How to Sharpen Chainsaw Blades

Sharp Blades

The blades of a chainsaw may become dull after successive cutting or misuse (such as sawing dirt). There are three options for sharpening the blade: 1)Take it a hardware store; 2)Use a Grinding Wheel; 3)Use a file. This brief article demonstrates the ease of sharpening the blades with a file. The process takes about ten minutes.

Things You'll Need

• Chainsaw Chain
• File
• (with optional guide)

Instructions

1. Determine Chain Size. Knowing the chain size is necessary in order to know correct file size. Look this information up using your chainsaw manual. In this article, I have a 20" chainsaw using a 4.0mm (or 5/32") chain.

2. 

   Mark Blade and Find Sharpening Angle. With the chain remaining on the saw, arbitrarily mark one tooth. This tooth ought to have its shorter side towards you and its longer side away from you. Every other tooth will look this way along the entire chain.

3. 

   Sharpen Blade.

   A. Run the file in one direction--AWAY from you--along the edge of the tooth. A guide (highly recommended) will keep the file straight. Go from tooth to tooth, skipping ever other one.
   B. Rotate blade around so that the tooth being sharpened is on top.
   C. After a complete loop, rotate the saw around and repeat for the other teeth.

Tips & Warnings

• A purchased file guide will probably fit multiple files. Highly recommended.

• Keep the chain on the chainsaw when sharpening.

• The chainsaw should be OFF when sharpening the blade.

• Wear protection.