Feather Filing a Silky Hayate 6.5 pole saw blade

I've done Hayate blades and Sugoi blades several times... One thing that I found really helps is moving the blade in the vise so it is always being held where you are filing. If you get out over the end, the blade isn't stable enough to get a good smooth pass.
 
islandarb said:
That is a lot of patience going on here. Good on you.
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Boconnor303 said:
How long start to finish do you think?
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I'm retired and patience is easier these days.
I spent almost exactly an hour on it but I took my time. I'm sitting in our kitchen/great room and a little close to the wood stove playing a series of Nick Drake songs on the computer, so it's not so bad.


ATH said:
I've done Hayate blades and Sugoi blades several times... One thing that I found really helps is moving the blade in the vise so it is always being held where you are filing. If you get out over the end, the blade isn't stable enough to get a good smooth pass.
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Yes, it is very important to move the blade to keep it supported. The blade wants to vibrate with the file if not supported. Plus my seating, light and arm positions give me a sweet spot of only about 8 inches. The saw vice is 9.25 inches wide.


27RMT0N said:
I'll be honest, I bought the special file to sharpen mine.... and it's been sitting in the box ever since.
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I just bought the file a week ago. Your eyes are likely younger than mine (65) but I don't need glasses. IMO I couldn't do a good job without the 3X magnifier glasses I'm wearing. I also wear the 3X glasses for hand filing round and square ground Stihl chain saw chains. I've grown dependent on them. I can see the steel fines flying off of the saw chain and I like that. Not the best though if one is prone to motion sickness.


flushcut said:
Love the saw vise!
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Thank you. It an old Sargent & Co model 95 saw vice.


ATH said:
10 min +/-
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You rascal. :)

I spent an even hour. I took 4 passes. One pass each side of the blade to file the larger, lower sides of each tooth. And one pass each side to hit the little 'tri cut' portion of the very tip of each tooth. Some of the little tri cut tips were fairly worn. I also tried to hit the very bottom of the teeth filing just a little into the solid part of the blade. That's were the feather file really comes in because it is very easy to hit and damage the tooth face on the other side when full depth.
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I bought three files. The one with the wooden handle is the one I used in the photos($20 or so, Japan). The other two have yet to be used and were about $10 each I believe(China). The one with the red handle is a diamond file.

Feather Files 003.JPG
 
I used the Silky brand file. Maybe 10 min is a stretch? Haven't timed myself and EVERYTHING takes longer than I think it does. But I don't think I spend 20 min. First time through was certainly slower. But I did one pass on each of the side (2 passes, if you count down one way and back the other). Probably not a precise as what you did... Usually 3-4 swipes.
 
dspacio said:
I have been thinking about doing this lately. the Sugoi is at a point where it's lost an edge but it's not quite calling me to replace this one yet.
For how much love I have for Silkys I should look for a good file.
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If I had known Lee valley had them, I'd have probably bought it there instead of buying the Silky brand one for $10 more...but the Silky brand works well.

 
I have been getting away with just filing the tip edge. so a few strokes at the most per tooth, really sped things up. You could most likely do it with small flat file just have to see what will fit.
Did 6 blades with one file and probably get a few more.
Total time mb just under 2 hours. 3 hayauchi and 3 sugi
 
I noticed maybe a slight hollow grind on the large face of the teeth. I don't know if that could be caused by the 'set' of the teeth being bent into the steel or if the tool that did the sharpening by design makes a slight hollow grind. Running the feather file makes the hollow evident on most teeth but on some teeth not so much.

Hitting just the tri cut tip is a pretty quick process compared to hitting the larger side edge of the tooth. On the larger side edge off the teeth I can see where the file has ground and can tell if I am flat on that face. On the tip if you are off on the angle some it's very hard to see. The actual angle formed on the tip may not be ultra critical. I still haven't cut with the one I sharpened the other day. I will soon though and report. If I'd though ahead I could have tried some 'timed' cuts taking cookies off of the same limb before and after. Now all l have to go with is my highly subjective gut feeling.
 
ATH said:
I used the Silky brand file. Maybe 10 min is a stretch? Haven't timed myself and EVERYTHING takes longer than I think it does. But I don't think I spend 20 min. First time through was certainly slower. But I did one pass on each of the side (2 passes, if you count down one way and back the other). Probably not a precise as what you did... Usually 3-4 swipes.
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18 minutes to do a Silky Hayate 6.5 blade today. That includes brushing the gunk out between the teeth with a brass bristle wire brush before starting...
 
I have used the Hayate since sharpening and it was well worth the time spent.

I've had good results with a Fanno handsaw blade, too.

Next up is a tool for setting tooth set.
 
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