Chain sharpening...teach me.

[metalspinner]

Well,
I just bought a new chain for the saw.  I have about five of them in rotation at the chainsaw shop getting sharpened when neccesary.

So, anyway, I just bought a new one and man, did that thing cut great.  Which disappoints me because I've been paying these guy's to sharpen my chains and now I realize they were not doing a great job.  With the money I've paid them over the past two years, I could have bought...well, something really nice.   Is it possible to get them "factory sharp" at home?

What are ya'll favorate files and guides?  Do I need to stay clear of any particular brand or "sharpening aid"?

[sawguy21]

I use a file with the Stihl guide so I don't go too deep and start cutting the tie straps. Just give ieach cutter a few strokes as soon as the chips start to shrink in size, the chain will stay sharp and last a lot longer. Hard to find a shop that has someone who knows how and will take the time to use a grinder properly.

[Gary_C]

I cut with a harvester and sharpen only with an Oregon grinder. Filing by hand is just not an option because of numbers, time, and the amount of damage I can do to a chain.

The first thing you must do is get the top angle exactly the same on both sides of the chain or it will seem dull when it actually is not. The second thing to remember is to set your rakers down lower as you grind more off the teeth. I have never had a saw shop set the rakers down unless I insisted, and now I would not let them as most will not do a good job. I normally set my rakers slightly lower than specs. It is slightly more dangerous on a chain saw, not a harvester, but that is why I will not let anyone use my saws. You really have to know what you are doing if you do much bore cutting with more clearance for the rakers.

Another thing is it's difficult to switch between machine sharpening and hand filing because most machines do not have their wheel dressed properly or if they grind too deep.

To answer your question, yes you can sharpen better than factory if you know what you are doing.

[beenthere]

Learn to sharpen by hand and you will have chains sharper than factory or ones from a grinder wheel. Choice be yours.  

[Sprucegum]

Sounds like you have 5 chains that have already paid for themselves.
Pick one to practice on, compare it to your new one and to your other old ones. Get the right size file and try to make the teeth look the same as they do on your new one, making allowance for the wear that has already happened.

When you think you are close throw it on your saw and see how it cuts - no so good? File some more til you get it right.

  what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon?   

[metalspinner]

Is filing best done on the saw.  Can it be filed off the saw?

Also, are chainsaw files designed to sharpen on the push stroke only?  Do I need a flat file as well?

[Ianab]

Is filing best done on the saw.  Can it be filed off the saw?

In the field it's easiest to do it on the saw. In the shop you can put a spare bar in the vice and use that to hold the chain as you sharpen it.

Also, are chainsaw files designed to sharpen on the push stroke only?  Do I need a flat file as well?

Yup, they cut on the push stroke like a normal file. You will want a flat file and a depth guage to file down the rakers as the cutters wear down. You dont need to file them every time you sharpen, but they need adjusting a few times over the life of the chain.

It could be the rakers need adjusting on your old chains? If they have been ground 1/2 away and no one has filed the rakers to match it's not going to cut properly, no matter how sharp it is.

Cheers

Ian

[beenthere]

I hand file most of the time with the bar in the bench vise, which gets the chain at good filing level with good body control of file. Push stroke, not against the sharp edge (some do this but I don't). The angle is easy to keep, and a couple good strokes will put a sharp edge on a tooth that isn't roughed up by rocks, dirt, or metal. Fence wire can be rough on teeth, as well as hidden nails and staples (stay completely away from buried porcelain insulators   ).

I use a handy roller jig made by Pferd and sold by Husky. A slight amount of filing makes it fit nicely on the Stihl RS chain. The rollers keep the file at the right depth, and a handy flat plate on this jig helps set the rakers to the right depth too.

A pic.

[wampum]

you want to file or grind the chain @30 to 35 degrees and try to keep the side as straight as possible.Filing or grinding to deep will put a hook on the side.Its easy to see.If you have hit anything with the chain like steel or stone you will see a bruise on the chain this has to be ground down to eliminate the bruise,other wise the chain will not keep its edge and dull quickly. I usually file my chains @ 35 degrees for normal cutting.Your local saw shop should have a depth gage, they are easy to use,just get the right one for you chain usually .25 to.35 thousands simular to an inverted feeler gage. If your rakes are to high the chain has a hard time cutting,too short it digs in to deep.Also check your bar and grind off any edges or lips that have formed.Its also a good idea to check the bar groove to make sure it is still the correct tolerance for your chain and has not widened out.The groove should be close to your drive link thickness .50 .58 .63 ths.Iam new to the forum and this is my first post I hope that I have given you good info.Good luck and take your time 

[stonebroke]

Go to Bailey's and buy one of the rigs from Pferd that do the rakers and teeth at the same time. IT IS SWEET. You never have to worry about the rakers being to high.

