Just as I began chainsawing all my new yard juniper into stovewood, I ran into a problem I had hoped would hold off a bit: My single chain went “burn through the wood” dull. Unfortunately it’s a smaller size than the few I have left for the Husqvarna. Still determined not to see if resurrecting the Husky was a viable option, and being absolutely worthless at freehand saw chain filing, I did something probably silly: I sent away for a sharpening gadget.
The jig fits the bar and chain well enough but the rotary rasps that came with it in place of real chain files were not filling me with any confidence. I couldn’t take off enough metal to put edges on the upper surfaces, and without that the thing wasn’t going to cut well.
Having gone over the whole chain in hopes of being wrong I took the saw back outside…
…where my suspicions were confirmed. It didn’t cut any better after the “sharpening” than it had before. No worse, but that wasn’t much help.
I know where I can get chain files, so I guess I’ll get some and see if this jig will work with them. Maybe it’s at least good for setting cutting angles.
After years of file, drill/rasp and/0r dremel filing, I got one of these…
https://www.harborfreight.com/electric-chainsaw-sharpener-63803.html
No affiliation… it’s definitely not the best, but…
Worth every penny. I cut oak and mesquite, so it gets a pretty regular workout. You just have to remember to hit the rakers every once in a while.
Electric chain saw sharpeners are for people who have no idea how a chain saw works nor the first clue about how to sharpen a chain, and their primary purpose is to make money for the people selling electric chain saw sharpeners.
The proper diameter sharp file (don’t just toss bare files in the drawer together, they’ll dull each other), something to hold the bare chain stable (bench vise of some kind), and good enough eyesight to recognize *approximately* the correct angle – and maintain that angle consistently with each file stroke – is all one needs.
Pro Tip: cutter teeth on a chain alternate betweeen left and right (and, yes, there are people who do not understand that).
Sometimes, after a number of sharpenings, a flat smooth file to lower the height of the raker (some refer to it as “depth guide”) about .010″-.015″ is necessary (FYI, flat files come in Bastard (coarse), Smooth, and 2nd cut (fine); smooth is slower but produces a finer surface, 2nd cut will make it still smoother but will cut a lot slower).
Worst case, adjust the bar to tighten the chain, clamp the bar with a C-clamp to hold it steady, and a pickup tailgate can get the job done. Do not forget to loosen the chain tension after sharpening, though.
A cheap Goodwill-store bench vise bolted to a piece of plywood or 2X12 makes the job easier once the chain is removed from the saw.
Chainsaw rakers should be filed to ~.025” from the top of the teeth; much less than that & will get sawdust, not chips. Gauges for this can be had for <$10 on amazon. Make sure you have the correct file for the cutter, & maintain the 25-30 degree angle on the tooth face. Good luck!
y’all are purists and that’s great, but I do just fine with my cheapass harbor freight dremel and this 100 piece assortment dremel stone grinding bits from amazon
perfect? Naw.
Quick and easy? You Bet!
and useful for other projects also.
The best of the bunch of sharpeners that I’ve ever used are the ones from STIHL. I have one of these for my 16-inch bar STIHL chainsaw.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1KfZvJCheE
The last time my 16” chainsaw needed sharpening, I broke down and ordered 3 chains for $30 from Amazon. I realize that’s heresy, but it was quick, very easy, and perfectly sharp.