If you have not sharpened your chainsaw for a long time you will realize that it does not operate as smoothly as earlier. Furthermore, you will also notice that it requires some additional force while operating and heats up quickly.
I am sure most of us face these difficulties while operating a chainsaw, To eliminate such hassles we have two options either buy a new chain or sharpen the old one. The former option sounds a bit expensive but is a better choice when you have sharpened your chainsaw a couple of times and the saw is running for more than 5 years. However, if the chains are not more than 5 years old sharpening it will be the best and the most economical option.
Sadly, for a majority of chainsaw users, the latter option of sharpening the chainsaw is a little difficult task because they do not know how to use a chainsaw sharpener. As a result, they go to the nearest hardware store to get the job done. This method is time-consuming and costly as well.
Being a professional logger I know myriads of know-hows of sharpening a chainsaw. As a result, in this article, I will share those tricks which will simplify the task of sharpening the chainsaw. Hence, without talking further let’s head straight towards the methods of how to use a chainsaw sharpener.
Table of Contents
How To Use Chainsaw Sharpener
The first thing on which we should focus is our safety while sharpening a chainsaw. It is because the blades are sharp and might cause minor injuries in our fingers. Furthermore, is a little sparking summons between the chains and the sharpener while sharpening the chainsaw. As a result. it becomes very necessary to have the following protective equipment.
- Gloves: Make sure to have thick gloves so that they can refrain the blades from penetrating through them and injruing your hands.
- Eyewear: We should always where a protective eyewear whether we are operating a chaisnaw or sharpening it. Becase while operating the chainsaw the wood may bounce back to our eyes and while sharpening it there is a little sparking which might damage our eyers. Hence, we should always have these two equipments.
I am listing below the most popular, effective, and economical gloves and eyewear which you may buy.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vgo Chainsaw 12-Layer Saw Protection on Both Hands Cow Leather Gloves (Size L, Orange, CA9760) | 2 Reviews | $39.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| DEWALT GOGGLE Concealer Clear Safety Work Goggle DPG82-11D | 3,342 Reviews | $15.75 | Buy on Amazon |
After getting the prescribed protective equipment we need to make sure that the chainsaw is fit for sharpening. For this, we need to remove all the dirt and debris from the chain and remove the oil and stains with the detergent. Lastly, we need to make sure that chains are not bent badly because of faulty operation. For instance, if the chains come with the contact of the rocks the chains will get nickeled badly, in such a situation I will recommend you to get it to sharpen in the hardware store. On the other hand, if there is minor dirt and stains then you can shapen the chains easily at your home.
These are the basic things that we need to do before starting the sharpening process. Otherwise, the job of sharpening will be very tedious and might even cause injuries. Henceforth, we should always make sure to have the right protective equipment and a clean chain before starting the chainsaw sharpening process. Now let’s head straight towards the different types of chainsaws sharpening tools.
1. How To Use A File For Sharpening The Chainsaw
Using a file to sharpen the chains of a chainsaw is the oldest and one of the easiest methods of sharpening a chainsaw. Therefore, I will recommend new users use this sharpening tool for sharpening the chainsaw. Just follow the given tips and steps and you will be able to sharpen the chainsaw with a file like a pro.
- Detach the chain of the chainsaw properly by taking the help of the guide. Otherwise, you might end up damaging/breaking your chainsaw.
- Make sure that the file size matches the cutter diameter, common sizes are 5/32, 3/16 and 7/32 inch. However, I will recommend you to take the help of your guide to deduce the right size.
- Make sure that you have maintained a proper filing angle i.e, between 30 to 35 degrees. Otherwise, you will end up with flat edges and ruining your blades.
- Do not file the teeth outside towards inside as it should be inside towards outside.
- Always hold the file straight at 90 degree and proceed with the prescribed filing angle i.e, 30 to 35 degrees.
- If the above instructions are followed properly, then the chains will shine like new. Just make sure that you apply the same technique for each tooth of the saw. Secondly, have consistency i.e, the length of each tooth sharpen should be equal. Lastly, properly reattach the chain after the sharpening is done.
I am listing below two of the fines files set for chainsaw sharpening, which will further simplify the sharpening process.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katzco Chainsaw Sharpener File Kit - Contains 5/32, 3/16, and 7/32 Inch Files, Wood Handle, Depth... | 3,430 Reviews | $17.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| Chainsaw Chain Sharpening File Chainsaw Sharpener File Round Sharpening File Steel Chainsaw File... | 83 Reviews | $10.99 $9.99 | Buy on Amazon |
2. How To Use A Dremel For Sharpening Chainsaw
I personally use a Dremel for sharpening my chainsaw and will recommend everyone to use this as well. Because it is a high-speed rotating tool that can easily sharpen your chainsaw in less than 5 minutes. But, some of us are not much comfortable with using a Dremel. As a result, I am listing below some simple tricks and steps, which you can follow for sharpening the chainsaw with a Dremel.
