Is this chain ruined?

[LeeB]

A couple of things to think about. The file onl;y cuts on the push stroke. Don't put any pressure on it on the pull strokw as this will dull the file. To check on your sharpening, get a good light and look at the leading edge. a sharp edge won't reflect light. Compare it to a new chain to get a good idea of what it should look like.

[cstoney04]

To check on your sharpening, get a good light and look at the leading edge. a sharp edge won't reflect light. Compare it to a new chain to get a good idea of what it should look like.

Thanks

[CTYank]

I use a Granberg "File-N-Joint" file guide for 99+% of my chain sharpening. One trick a bud showed me for height setting is to do it by Braille. Use a finger-tip to sense when the file is sitting about 1/5 of its diameter above the cutters.

When is a cutter sharp? Easy- when a finger-tip says so.

Since you're using a Granberg guide for sharpening, just get a 6" flat file to pop in there, and do the depth gauges very precisely. "Eye-crometer" just won't do there.

Files are cheap. Granberg guide can get lots of sharpening out of a file, but when it's not cutting it, toss it. Re-cutting filings is not good for a file, either. After doing each tooth, a quick finger-swipe of the file will wipe off all the filings.

I've found that with that guide, I end up filing back the cutters so slowly that the depth gauges wear at such a rate that they almost never need filing. Except for the dog-ear depth gauges on "vanguard" chains, that is.

Fat chips!

[SawTroll]

Files are cheap. Granberg guide can get lots of sharpening out of a file, but when it's not cutting it, toss it. Re-cutting filings is not good for a file, either. After doing each tooth, a quick finger-swipe of the file will wipe off all the filings.

That is not good enough imo - I knock off the worst, and then use an old tooth-brush.  ;)

[Brandon1986]

Its not your fault anti kickback chains are ruined from the factory  ;D :D

[CTYank]

I use a raker depth gauge. You put it over two teeth and file off what sticks up. Seems to keep my rakers at the right distance when they need touching up. As mentioned only after several sharpenings.
The gauge will tell you if you need to file any off. slide a file over it and if it cuts raker then file them all. if it doesn't then they don't need any work.

Jim Rogers

OP said he used Granberg guide for the cutters, but not for the depth gauges. Once he gets the hang of doing the cutters well with it, and works out how to use a flat file in it for setting the depth gauges, he'll be dangerous. In a good way.  8)

Not rocket surgery there, but little things mean a lot.

[CTYank]

Files are cheap. Granberg guide can get lots of sharpening out of a file, but when it's not cutting it, toss it. Re-cutting filings is not good for a file, either. After doing each tooth, a quick finger-swipe of the file will wipe off all the filings.

That is not good enough imo - I knock off the worst, and then use an old tooth-brush.  ;)

You're kidding, right? IMO, it's very, very good. As evidenced by file longevity- my files last for too many sharpenings to count. You can overthink things, or obsess.

No blast of compressed air after each tooth? No surgical scrub?  :

[HolmenTree]

Good thread here.
I'm not trying to put a bee in anyone's bonnet here but rubbing the file with your finger is not a good idea for file longevity either. The acids in a person's sweat and body oils can harm a file as I've learned from a few veteran machinists over the years.
I just tap the end of the file on the side of the bar after each cutter and that's sufficient enough. The file does leave little pecker marks in the bars paint but that doesn't bother me, only shows how often I touch up my chain :D
Some of my bars have unpainted noses which are nice to tap on. ;)

[Al_Smith]

In addition to that it's not a good idea to wipe the file with a finger  then pick your nose .Rather abrasive so to speak .

Good thread though, many aspects concerning the subject of filing a chain .From file and joints to tooth brushes ,compressed air .No mention yet of an ultrasonic cleaner though . ???

[SawTroll]

You're kidding, right? IMO, it's very, very good. As evidenced by file longevity- my files last for too many sharpenings to count. You can overthink things, or obsess.

No blast of compressed air after each tooth? No surgical scrub?  :

NO, I was not kidding.

[Al_Smith]

Now comes the big question .Exactly what does the Yank do with his finger and what does Niko do with his tooth brush after the filing is done ? Inquiring minds want to know . ;D

[Maine logger88]

I just tap the tip of the file on the side of the bar like Holman said and every once in awhile I will rub it on my shirt sleeve too get a little more off then when it gets dull I chuck it in the scrap bucket and put a new one on.

[husky2100]

Try using a bigger file like a 1/4 inch round file

[OntarioAl]

Folks
If the saw is only making fine and not grabbing (with the excessive clearance).
Then your cutting angles are out of whack, Saw chains are engineered to get optimum performance when they are filed according to the manufactures specs for the specific style\model of chain.
http://www.oregonproducts.com/pdfs/FilingAngles.pdf
The link shows the filing angles for Oregon chains.
Hope this  helps
Al

[John Mc]

... Saw chains are engineered to get optimum performance when they are filed according to the manufactures specs for the specific style\model of chain.
http://www.oregonproducts.com/pdfs/FilingAngles.pdf
The link shows the filing angles for Oregon chains.

Good article, and the chain does cut well when sharpened to those specs.

Unfortunately, Oregon chains new out of the box don't seem to have Oregon's specified angles on them these days. In particular, the 73 LPX and LGX I've been buying comes with WAY too much hook on the tooth -- they are no where near the 60˚ shown for angle C in the diagram. (If it were hand-filed, I'd say that someone dropped their file down too low.)  It makes for an aggressive chain right out of the box, but with that narrow beak on the point, it doesn't stay sharp long. It also is very grabby when bore cutting.  It's a pain in the neck until I've refiled it.

I've checked the depth gauge settings on a couple of new chains, and found some chains shallower than the specified .025" as well.  I don't know if they do this to help counter the aggressiveness of the extra hook noted above, or what.

(Pet peeve of mine with Oregon. I do like their chains, I just wish they'd go back to the way they used to sharpen them.)