Chain saw sharpening - simple instructions wanted

I'm very happy with my Oregon manual kit. Surely there must be many YouTube videos showing how they are used? Simpler than trying to give a verbal explanation.

I was going to buy the stihl easyfile, but they don't do a file size to suit my chain

I think the Makita kit I bought is very similar to the oregon, except instead of three different size round files (two of which wouldn't suit my chains) I get three of the correct size.

Looked a few youtube videos, found the first stroke of the round file does the bulk of the work, then a couple more strokes, firm and in one direction, making sure to keep the angle correct by those marks on the holder, and keep it level, so actual filing is quite slow and deliberate. Do a tooth, skip a tooth until done all the way round, then reverse the saw in the vice and do the other half of the teeth.

I have four chains, so none of them were worn enough yet to need flat filing, according to the depth gauge.

It made some pretty nice chips afterwards so I was quite pleased ...

In message snipped-for-privacy@esprimo.zbmc.eu>, Chris Green snipped-for-privacy@isbd.net writes

AJH is the expert!

There are two types of chain teeth. Down the grain and across. Yours will be the flat top designed for cross grain cutting.

The angle marks on the file guide suit different chains. There should be guidance on the packaging. Only one size file is correct for your particular blade.

If you keep the blade away from stones and bits of metal (blue marking in Oak is a warning) a few file strokes should be enough.

Eventually, sharpening will lower the blade contact point leading to under sized chips. You should have a gauge which, when sat along the blade teeth, shows how much you need to flat file off the depth gauges in front of each tooth.

My experience too. The teeth are not hardened, they feel like mild steel to me.

I have two sizes of chain to sharpen so a mixed set makes some sense, I can always get just the file next time around.

OK, so just to be sure the angle marks on the holder are solely to help you keep at the right angle 'by eye' as it were?

:-) Thanks Andy, just the sort of help I was looking for.

Now I just need to sharpen the other chains, so they are useful spares, ready for a quick swap ...

Yep.

The instructions with mine were down to ikea's pictogram standard, so it did take watching a video to make sure I understood the process.

That's right the flat rests on the tooth and thus 20% of the file diameter is above the tooth, this sets the cutting angle

Again, yes but it is critical you do not rock the file laterally or vertically in order to maintain the angles.

Yes they set the angle of the top plate, in practice beginners tend to file in an arc which produces a slight curve on the top plate. Because of the wear of the drive link in the groove the tooth tends to get pushed over a bit but this is less significant.

Yes but don't leave the tool in place else you will shave a bit off it.

You can set the depth gauges lower on most softwoods advantageously. Just picking up a flake will show if the depth gauges need lowering. then three strokes of a file on each will do it.

Be aware that on both teeth and depth gauges one tends to file more off one set of teeth than the other because of the different position one has to hold the file in, or in the case of the depth gauges the way the file bites differently.

I use a file freehand because then I can rotate it after each stroke to even wear. Tap the file occasionally to eject swarf.

I do use a guide for files smaller than 3/16 (this depends on chain size but you can move down a size after the tooth is half warn) because else I snap them.

Always rotate the chain forward, preferably with a glove or file.

The steel is fairly mild but the top of the cutter is chrome to provide hardness.

Thank you!

Thanks Tim

Cross cutting the top plate angle is about 30 degrees and most chains have a telltale on them marking the end of the tooth life at the angle.

When using the saw to rip planks the top plate is around perpendicular, also often a chain with more blank links between the cutter will be used (skip, semi-skip and hyper skip) to reduce power needed and clear the chips better, not my field.

Yes but after the teeth are half worn you can move down a size to avoid the bottom of the gullet cutting into the tie strap.

What I will add that I missed is that if you look at the tooth from the front in good light and you see a bright edge it is not sharp, a sharp edge does not reflect light.

Although rounded edge (semi chisel) chains work when they are a bit dull whereas full chisel chains depend on a sharp point at the vertex of the side plate and top plate they cut 10% slower when sharp.