About Chain Saw Sharpening

If you own a chainsaw, eventually you'll need to get the blade sharpened. Chain saw sharpening is as simple as taking the chain saw to a shop and paying it to do it. If you use the chain saw frequently, you might consider sharpening the chain saw yourself. There are several ways to do it.

Significance

You know when its time to sharpen your chain on your chainsaw. You can feel yourself pushing the saw through the cut and sometimes applying heavy leverage. The saw has dusty discharge instead of square wood chips. Check the chain and see if it looks shiny. If the saw's chrome plating is worn, exposing the steel underneath and making the cutting edge shiny, you need to file away the steel and return that thin chrome overhang or buy a new blade. Not only does the dull blade wear you out, it also places undue stress on the rest of the saw.

Sharpening Service

Whether you use the chainsaw for firewood, tree trimming or landscaping, you don't need to buy a new chain just because the old one is dull. These run from $15 to $20 or more for most chainsaws. You can have it sharpened by professionals. Just take your chainsaw in to a local dealer that offers the service or a sharpening service. The price is normally less than half the cost of replacement. Professionally sharpened chains bring back the cutting ability and make your job easy.

Dremel tool

Use a Dremel tool to sharpen your chain saw. There's a Dremel attachment kit for under $15 made especially for sharpening your chain saw. There are three different sizes of sharpening stones with the kit: 5/32 inch, 3/16 inch and 7/32 inch. It also contains spacers, gauge, wrench and instructions. If you don't own a Dremel tool, it attaches to most rotary tools. Once you assemble the tool, it's just a matter of inserting the grinding wheel into the first tooth. You line the index line up to the bar, make several passes of the grinding wheel a few times with light pressure and move on to the next tooth. Once you're done on one side, turn the saw around and sharpen the other side of the chain.

File Guides on the Chain

Use a file guide that drops over the chain. This helps you maintain the right height and alignment for filing. It also allows you to see your work as you progress. There are other models, but they obscure your vision. Whatever you do, get the guide made for your chain model. You need to align the file to the witness marks on the guide and stroke. Check the depth gauge setting with the depth gauge jointing tool. The mounted bar guide runs between $50 and $100 for high-end tools.

Files with Guides

Just use the files with the attached guide. Simply dial the depth of the cut, angle and the height and then the file keeps consistent height and angles as you sharpen the chain saw. These styles of files run about $20-$30.

Professional Machine

If you have a lot of sharpening or own a large landscaping company, your maintenance department might need a professional sharpener. It attaches to a table and sharpens chains of various pitches quickly. The professional sharpener runs several hundred dollars, so it's best for those that have a high volume of chain sharpening.

Warning

If you've never sharpened a chain before, consider practicing on an old blade if possible. Always wear protective gear when you sharpen your chain saw.

Resources

• Dremel Sharpening Bits
• Oregon Chainsaw Sharpening Tool