How to Use & Maintain a Chainsaw : How to Sharpen a Chainsaw Chain

Learn how to safely sharpen the chain on your chainsaw in this free educational video.

Expert: George A. Finn III
Bio: George Finn is an expert in mechanical systems. He has a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a licensed engineer and licensed home inspector.
Filmmaker: Nick Finn

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• repair
• maintenance
• tools
• use
• power
• chain
• saw
• chainsaw

[cabritorsss]

@cranston2snord Well, either I'm really dumb or extremely lazy. We purchased five acres in East Texas and it was full of Sweet gum, hickory, water oaks and 100' + pine trees. I've tried several sharpening systems as well as maybe inventing one or two more ways to sharpen a chain. I've just given up and when we go out on a weekend to drop some trees, I've just made it a habit to take a couple of extra chains. I've killed a Poulan and a Sears and the Stihl I have now just won't die

[cranston2snord]

@cavealaska1 Yay for guides! I've been cutting for 40 years and still use the guides for tooth and raker. Always right on pitch, angle and depth. Accidents aside I can get 20 cords of hardwood from my chains.

[cavealaska1]

problem is if you don't use the guide the file drops down onto the link itself, the guide holds the file at the right hight on the chisel face, you can see the file cutting into the link on the way you sharpen it, I have been a tree faller for years, if I saw a guy sharpening his saw this way in the field, he would sure get a mouth full.

[cranston2snord]

Ummmm.... he's filing "into" the tooth. 

[cranston2snord]

@cabritorsss You throw the chain away every day?! That seems excessive Granted, I only use the saw for my own hardwood, ten cords per year, but I will get the season out of my chain if not two.

[RyanAnanymous]

That was good. THANK YOU!

[allymac1e0d]

nice vid cheers!!!

[Futuresint]

HeyGuy's; he is just doing a touch up.. if you can't understand that, or you can't do a touch up that way, you shouldn't be using a chain saw !! you obviously don't have enough experience yet, go back to your office desk !

He does mention that it should be done by a pro every so often !

[kirkowoop]

if you turn the bar over and it still cuts at an angle the bar is bent, you should be able to see it when you line it up with your eye, if the tooth is sharpened different to the other side it will pull to the blunt side of the job, you can get a gig that holds the file in the correct spot cant go wrong, the chain will last longer and you wont have to take it to the shop at all

[cabritorsss]

I simply hit the teeth with the file five or six times and go back to cutting. After a day of cutting, throw the chain away and replace it with a new one. Unless you have a sharpening guy two blocks down the street, it's a waste of time and gas to go get it shrapened. I always buy chains two or three at a time. Am I stuid for doing it this way? Maybe but I'm always ready to cut.