfarm on August 09, 2018, 08:24:03 AM
We did not use many straws growing up at home. I drank out of the small milk cartons at school.
Kinda like the plastic bags thing. They are so bad for environment. Well stop making the Dang things and go back to paper. ::)  Problem solved.
Way too many people think cutting a tree for paper is evil. I would love to show some of them through my woods and tell them it was heavily logged 20 years ago.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

rasawing

You've gotten some good advice on this thread.....but let me tell you: you'll never get it 100% right every time. And little errors tend to snowball over time. 

I use a electric sharpener and it's even worse.

All this is why God gave us new chains.  ;D

Pulphook

Quote from: rasawing on August 09, 2018, 02:04:30 PM
You've gotten some good advice on this thread.....but let me tell you: you'll never get it 100% right every time. And little errors tend to snowball over time.

I use a electric sharpener and it's even worse.

All this is why God gave us new chains.  ;D
We do get it right every time with all the good advice ....and long time sharpening on the chain(s).
Never will go back to any electric grinder ( not a "sharpener" ). It can screw up by burning a chain or getting the angles wrong. Besides the setup takes too long for  most of us with a stable of saws and different chains.
Here goes: it's easy peazy to get it right every time hand sharpening in the shop OR in the field.  No charge for this.
Get a new bar AND chain. Along with that get a Pferd 2in1 system ( both Stihl and Husky use the Pferd under their name ).
Now, look carefully at the top of that shiny new chain for the "witness mark" that is the correct angle to hold the 2in1 rig.
Mount the bar and chain in your vise or a stump vise in the field. Now count the filings on each side of the chain.
Right every time. The bill is in the mail.
Two wood stoves ( Jotul Rangely ,Jotul Oslo ) heating 99 44/100%
24/7. No central heat. 6-8 cords firewood from the woodlot /year. Low low tech: ATV with trailer, 3 saws, 2 electric splitters, a worn pulphook, peavy, climbing line for skidding, Fiskars 27, an old back getting older.

rasawing

To me the hand sharpening just takes too long. (Especially if the teeth are really out of wack from hitting the dirt.) I'm never that far from my bench and a Dremel grinder so it's not that big of a deal for me. 


John Mc

Pferd makes the Chain Sharp CS-X, which is also rebadged and sold by Stihl as the 2-in-1 Filing Guide. I do not see anything similar from Husqvarna.

Pferd's older system, the Chain Sharp (without the "CS-X") is sold by Husqvarna as the Sharp Force File Guide. This was a decent guide in it's day, but is not as quick and easy to use as the CS-X / 2-in-1 system. If I recall correctly, the Sharp Force / Chain Sharp requires flipping the files around when switching from the left-handed to the right handed cutters. This is not necessary with the CS-X / 2-in-1 system.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Pulphook

Right. We use the older Pferd system that the files have to be reversed for each side. It still works well and fast.
Since I don't have an heiress with me, we'll have to stick with the old but worthy system. The newer CS-X is better and more $$$$.
Having used electric grinders I Stihl prefer the Pferd for accuracy and ease. When the chain hits dirt, embedded rounds, or barbed wire in trunks (a PITA), it takes many more passes BY HAND to get it right. Then again, much of the time the cutting is in the field away from power or the workbench.
Furthermore, the Pferd hand sharpening is relaxing, allowing needed down time often with a side brew.
This is "hand sharpening" version 10 with the CS-X system. Never a long job since it does both the edge AND raker with each pass. Try it.
JohnMc may have convinced me to to get the new and improved. Send me the check ?
P.S. rasawing needs a stump vise.
Straws' banning for real ????
Two wood stoves ( Jotul Rangely ,Jotul Oslo ) heating 99 44/100%
24/7. No central heat. 6-8 cords firewood from the woodlot /year. Low low tech: ATV with trailer, 3 saws, 2 electric splitters, a worn pulphook, peavy, climbing line for skidding, Fiskars 27, an old back getting older.

teakwood

I always use this little angle plate, it's excellent for freehandfiling. It has magnets so you put it on the bar and overlook the file and it's easy to get the angle right.

