Chainsaw sharpening

[Wlmedley]

I guess old age is catching up with me.I have owned a chainsaw since my mother bought me a small Poulan when I was 14 years old.I learned how to sharpen it and keep it running.I've had several saws since then and never had a problem keeping them cutting straight.My current saw is a husky 372 that I've had many years started cutting crooked.Chain about 1/2 worn out.Although I always keep a new chain I was to stubborn to put it on.I tried sharpening side that was cutting slow.Didn't help.Amazon somehow knows what I am interested in and a Oregon sharpening kit showed up on my IPad.It was only 18 dollars so I took a chance.Tried it out today and the results were excellent.Stuck saw in a white oak log and cut perfectly straight.Don't know if I can't see anymore or to weak to hold file at right angle but this cheap little kit really helped me.

[DHansen]

The kit in the red roll pouch?

[Wlmedley]

That's the one  :laugh:

[Walnut Beast]

A cordless Dremel with the angle guide and stones works amazing. Take a marker and put a dot where I start and go 

 

[sawguy21]

The Oregon sharpening kit is a great tool, it helped me cure some bad habits. ;D

[sablatnic]

When I started having problems, I bought a pair of 3$ glasses - helped immensely. 
Now I have several pairs of different strengths lying where I need them.

[Spike60]

My sharpening skills seem greatly enhanced since last week's cataract surgery.

[axeman2021]

I agree the cataract surgery surly will help, also i found a lot has to do with how well you are able to hold the flile keeping at the corect angle is important.

I have had great luck using a Stihl 2&1 system.

[kantuckid]

Unless I hit a rock, I tend to file freehand 3-4 times then use my Jolly, Italian elec shop sharpener to spec the chains back to spot on. 
When I was building our log home, circa 1979, my saw had to be sharp to build with and I used the round stones in a guide which worked OK, but they do glaze fairly easy given they are so small. My shop sharpener I use a diamond grinding wheel dresser as it also loads a bit from oil off the chain. Chain files do vary in their ability to satisfy me, some are pricey enough, come from places you'd think made the best ones, etc., but just don't cut well, others I like a lot. Hard to judge one until you pick it up and file. 
If you remember Herter's who sold gun related items years ago, I have a jeweler's file set from them that exceeds my Swiss jewelers file set.
 

[WV Sawmiller]

   I use the 12V dremel tool type sharpener made by Oregon. Sthil makes a good one but Oregon is better. Sthil requires use of their special thread stones while Oregon uses any stone, even those from Sthil. The biggest plus for Oregon is the switch is on the side of the tool and allows for one handed operation. On the Sthil the switch is in the cord so you have to hold with one hand and turn it on and off with the other. They both have a little angle guide on the tool and you just touch each tooth from left to right as appropriate. A couple of seconds then move to the next tooth. It works great in the woods. When the chain gets dull or you nick a rock or such you just hook to your truck or ATV and sharpen the chain on the saw.

[Wlmedley]

Wondering how much the stones are and how long they last.Was sharpening my bandsaw blades with a Dremal but was lucky to get one band sharpened per stone and stone was about $5.00.

[Walnut Beast]

  I use the 12V dremel tool type sharpener made by Oregon. Sthil makes a good one but Oregon is better. Sthil requires use of their special thread stones while Oregon uses any stone, even those from Sthil. The biggest plus for Oregon is the switch is on the side of the tool and allows for one handed operation. On the Sthil the switch is in the cord so you have to hold with one hand and turn it on and off with the other. They both have a little angle guide on the tool and you just touch each tooth from left to right as appropriate. A couple of seconds then move to the next tooth. It works great in the woods. When the chain gets dull or you nick a rock or such you just hook to your truck or ATV and sharpen the chain on the saw.

Absolutely! I bet you wouldn't go back to a hand file

[Walnut Beast]

Wondering how much the stones are and how long they last.Was sharpening my bandsaw blades with a Dremal but was lucky to get one band sharpened per stone and stone was about $5.00.

