Like most things, sharpening a chainsaw can be as difficult or as easy as one chooses to make it. STIHL. Hand sharpening the snaggle-toothed cutters of a chainsaw chain is a bit of an artform. If hand sharpening your chain seems a little daunting and you don’t want to invest in an automatic grinder, a bar-mounted sharpener is a happy medium.
Tips on keeping your chain saw sharp and how to buy the right saw. Successfully sharpening a chain saw involves three steps: shaping the chisel-like teeth that cut wood; adjusting the parts of the chain that regulate the bite taken by each cutter; and fine-tuning the tension of the chain so it runs freely, with no slack, around the bar. Practice sharpening on a saw chain that’s almost new, ideally a chain that has become dull for the first time.
how to keep chainsaw sharp Related Question:
Why does my chainsaw blade dull so quickly?
Is the wood that you’re cutting with the chainsaw particularly dirty? Many chainsaw enthusiasts have noted that their blades dull faster when they’re cutting muddy wood. If the logs that you’re cutting up are muddy, then perhaps that is the sole reason why your blade is dulling too fast.
How long should a chainsaw chain stay sharp?
A chainsaw may only need to be sharpened once a year if it is rarely used, but a tool that is frequently used will need to be sharpened regularly to ensure that the blade doesn’t get too dull. On average, a chainsaw blade will retain its sharpness for about 3 hours of actively cutting through wood.
How often should you flip the bar on a chainsaw?
Some professional loggers would advocate that you should flip your chainsaw bar at the end of every use, particularly when you are cleaning up. Others suggest a more relaxed approach advising that you flip the chainsaw bar only when you are changing your chainsaw blade.
Why does my chainsaw cut curves?
Two main reasons will cause the chain to cut on a curve. The most common reason is from improper hand filing. If one side of the teeth is more heavily damaged, sharpening them down will make them smaller than the other side.
How many times can a chainsaw chain be sharpened?
Cutters can be sharpened up to 10 times or more before the chain needs replacing. If your cutters are worn unevenly after a few sharpenings, a professional can regrind them to uniform shape. If you use the same chain for a few years, then buy a new one, the new one won’t mesh smoothly with the sprocket and bar.
What’s the best angle to sharpen a chainsaw blade?
Always file at right angles to the guide rail. The right sharpening angle depends on the saw chain and the wood that you want to cut. The sharpening angle will generally be between 25° and 35° – the harder the wood, the greater the angle.
Is it worth sharpening a chainsaw chain?
Sharpening your chainsaw chain is definitely worth it as a sharp chainsaw chain is easier to work with. It takes less effort to cut through wood and your chain will make cleaner cuts with sharp blades. A chainsaw chain can be sharpened multiple times without much of a cost.
How do you tell when a chainsaw chain is worn out?
The chainsaw pulls in one direction, which results in a crooked finish. Blunt cutting teeth on one side or uneven teeth lengths usually cause this. The teeth has hit rocks or dirt and broken. If you notice the tops of the teeth are missing you will need to replace the chain.
Why do people turn their chainsaw bars upside down?
Every chainsaw bar has been designed to be mounted right-side up or upside down. The reason for this is that it allows the user to extend the life of his chainsaw bar by 50%. Flipping the bar will give the heavily-used areas some relief from wear and tear.
What chainsaw chains do professional loggers use?
Full-chisel teeth chains are usually used by professionals on large saws. Semi-chisel teeth are rounded, so the risk of kickback is less, and they stay sharper longer. Semi-chisel teeth cut slower but are a better choice in dirty wood than full chisel.
Why does my chainsaw pull to the right?
When you notice your chainsaw pulling to one side as you cut, or your chainsaw is cutting crooked, it’s likely there’s an issue with the chain, advises Madsen’s Shop and Supply. Check the size of the top plates, which sit on the longer sections of each tooth on the chain. These top plates should be the same size.
Why was a chainsaw invented?
Two doctors invented the chainsaw in 1780 to make the removal of pelvic bone easier and less time-consuming during childbirth. It was powered by a hand crank and looked like a modern-day kitchen knife with little teeth on a chain that wound in an oval.
What angle do you sharpen a 3/8 chainsaw chain?
What degree do you sharpen a 3/8 chainsaw chain? If you don’t know, or cannot figure out which chain you have, you can use the ‘default’ angles that most shops will use when sharpening chains that customers bring in: 30° / 60° / 0°, with a 0.025″ depth gauge offset.
How long should a chainsaw last?
That being said, you can expect a quality chainsaw to last you at least 10 years or more. But if you take care of it, I know people who have saws that have lasted 20-30 years and even longer.
Why does dirt dull a chainsaw?
Don’t Cut Into Dirt All it takes is a second in the dirt to dull the cutters. In addition to dulling the cutters, dirt also wears out the chain links faster, causing the chain to stretch. Plus, dirt wears the sprocket at the bar tip.