Schärfgitter -

Now i also use a 2in1 and they are awesome! 
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

John Mc

Quote from: teakwood on August 10, 2018, 08:20:55 AM
I always use this little angle plate, it's excellent for freehandfiling. It has magnets so you put it on the bar and overlook the file and it's easy to get the angle right.

Schärfgitter -

Now i also use a 2in1 and they are awesome!
I thought I had seen just about every sharpening gadget known to man, but I've never seen one of those.
I just use the angle lines scribed on my file guide (which unfortunately don't show up very well in this picture):
   
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

John Mc

Quote from: Pulphook on August 09, 2018, 08:05:03 PMFurthermore, the Pferd hand sharpening is relaxing, allowing needed down time often with a side brew.

I find the same thing. Stopping to sharpen also gives me an opportunity to assess how I'm holding up. Something I don't always take the time to do in the middle of working. I find I don't keep myself properly hydrated and often don't realize how tired I'm getting if I don't have some excuse to stop and "take stock". I do take a pass on the brew until I'm done using the chainsaw, however.

QuoteJohnMc may have convinced me to to get the new and improved. Send me the check ?


That's funny, since don't use the CS-X/2-in-1 myself (though I have used my friend's on several occasions). I use the clip on file guide pictured in my earlier post, or sometimes a roller guide (not my photo):
   

Actually, the one I posted earlier with the plate that clips on to the file is what I use most often.

I also prefer to use the depth gauge tool on the roller guide or like one of these:
    
It lets me customize the depth gauge to the associated tooth, making relatively unimportant to keep all the teeth the same length.

I'm not saying my way works any better than any others. It's just what I'm used to, and I get good results with it. It's sort of become my sharpening ritual. I'll never be one of those guys who gets amazing results with just a bare file used freehand. (On the other hand, I also won't be one of those many folks I've met who just think they get great results freehand.)
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

thecfarm

When it pulls into the wood all by itself,I know I have done good. :) 
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Pulphook

Gone through so many of the chain sharpening tool rigs including grinders.
The Pferd (Stihl or Husky ) system is foolproof and brainproof which many of us need. :-[
It does the raker along with the edge enough to do what CF says: " ...the chain pulls itself ....".
I use the right size for the 3 kinds of chains and saws. It is fast.
When I get tired of reversing the files on the older model Pferds, the new and better CS-Xs will be bought.....not yet.

John, the brew is only when done cutting not sharpening......I swear.
Two wood stoves ( Jotul Rangely ,Jotul Oslo ) heating 99 44/100%
24/7. No central heat. 6-8 cords firewood from the woodlot /year. Low low tech: ATV with trailer, 3 saws, 2 electric splitters, a worn pulphook, peavy, climbing line for skidding, Fiskars 27, an old back getting older.

teakwood

Quote from: John Mc on August 10, 2018, 08:48:50 AMI thought I had seen just about every sharpening gadget known to man, but I've never seen one of those.


When i first started to sharp a chain a forester who teached  me gave me one of those plastic plates and it has been with me in every filling since 20years now. For free hand filling i find it the most simple and useful tool ever. and it costs like 10$
With the 2 in 1 i don't need to use it anymore.

I will try to find if that is available in America for you guys.
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

Pclem

I've tried file guides, depth gauges, logger buddies saws sharpened with grinders, and in the end, I found it much simpler and easier to just use plain old files with handles. Take a brand new chain, put saw and all in a vice, 2 or 3 strokes on each cutter to freshen it up, 2 or 3 strokes on the rakers with a raker file, and if you use the saw enough, you know how it cuts, and how much to take off the rakers each time. Seems more precise to me than grinders too. As long as you don't let it go too far, and keep a sharp chain always, it's good.
Dyna SC16. powersplit. supersplitter. firewood kilns.bobcat T190. ford 4000 with forwarding trailer. a bunch of saws, and a question on my sanity for walking away from a steady paycheck

teakwood

National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

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