Have a well maintained saw chain. Having the chain sharp and cutting at peak is the most important way to cut with less wear and tear on the saw and operator.
You will save yourself money and time, skip to the rotary tool method of chainsaw sharpening. It is the superior method.
Hand filing to sharpen a chainsaw is slow and surprisingly expensive because you go through files quickly. Chainsaw sharpening can be frustrating and time consuming to learn.
I thought I would share what I have figured out the hard way. I had the experience of trying three methods before finding the easy way.
There are four ways to sharpen a chainsaw that I have used:
1) Using a rotary tool with a chainsaw sharpening stone.
2) Using a hand file.
3) Using a bench mounted chainsaw sharpener
4) Taking the dull chains to a shop and having a professional use a bench mounted chainsaw sharpener to do the job for you. Only some shops will have a fully dedicated service person to sharpen your chains. Sometimes it's the new guy or they are rushed. Can cost 5-8 dollars a chain.
Bench mounted chainsaw sharpening is better than using a hand file, but you have to remove the chain each time you sharpen and it is easy to remove too much metal. You can go through chainsaw chains quickly with this method of chainsaw sharpening if you aren't extremely careful.
Taking the chainsaw chains to a shop is unnecessary once you try the rotary tool method. Rotary tool chainsaw sharpening is ridiculously easy and saves the time required to remove the chain as well as the time and expense of driving to the shop. The rotary tool method is extremely quick and does the best job of the four methods of chainsaw sharpening. I can get my chainsaw chain sharper than going to a professional with a bench grinder, the saw cuts great every time I sharpen with the rotary tool. My success rate has been 100%, using the rotary tool. I can use my rotary tool to sharpen my chainsaw in the field. I sharpen about every third time I refuel. A sharp chainsaw will allow you to cut wood longer because it is much easier to let the saw do the work.
If your cut curves...
There seems to be a few reasons for this. The chain bar rails may have worn. Flip the bar over, this may fix your problem.
You're not sharpening the chain evenly. The teeth are slanted, as you sharpen them they have less and less bite, If its curving to the left, your right side teeth are longer, file them some more. The other possibility is the depth gages. Most people overlook them, they are just in front of each tooth. If your filing those down too, then you need to file the left ones more.
Teeth - opposite side of curve
Depth gage, same side as curve
You will save yourself money and time, skip to the rotary tool method of chainsaw sharpening. It is the superior method.
Hand filing to sharpen a chainsaw is slow and surprisingly expensive because you go through files quickly. Chainsaw sharpening can be frustrating and time consuming to learn.
I thought I would share what I have figured out the hard way. I had the experience of trying three methods before finding the easy way.
There are four ways to sharpen a chainsaw that I have used:
1) Using a rotary tool with a chainsaw sharpening stone.
2) Using a hand file.
3) Using a bench mounted chainsaw sharpener
4) Taking the dull chains to a shop and having a professional use a bench mounted chainsaw sharpener to do the job for you. Only some shops will have a fully dedicated service person to sharpen your chains. Sometimes it's the new guy or they are rushed. Can cost 5-8 dollars a chain.
Bench mounted chainsaw sharpening is better than using a hand file, but you have to remove the chain each time you sharpen and it is easy to remove too much metal. You can go through chainsaw chains quickly with this method of chainsaw sharpening if you aren't extremely careful.
Taking the chainsaw chains to a shop is unnecessary once you try the rotary tool method. Rotary tool chainsaw sharpening is ridiculously easy and saves the time required to remove the chain as well as the time and expense of driving to the shop. The rotary tool method is extremely quick and does the best job of the four methods of chainsaw sharpening. I can get my chainsaw chain sharper than going to a professional with a bench grinder, the saw cuts great every time I sharpen with the rotary tool. My success rate has been 100%, using the rotary tool. I can use my rotary tool to sharpen my chainsaw in the field. I sharpen about every third time I refuel. A sharp chainsaw will allow you to cut wood longer because it is much easier to let the saw do the work.
If your cut curves...
There seems to be a few reasons for this. The chain bar rails may have worn. Flip the bar over, this may fix your problem.
You're not sharpening the chain evenly. The teeth are slanted, as you sharpen them they have less and less bite, If its curving to the left, your right side teeth are longer, file them some more. The other possibility is the depth gages. Most people overlook them, they are just in front of each tooth. If your filing those down too, then you need to file the left ones more.
Teeth - opposite side of curve
Depth gage, same side as curve