How often to sharpen.

[dodge man]

How often do you sharpen your chain? I find I usually need to sharpen mine after every 1 or 2 tanks of gas. Sometimes I just touch it up with a file, while sometimes I use my electric sharpner. Is this too often?

 

[rdln]

Every other tank seems to be the standard.

 

[/pine]

It really depends on what you're cutting...

Guy's that have never tried to cut something like a 'Queen Palm' (Cocus Plumosa) would not know what to think...

If you've never done it you would think you were cutting into a hunk of metal...the viens in the trunk of the palm are big enough to allow fine grains of sand with water which make them (palms) notorious with tree cutters for destroying chains...a new chain will be dull before the first cut is complete on older larger trees...

in the same respect the bark of most other trees will contain some solid minerals and is often harder on chains than the core wood...

 

[westbrooklawn]

Assuming you haven't hit any dirt, rocks, or metal in the wood, every other tank of gas will work very well.

 

[20 20]

I don't bother with a time frame so to speak{every gas fill or every other etc}. Different wood and different circumstances cause different ways of wearing. I'd rather touch them up to much then not enough. A dull chain can raise cain with a bar causing premature wear.

 

[studor]

How often do you sharpen your chain?

When it gets dull??
Seriously I look at the chain everytime I stop to fill the saw -- you can feel a dull chain when cutting but the frequency of sharpening is dependant upon what you are cutiing and what you hit. This weekend I was cutting old piles of cedar -- ran though about three tanks of gas and did not have touch the chain. Weekend before that was cutting ironwood (Hop Hornbeam) --- sharpened every tank

 

[SPYDERLK]

Feel the chain teeth [both sides] with the back of your fingernail. When it wont grab your nail sharpen it.
larry

 

[beenthere]

I sharpen (touch up with the file) after every tank, regardless.

I find the "touch" test doesn't tell much.
Take a look at the edges of the teeth with a 10x hand lens after sharpening, and again after a tank of fuel. You will see the difference quickly, even when good clean cutting with no dirt on the logs.

A good edge makes for great cutting.

But I've noticed over the years, that different sharpness is ok for different folks. But I'll go with more strokes.

 

[20 20]

I'd also like to add, if your having to force/work the saw through the wood it is dull. My saw is running correct and properly sharpened when it basically cuts under its own weight. You should be able to set the saw on the wood and it will dig in and cut. If you're applying pressure then IMO it is dull.

 

[MMagis]

I'd also like to add, if your having to force/work the saw through the wood it is dull. My saw is running correct and properly sharpened when it basically cuts under its own weight. You should be able to set the saw on the wood and it will dig in and cut. If you're applying pressure then IMO it is dull.

That's my rule of thumb, if I have to force it, it's dull. Also, you can look at the chips and tell if it needs touched up. If it's making something closer to saw dust than wood chips, it's dull.