Sharpen chain saw?

[PTRich]

I hate using dull chains, they are dangerous and make you over work the saw. I have a Husky 262 and a 272. When I cut I start with both saws fully fueled and fresh chains. I bought a grinder for doing chains from northern tool, it works very well and quickly. I have a lot of chains and bring fresh ones with me when I cut. When the chains are dull on both saws I change both. While this works good for me I have friends that think I am crazy. They sharpen there chains buy hand, some with guides, some with out. They only take the chain off when they can not sharpen it by hand anymore. If you do sharpen your chains buy hand the key is to do it at the first sign of dulling. The good thing about a hand file is in most cases the chain will last longer. A grinder nocks quit a bit of material off and if you do it to fast you can over heat the teeth and do some damage.

Good Luck PTRich

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

James(woody)
I get confused easily and more so every day/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif When I said front to back, I was talking about the direction of the file on the tooth. The sequence I follow on the teeth is those closest to the power head, working towards the tip, and yes don't drag the file back and forth across the tooth. I have a friend that has worked in the woods all his working life as a topper. He once free climbed a big Doug Fir to 120 feet before he could get his safety line around the thing. He files his chains back to front (trailing edge to cutting edge). When I asked him why he said "cuss" thats it.
Al

 

[Henry]

I agree with Woody. That's the way my Daddy taught me to sharpen chains.... back to front with a steady angle.

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Henry,
You sound like my friend with the "cuss' answer/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif, but I think you are also correct.
I did a quick search and found this rig Grandberg File Looks to me like it's back to front. You, Woody and the rest of the free world have it right and I've been doing it wrong or at least non-optimum./w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif
Al

 

[jdkid]

Hi ya
Ihad one like that years ago bit fiddly tho i use a file for day to day touch ups and have a 12V grinder to get the cutters back in shape every now and then or drop it into the shop to do the leaders and sharpen it back to true spec's .one thing we used to do was lean the saw bar over a log on a angle so the angle of cut was =to the ground then file flat to ground each cutter has the same angle on it that way
catch ya
JD Kid

 

[fishman]

Phred,

Someone posted this link a while back http://www.baileys-online.com

I just received their catalog this week and it's a good one, entertaining as well. There are several types of sharpeners available. As an aside, they also have good prices on chaps. I am going to take everyone's advice an buy a pair/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I have had good luck sharpening with a bar-mount filing tool, and taking the chain to the saw guy occasionally to true it up. Saw chains will last a while with this method.