The Dremel pack is 6 bucks for three different sizes in one pack. They seem to last quite awhile 

[Wlmedley]

Wondering how much the stones are and how long they last.Was sharpening my bandsaw blades with a Dremal but was lucky to get one band sharpened per stone and stone was about $5.00.

The Dremel pack is 6 bucks for three different sizes in one pack. They seem to last quite awhile

Thanks for the information.I'll check about getting some.

[Walnut Beast]

Wondering how much the stones are and how long they last.Was sharpening my bandsaw blades with a Dremal but was lucky to get one band sharpened per stone and stone was about $5.00.

The Dremel pack is 6 bucks for three different sizes in one pack. They seem to last quite awhile

Thanks for the information.I'll check about getting some.

 

[moodnacreek]

While I don't have the patience for all the chainsaw filing toys and still file by eye I must say you can't beat a jig for accuracy.

[hedgerow]

For me I just change chains and take them back to the shop and use the grinder. I don't seem to have the patience for filing. When FIL was still alive he could file free hand like no other. Have one buddy that uses the 12V Dremel and that works well for him. One of my firewood helpers moved to a acreage 10 or 12 years ago and I give him a 041 Stihl and a 2 in 1 file sharpener and it really like it. He had never sharpen a chain prior to having it. 

[WV Sawmiller]

  I think a pack of 3 stones is $5-$6 and I get 10-12 sharpenings of my 84 tooth chain (42 teeth per to sharpen) out of each stone.

  I was never very good with a file and always sharpened one side more than the other, even with the guide, so my saw would start to curve in the cut. Using the guide on the tool  I just touch each tooth a couple of seconds and move to the next tooth and the chain cuts well and straight every time. I nearly wear the teeth off a chain before I use up the stone.

  I find it is much faster and easier to just sharpen the chain on the bar than swapping out with a newly sharpened chain.

   I have not tried the diamond tipped stones yet but I bet they are the cat's meow.

[Al_Smith]

The only time I use a "Dremel " type is on a rocked chain .On that it makes quick work of a damaged cutter I must say .Everybody with a file finds a method that best suites them which can vary .I go over the top ,left,right, left etc .Some do all the rights then all the lefts .Whatever works .One guy on here sits the saw on his lap and seems to do good that way .I get the same results, on a log, in a vise or on the tail gate of a pick up truck . Old school works for me .

[rusticretreater]

I wrestled with various methods and finally settled on one.  First I will simply file sharpen a new chain a few times until it starts to underperform.  Then I use a motorized chainsaw sharpener to put a new edge on the tooth and gullet.  This restores the tooth angle and removes chipped edges.  Following that I use the Husq file tool that has the tooth file and the raker file in one set(2 in 1) and give it a few strokes pulling up slightly on the last stroke or two to put a hook on the tooth.  I do turn the saw around when doing the second set of teeth to keep my strokes on left and right teeth consistent. I also tend to rotate the file to keep it from loading up while filing.

[Big_eddy]

They are not for everyone, but I use the Husky guide almost exclusively. Keeps the angles and depth consistent. I have an Oregon chain grinder, but can't remember the last time I ground a chain with it. We cut 75 cord of firewood a year and I usually sharpen each tank. 
Very occasionally I will free file at the pile if I hit some grit on a log and don't want to walk back to the shop to sharpen in the vise.

I got 78 cord out of the chain pictured. 2-3 more sharpenings after that picture was taken.


 

[Wlmedley]

That's what I like to see.Looks like you got your money's worth out of that chain  :laugh:

[Al_Smith]

FWIW when the tip of the cutter is almost to the point of the last rivet is the fastest that chain will cut .

[moodnacreek]

I also file every fill up even if it is just one stroke per tooth.

[Walnut Beast]

I got a Stihl 2 in 1 sharpener but they didn't have one for the 404 chain so I found these guys. It's made in Germany 🇩🇪. And may be the same company. They have various sizes and a bar dressing stone that I have on the way that looks to be pretty nice and on sale. They also carry some interesting diesel and hydraulic additives for keeping them dry and contaminated hydraulic problems

https://centerlinedistribution.com/pferd-chain-saw-accessories/cs-x-chain-sharp-7-32-for-404-chain-with-free-replacement-files/