Chainsaw chain sharpening.......

[Oldpath05]

Time to update this thread title...........Wondering on how far do people file their chainsaw chain rakers down, most likely if one has a big saw the rakers or clearer's or what ever you call them, can be a little more. Last week on my Echo I notice it wasn't cutting very good after sharpening so I check the rakers with flat file, lay it from tooth-tooth and couldn't even get a piece of paper in between that and the raker.

So I looked for the feeler gauge and couldn't find that, so then I looked for a red-neck feeler gauge, found it and cut a piece aluminum flashing, I went by one thickness-ish, one piece slides easy, two slides hard, I might have to go by two sliding easy, I know I would on my 550xp but my Echo 501p I'll have to try it first before I take the rakers down more. This should get me by til I find or buy a feeler gauge.

 

[PILOON]

I simply eyeball and lower them from time to time.
I do so generally when the chips become more like sawdust.
In soft woods I find I can have them quite low but pay the price when I cut maple or other hard woods.
Also your saw's power is a factor, more power the lower the rakers cab be.
One caution to beware of is that a very low raker can help introduce kickback especially if undercutting.

 

[4570Man]

I’ve never checked them with an actual measurement. I just hit them a quick touch on the bench grinder. How far do you guys sharpen a chain down? I’ve heard people say that the the last little bit of the chain tooth is the best but my experience has been the opposite. I find that past half used they don’t sharpen as good anymore. They just don’t take as good of an edge IMO, but on top of that the cutters wear and turn full chisel chains into semi chisel.

 

[fruitcakesa]

I sharpen them till the grinder will no longer will cut without hitting a drive link.
The rakers get lowered more, the smaller the tooth. That steel costs money

 

[YLee Kioti]

I bought the Sthil sharpener, one for the CS490 and one for the pole/limber trimmer/pruner....
Carry a Rigid container with collapsible handle on the front bucket. The container has everything I can think of for field work. hatchet, Sthil sharpeners, wedges, bar oil wrenches, gloves etc.
Cut a few tress, drink water sharpen chain, more water cut again until too whooped to continue....
Often wonder when does the chain get replaced though.
The Sthil tool sharpens and file the rake so it all wears pretty even.
Got bout 120 hackberry tree on the original chain and being cheap, if it still cuts then it gets used till there's no metal to sharpen....?
Hmmm you more seasoned guys tell me....
How's that for a polite way of saying one you ol farts chime in here....

 

[Molalla1]

I bought the Sthil sharpener, one for the CS490 and one for the pole/limber trimmer/pruner....
Carry a Rigid container with collapsible handle on the front bucket. The container has everything I can think of for field work. hatchet, Sthil sharpeners, wedges, bar oil wrenches, gloves etc.
Cut a few tress, drink water sharpen chain, more water cut again until too whooped to continue....
Often wonder when does the chain get replaced though.
The Sthil tool sharpens and file the rake so it all wears pretty even.
Got bout 120 hackberry tree on the original chain and being cheap, if it still cuts then it gets used till there's no metal to sharpen....?
Hmmm you more seasoned guys tell me....
How's that for a polite way of saying one you ol farts chime in here....

:laughing: . . . old fart here . . . I just buy a new chain from my Stihl dealer and he sharpens the old chain for me . . . (kind of for free) I buy all my Stihl equipment from him, I have quite a bit of it . . .

 

[4570Man]

I sharpen them till the grinder will no longer will cut without hitting a drive link.
The rakers get lowered more, the smaller the tooth. That steel costs money

Burning more gas and wasting more time to do the same job isn’t free either.

 

[Oldpath05]

I took 2 swipes with a flat chainsaw file, regular flat files can file on the side so if one used that might end up hitting the just sharpen tooth.

 

[jaxs]

More than one woodcutter has told me they buy chain by the foot and replace rather than sharpen. Claim they loose money spending time sharpening that could be spent cutting. I can't argue since I can't cut enough wood to make a living either way.

 

[goeduck]

More than one woodcutter has told me they buy chain by the foot and replace rather than sharpen. Claim they loose money spending time sharpening that could be spent cutting. I can't argue since I can't cut enough wood to make a living either way.

Probably told to you by woodcutters that can not sharpen a sawchain if they had to. For those of us who watch our money, it would be foolish to toss a brand new chain when it was simply dull. Would they buy a new chainsaw when it runs out if fuel? A sawchain can be sharpened many times over.