Chainsaw sharpener

[Pinusbanksiana]

Getting 10 cords of sugar maple delivered in a few weeks, and I need to pick up a sharpener for my chainsaw. Getting tired of the hand file method and want to have several chains sharpened and ready to go. What do you guys use to sharpen your chainsaws? What do you recommend.

[Tom7227]

Years ago I bought a Dremel style tool that works great. You probably could get away with a Dremel and the proper size stones. I could never understand how the thing was supposed to 'sharpen' the tops of the chain to prevent the saw from curving and so I had a pro do mine every 5th or 6th time. I suspect that you could learn what that was about and maybe someone will explain it here. I would maybe use a hand file out in the field if there was a minor tune up needed but would change chains if i managed to really screw it up with a rock or something.

BTW I always had at least 3 sharp ones available when doing any large amount of cutting.

[titelines]

I did a bunch of research on this last year and settled on an electric sharpener from Northern Tool. They had them on sale for X-mas and picked one up for a very decent price. I haven't used it yet, but look forward to it.

These can be mounted to the workbench or a wall. Once set up for the type of chains you use, it seems very easy to get 'em sharpened up in no time.

I believe the standard guarantee from NT is two years, which is better than most.

[Whopper Stopper]

I prefer the file. 10 cords really isn't that much wood. If you watch what you are doing and the logs are half-way clean, a couple of chains should get you through it. Good luck and don't forget the safety gear.

WS

[Pinusbanksiana]

I have cut plenty of firewood, heat with wood and been here for 11 years. This load is sugar maple like I said. Sugar maple in the winter is some of the hardest wood available, maybe the hardest in northern MN besides ironwood. I don't want to have to file a chain 3 times a day and that is what I am in for with this hard maple load. Burns nice though.

[goblueM]

3 times a day sounds excessive... if its a new chain and/or there is a proper edge on it, you shouldn't have to sharpen it that much

as long as the logs are clear of snow and dirt, i have a hard time seeing how 3 times a day would be needed, even cutting all day

[Powerstroke]

I've used just about every type of chain sharpener and I still prefer the file. Now I will freehand my sharpening when I need to but now I use a Pferd file holder for sharpening. It holds the round file and the flat file in the same holder and files both at the same time.

No matter which style of sharpener you use you have to sharpen the teeth and lower the rakers to match. Unless you're using the Pferd sharpener or paying someone else to do it, you have to do two steps. I dislike the mechanical ones because they remove too much from the tooth and they make it easier to wreck a tooth since they grind so fast. Unless you've hit a rock a chain should only need a touch up anyway.

I see no reason to go through 1 chain a day unless you're hitting the dirt or the wood is really dirty. Doing tree work 40-50hrs a week I still sharpened my chain once a week, even if it didn't need it.

I realize this is kind of negative, but I think the grinder style sharpeners are too much money for very little gain in convenience or time.

[Pinusbanksiana]

I have gotten by for years with the file too, just keep seeing these sharpeners and think i need one. I probably don't. I will look into the pferd sharpener though, if it hits the rakers too with the same stroke it would save some time. The You tube video I just watched showed a grinder and it looked like it was removing about a third of the tooth.

[CJH]

Just saw on Ask This Old House the chainsaw expert had a sharpener that attached right to his Stihl saw arm. He ran it for 5 seconds and sharpened it right up. Made it sound like it was something new on the market.

[fivebucks]

i saw a deal like that somewhere also but the kicker was you had to buy new chains that worked with the sharpener.

[Pinusbanksiana]

Not only chain but you need the bar that the special chain rides on.