How do I learn to sharpen a chain?

eagleknight97

eagleknight97

Location
Illinois
I have attempted to sharpen a few chains recently and none of them have been anything spectacular. They havent been worse but neither have they been much better than they were to begin with.


Is this just an acquired skill or is there something that I can read that will help or something else?

Im a very noob noob and appreciate any and all help.
 
I agree with GS, probably the best way to go is the grinder, sharpening by hand takes lots and lots of practice. If you do use a grinder maker sure you don't overheat the tooth.

Lots of info out there though so get crackin'.

Good luck to you.
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This might be the most reliable suggestion, but I've always hand-filed my chains. It's cheaper, doesn't require electricity, and can be done anywhere.

Practice. That's your answer. If you search back far enough, you can find threads to explain the specific nuts and bolts of the process, but you won't get it down until you do it wrong a few times (unless you're really lucky). Sharpen a chain and cut a log; if it cuts better, you did something right. Otherwise, try something different.
 
There are lots of sharpening myths still being told. One that sure made my wonder was that the file was supposed to be twisted as it was pushed across the tooth. This didn't make sense since most saw files already...Myth...BUSTED!

Read here:

http://www.forestapps.com/

I sold my grinder after I learned how easy it is to use the Pferd system...and cheaper too!
 
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There are lots of sharpening myths still being told. One that sure made my wonder was that the file was supposed to be twisted as it was pushed across the tooth. This didn't make sense since most saw files already...Myth...BUSTED!













Hey Tom are you sure about that?

What if you put the file in a brace?
 
I recently committed myself to filing no matter what and my saws are still cutting wood. I have only filed a couple dozen chains but feel I'm getting the hang of it. I use the guides with the little rollers. The raker has to be dealt with separately. I may try the Pferd system since I'm flying a little blind on the raker.
 
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There are lots of sharpening myths still being told. One that sure made my wonder was that the file was supposed to be twisted as it was pushed across the tooth. This didn't make sense since most saw files already...Myth...BUSTED!













Hey Tom are you sure about that?

What if you put the file in a brace?

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Duh! I had to think about that for awhile. May be a good idea though to roll the file a quarter turn before the next draw.
 
It takes practice, think of it as meditative. Don't try to rush and make sure you can look straight down on the chain. Do it in good light. Get a depth gauge for the rakers.
The Pferd system is too aggressive on the rakers for my taste. I just hand file, usually in the field. I don't do a lot of chains like a big service does though.
I actually DO twist the file but not because I was taught to, I just do it out of habit... I twist a pencil when I write or draw too. I don't know that it helps any.

Consider that what you're doing (when the tooth isn't damaged) is coarse polishing metal... maybe more like fine sanding. Not only do you want the angles right, you want a smooth finish... not obsessively smooth though.

Hold the file against the top edge of the tooth... cuz that's an important edge. If you don't, you wind up gutting links and not getting a good sharp top plate. The Pferd system excels at keeping the file from gutting.

Use good files, you'll get somewhere between 4 and 8 sharpenings out of a file depending on how rough the chains are when you sharpen'em. Throw the old ones away unless you can find a way to recycle'em. Don't let them get wet or sweaty, high carbon steel corrodes FAST.

Don't cut anything but wood and you won't need to sharpen all that much to begin with.
 
Patience grasshopper!

I have to teach hand filing to about 30 Americorps volunteers twice a year. Out of the thirty maybe 10 of them ever get the hang of it. My advice would be to not wait until the chain wont cut. Touch it up at lunch. Keep it sharp!!
 
Rotating after each stroke makes sense.

The raker file on the Pferd works fine for me. By adjusting my down pressure I can change the amount thats removed.

To me, the important part of sharpening is having just enough hook under the tooth and keeping the depth gauge/raker filed right.
 
It's so easy even a cave man can do it!

I have a Stihl USG bench grinder on chains that get 'rocked out' and touch up chains in the field with a hand file. The Pferd guides that Tom mentioned are pretty good and do the depth guides at the same time. I don't use the Pferd every time I do a touch up because they are a bit more trouble than just a file but the Pferds are worth every penny.

The Husky file guides are made by Pferd and are identical except for color.
 
Pferd... but i don't use it every time, that minimizes getting the rakers too aggressive. It will help you get a "feel" for proper angles and placement.

Also check the Forest Apps site that Tom provided a link for.
 
1 tip that will take u far is secure ur filing platform. on well lit vise u can see and 'feel' the file's cut. sharpen ur chains on the saw in a vise till their cutting better for u. its all GRAVY from there. u'll understand how the chain works and thats most of the battle. education is expensive, where ever u get it. good luck
 
PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE Thats the only way to learn. I went to work as a faller for a logging company right out of highschool and after sharpening 2-3+times a day for 31/2 years I wont even think about using a grinder. One thing to pay attention to is to keep the same angle all the way through the stroke. Most people I've taught have a tendency to curve the stroke. Good luck and use a good file.
 
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Pferd... but i don't use it every time, that minimizes getting the rakers too aggressive. It will help you get a "feel" for proper angles and placement.

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ditto. handfiled for years, practice practice makes for improvement. agreed that it's easy to hit the depth guages to hard w/pferd, but like eric says using the pferd every other time or so corrects this as does modifying downward pressure like tom said. best pferd tip is use two hands, one on each end of the thing, and draw the files across rather than pushing down.

now, getting my crew to sharpen the saws they've dulled when i'm not on the jobsite is another thing...best of intentions i'm sure but the thing is if it's dull i will stop work and sharpen it, so why wouldn't they just wait for that? (sorry for the brief derail)
 
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Or you could just sit back, relax and let it all happen.......

Grindomatic V12

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I think that's about $2200 if I converted pound to dollars right. And it looks like it takes off a lot of metal.

I use a file and do a damn good job if I say so myself, except for our power pruner, I can't do them very good for some reason. We have a vice bolted to our chipper, I hate on the rare occassion we don't have our chipper with us and I need to sharpen a chain. We where doing a job at a large nursey/ landscape supply store and I was sharpening our saw in their shop(didn't have our chipper, they were doing clean up). One of their guys came in and asked if I wanted to use their grider, I told him I didn't know how to use it and asked if he could show me, he didn't know either! I would have liked to compared the cutting performance of a machine sharpened one vs a my hand sharpened one(on a used chain).

If the file isn't cutting good, get a new one. A beat file won't put a very good edge on a chain, it may make it better, but not great.
 
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