Things You'll Need:
- Round file
- Flat file
- Straight edge
- Filing guide
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Step 1
Pull the spark plug wire off the spark plug before you sharpen a chainsaw by hand. This is a full-proof way to stop your saw from accidentally starting and causing an injury.
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Step 2
Check the chainsaw manual for important information such as correct file size and shape, and become familiar with the parts of the saw. The manual will tell the correct angle for filing the chain; file most chains at a 25- to 35-degree angle.
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Step 3
Attach a filing guide to the chain bar if you are not comfortable and experienced sharpening a chainsaw by hand. The guide will give you a specific direction for the round file to move across the teeth, also known as cutters.
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Step 1
File every other tooth all the way around the chainsaw. File from the open side of the tooth you're sharpening to the closed side.
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Step 2
Hold the file with both hands and use full strokes to sharpen a chainsaw by hand. Begin with medium filing pressure and then lighten up on the strokes.
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Step 3
Turn the saw around and file the unsharpened teeth. File across a tooth about three times if it is just slightly dull.
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Step 4
Set a straight edge guide on the chainsaw teeth to check the rakers to make sure they do not touch the guide. A tall raker will grab the wood when you are cutting.
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Step 5
Go across the rakers two or three times with a flat file if they are too tall, but be careful not to file them too short or they will cause a running chain to stop. Rakers should be 10 to 20 thousandths of an inch lower than the teeth.