- With the help of the table provided in the Dermel chainsaw sharpening kit, deduce the size of dremel to fit your chainsaw blades.
- Make sure to attach the guide of the dremel before sharpening the chainsaw, as the guide help the dremel to keep at level.
- Do not start sharpening the chainsaw right after attaching the dremel. First, run it free for a couple of seconds.
- Before starting the sharpenimg process please mark the first tooth to avoid confusion.
- After marking the first tooth simply start sharpening the chainsaw and make sure to sharpen each tooth.
As I said sharpening the chainsaw with a Dremel is simpler and faster. Therefore, it is my recommendation to give Dremel a try. If you are new to using Dremel and are looking for the finest Dremel available online choose one from the list below.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dremel A679-02 Sharpening Attachment Kit for Sharpening Outdoor Gardening Tools, Chainsaws, and Home... | 1,962 Reviews | $14.99 $12.88 | Buy on Amazon |
| Dremel 1453 - Accessory Kit For chain sharpening | 770 Reviews | $35.99 $26.80 | Buy on Amazon |
| Dremel 455 7/32" Chainsaver Chain Saw Sharpening Grinding Wheel | 5 Reviews | $23.00 | Buy on Amazon |
3. How To Use A Grinder For Sharpening Chainsaw
I will recommend having prior skills and experience before using this method. Because incorrect griding destroys the chains. Furthermore, you may also skip this head if you hardly sharpen a chainsaw in a week because sharpening the chainsaw with a grinder is for professionals.
This tool is a little difficult to operate. But, after mastering this tool you will understand its true power. As it is way better and powerful than the former tools. Therefore, I will seriously recommend professionals be careful while operating a grinder and have a complete understanding of the know-how of how to sharpen a chainsaw with a grinder as it will be very lucrative in the long run. Hence, I am giving below a brief step-by-step guide and tips for using a grinder.
- Make sure that the speed limit of the grinder disk and dimension is properly set. (Common and recommended angel for grinding is 25 or 35 degrees.)
- Before operating the grinder on the chainsaw, run it idle for a minuet or so to check whether all its parts are working smoothly or not.
- Have a firm hold of the machine with both of your hands before operating it. furthermore, also make sure that both the cutters are leveled equally.
- Then simply mark the first tooth to avoid confusion while sharpening the chainsaw.
- Make sure that the grinder moves deep enough to sharpen the chainsaw. But, also make sure that it does not goes deeper than that or you might end up damaging the chainsaw.
- While operating the grinder make sure that the that the angle of the grinding wheel is in calibration with the cutter and the tooth of the grinder.
Lastly, go with ease while operating the grinder take the help of the manufacturer’s guide and video tutorial if you are not confident because operating a grinder improperly might damage your chainsaw and even endanger your life. Hence, it is my adjuration to use a grinder after having prior experience.
Final Words
Sharpening the chainsaw can be an onerous task if you do not have the right knowledge. Furthermore, going to the hardware store for getting it sharpened every time is a time-consuming and costly process. As a result, most of us ignore the dullness of the chains and avoid getting them sharpened.
But, what we do not know is operating a dull blade may result in atrocious outcomes. Firstly, the life span of the chainsaw deteriorates because it gets heated as a dull blade requires more force. Secondly, a dull blade sometimes gets stuck between the woods which paralyzes your work until you can pull it out. Lastly, a dull blade increases the chance of fatal kickbacks.
Therefore, it is my request to sharpen a chainsaw and do not ignore the importance of a sharpened chainsaw in the overall efficiency.
Furthermore, I will also recommend you to have a sharpening tool at your warehouse instead of going to the hardware store every time as sharpening tools are inexpensive. For, instance a good Dremel for chainsaw sharpening will cost you around 25$.
In addition to being super economical, it also saves a lot of time because sharpening a chainsaw with a Dremel hardly takes 5 minutes. Henceforth, I will suggest you all give it a try.
Resources
Here at BestForConsumer, we try our my to provide complete and correct information to our readers. We follow a stern guideline for sourcing the information and refrain from displaying the facts and data that is garnered from tertiary sources because they might have some distorted information that may cause harm to our readers.
- How to Sharpen the Chain on a Chainsaw | Husqvarna USA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZSritRLDio
- Chainsaw Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chainsaw
- Dremel Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dremel
- File (tool) Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_(tool)
- Sharpening Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharpening
- Angle Grinder Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angle_grinder