[rebocardo]

All the raker guides I have seen only work on full comp and not skip.

[stonebroke]

That is true. But I assumed that metalspinner was using full comp My mistake if he is not.

[metalspinner]

Thanks everyone.  I will need to print this out  and take it to the shop tomorrow with my new file and gauges. I need to see what the saw shop has available.

The pics are a big help.

Welcome, Wampum. (say that 10 times really fast. )

I don't know what full comp is much less wether I have it or not

[stonebroke]

full comp is when the chain has its full complement of teeth, meaning all you can put on it . Skip has about 1/3 less. It is used generally on long bars where there the hp is marginally or on really long bars. Look at bailey's web site about the sharpening rig from Pferd. It made a big difference in my sharpening. Before I got it Icould not sharpen worth beans.

[treeape]

            It will take a bit to learn , i know guys that have been running saws for years and they still can not sharpen a chain. If the shop that has been grinding your chain, over heated the cutter, you will only be spinning your wheels trying to sharpen it.

          IMO I would stay away from those tools that sharpen and do the depth gauges at the same time, I have tried them and did not like them. I just use a file free hand.

          I would suggest picking up some Oregon chain, as it the softest, it is also the easiest to sharpen. I also just sharpen them right on the saw. If you put a chain on a spare bar in a vise you will need a way to keep the chain tight, then it is hard to advance. Learning to do it right on the saw is best, so you can always sharpen in the field.

       Here is a link to Oregon's site on how to sharpen a chain. Check some of the other chain manufacturers sites as they may have better instructions.  http://www.oregonchain.com/faq.htm#sharpening

[thecfarm]

Don't forget to use a marker on the chain.Real important to know where you start so you won't sharpen one that's all ready been done.Count your swipes.If you swipe twice,do that all the way around.I have a trick that really helps me.If the chainsaw is on my right I take 3 swipes,if its on my left I only take 2 swipes.Without realizing it,I take more off from one side than the other.I know some people will think I'm nuts,but it has worked for me for more than 25 years.I would sharpen the chain and it would run off on an angle.Use to drive my Father nuts.He could sharpen anything by hand and it would cut.Mine saw will cut too.I can even bring it back after hitting a rock.It does take alot of practice to get a chain right.I don't use any shapen aids because no one has never shown me how too.I just do it free hand.Around here the shops charge $6-7 to sharpen a chain.A new one can be bought for about $13.It's a lot cheaper to learn.Use a good file.When I feel they are not cutting anymore I get a new one.It's easier to put the bar in a vise.Do you know anyone that sharpen by hand.It's real easy once someone shows you how.They are classes for this too.I know the local high school had a night class for this.Check that out too.Any wood Expos coming to your area?They should offer that.

[leweee]

This might help.
Oregon Maintiance & safety manual

[Nudgewood]

Gary_C wrote:

The first thing you must do is get the top angle exactly the same on both sides of the chain or it will seem dull when it actually is not.

Yep, that's the first thing you do after making sure all teeth are the same length; you don't want one or more riding higher (or lower) than the rest. Somehow I reckon you're going to be doing a lot of measuring. And, when you're working on a chain that doesn't have your fingerprints on it, you need to decide what the 'hook-angle' is going to be; that angle formed by the cut of the file and the TopPlate of the tooth -the cutting edge. Once you've set those two on all your chains, yourself, it's just a matter of ceeping the cutting edge bright.

%<

[snowman]

Theres only one way to become a good chain sharpener, repetition.Just keep at it, after 100 chains or so I finally got the hang of it.Now i can sharpen by feel, barely even need to see what im doing which works out well since im so dang far sighted lately, its all a blur to me anyway

[gman]

Hey Beenthere,

Can you explain how you modified the Pferd jig to fit Stihl chains? If would be great if you could include some pics!

Thanks