saw chain

[Webb Willmott]

Normally I would agree with you but it’s beyond my ability to bring it back and if it shortens the life by half, I’m ok with that. It’s not that an expensive thing and right now, it’s useless.

 

[Kevin Jenness]

One thing NOT to do - take it to a sharpening service. They will usually set their machine to sharpen the shortest tooth then run them all, wasting much good steel. Just sharpen the worst teeth separately, only as much as needed, and it won't matter if they are shorter than the others. This can be done with a file or a bit in a dremel, etc.

Of course, you prob know all this.

JKJ

If you take this course, save time and leave the damaged teeth alone. They won't do any more work sharp and shorter than the rest of the teeth than if you leave them dull. For an optimally sharp and productive chain grind all the teeth to the same depth, just as you would with a damaged handsaw or circular saw blade. Don't forget to file the depth limiters. Just my $.02.

Carbide is more resistant to abrasion yet more brittle than steel, won't take as acute an edge, and is more expensive. Better for dirty or silica-rich wood but worse for nails, screws, ceramic insulators and other such crap.

 

[John K Jordan]

If you take this course, just save time and leave the damaged teeth alone. They won't do any more work sharp and shorter than the rest of the teeth than if you leave them dull. For an optimally sharp and productive chain grind all the teeth to the same depth, just as you would with a damaged handsaw or circular saw blade. Don't forget to file the depth limiters. Just my $.02.

That's good advice in general. I do think it depends somewhat on what you cut and just how many teeth are shorter and whether the short ones are all in the same spot or spaced out on the chain (maybe from the saw bouncing when it hit steel). I'm usually not trying to cut large and straight cuts but cleaning up small limbs and downed trees and limbs around the farm. I very often have some teeth shorter than others from repairing damage but haven't noticed any detriment. It would be interesting to try two saws side by side with different states of unevenness. I suspect the biggest difference would be the aggressiveness of the cut.

I'm sure you know this but in case someone else doesn't: the biggest detriment to a good cut is reducing the length of the teeth by sharpening but without considering the height of the depth gauges. Since the teeth are angled downward, f the gauges are not shortened as needed, the saw will cut poorly or even quit cutting completely. There's a so-called professional sharpening service here and the guy doesn't even know about shortening them - when it won't cut they just tell the customer the chain is worn out and sell him a new chain.

I have a depth gauge test tool (lots of options on Amazon) but can usually judge them by eye with a straight edge. The chain mfgrs recommend filing them but forget that - a small cylindrical stone in a dremel is a lot quicker. Making them too short will make the saw more aggressive and could be dangerous to some.

JKJ

 

[Nate Hawkes]

Oh good, easily sharpened then. I've sharpened chains a lot of ways but my favorite way is a bench-mounted chainsaw grinder. I've had two, first a cheap one. Get a good one.

I've sharpened for many people and they often tell me the saw is sharper than it's ever been. If you chainsaw a lot it may be worth the investment.

One thing NOT to do - take it to a sharpening service. They will usually set their machine to sharpen the shortest tooth then run them all, wasting much good steel. Just sharpen the worst teeth separately, only as much as needed, and it won't matter if they are shorter than the others. This can be done with a file or a bit in a dremel, etc.

Of course, you prob know all this.

JKJ

Ditto this. Northern tool has a cheap copy around $100 of the Oregon brand $500+ grinder. you have to be a little careful with the cutter adjustments, but it puts a better edge than any file ever could!!

 

[Webb Willmott]

Best 10 bucks I ever spent. He took off1/32” and its factory sharp.

 

[Thomas Wilson]

Sorry, this may be a dumb question….Before woodturning I had never used a chainsaw, but over the last few years I’ve used mine quite a bit (after having my experienced father in law teach me safety and proper safety gear as well as watching a lot of forester videos on youtube) but it always takes me forever to cut large logs, even with a freshly sharpened chain. I have been using the Stihl 2-in-1 sharpener and I think it works well but maybe for ripping cuts it’s not ideal. Anyone else use this?



A man near me just cut down a bunch of cottonwood that is 30” in diameter yesterday and told me to take what I want but It was taking forever to cut with a freshly sharpened chain. As I said, I wondered about my sharpener but also after reading this thread I wonder if my saw has a safety chain on it or if this sharpener sharpens like a safety chain with higher rake (I use a Stihl ms 391 with a 25” bar). Can I just file down the rake separately or would it be better to just buy a new chain/sharpener? I was going to buy a second chain anyways, but I’m curious if my current chain is still fine to use with modified sharpening?

Any specific recommendations are appreciated.

Thx, tom

 

[John K Jordan]

I use a gauge and always file down the rake (depth gauge) when needed after several shapenings, actually hit it with a wheel on a Dremel as I mentioned earlier. I prefer the chain more aggressive than not - this does require constant awareness. Without reducing the depth gauges all chains will eventually quit cutting. One store near here took advantage of that and just told people their chains were worn out and sold them new chains.

I don't buy the green marked safety chains.

Ripping chains are different and sharpened entirely differently from crosscut chains. Some people keep two saws. There is much written and video info on the net about the differences.

My chains went from acceptable to incredibly sharp and was much quicker when I went from hand filing to a good sharpening machine. I've sharpened for friends who told me later their saw cut better then ever before.

Having a manual sharpener out in the woods is helpful. I think even more helpful is taking a second sharp chain. Or better, a second bar with a sharp chain - that's great if you ever get get the bar pinched or bound in the cut. Simply take off the head, mount the second bar, then cut the first one loose. And I always carry plastic wedges - they are an amazing help at at time.

The more safety knowledge, the better, of course. I started by reading the little book "The Good Woodcutters Guide" by Dave Johnson. Tells lots of ways to get hurt or killed with trees and chainsaws. How can one protect from something he doesn't even know about?

JKJ

 

[Thomas Wilson]

I use a gauge and always file down the rake (depth gauge) when needed after several shapenings, actually hit it with a wheel on a Dremel as I mentioned earlier. I prefer the chain more aggressive than not - this does require constant awareness. Without reducing the depth gauges all chains will eventually quit cutting. One store near here took advantage of that and just told people their chains were worn out and sold them new chains.

I don't buy the green marked safety chains.

Ripping chains are different and sharpened entirely differently from crosscut chains. Some people keep two saws. There is much written and video info on the net about the differences.

My chains went from acceptable to incredibly sharp and was much quicker when I went from hand filing to a good sharpening machine. I've sharpened for friends who told me later their saw cut better then ever before.

Having a manual sharpener out in the woods is helpful. I think even more helpful is taking a second sharp chain. Or better, a second bar with a sharp chain - that's great if you ever get get the bar pinched or bound in the cut. Simply take off the head, mount the second bar, then cut the first one loose. And I always carry plastic wedges - they are an amazing help at at time.

The more safety knowledge, the better, of course. I started by reading the little book "The Good Woodcutters Guide" by Dave Johnson. Tells lots of ways to get hurt or killed with trees and chainsaws. How can one protect from something he doesn't even know about?

JKJ

Thanks John. My sharpener is supposed to file the rakes simultaneously when sharpening but I wondered if it would be better to file them further separately, though after reading on the internet several places, it should be sufficient and I’d rather play it safe than get dangerously aggressive.