Chainsaw blades sharpened?

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  • namrelio

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 14, 2013
    4,372
    Frederick Co. Virginia
    Anybody know a good place to get chainsaw blades sharpened? I used to go to Schatz in Sykesville but they closed up. I get around so it don't have to be real close to Sykesville. Thanks.:)
     

    ducrider45

    Active Member
    Jul 29, 2011
    672
    Severn
    Anybody know a good place to get chainsaw blades sharpened? I used to go to Schatz in Sykesville but they closed up. I get around so it don't have to be real close to Sykesville. Thanks.:)

    I have always done it myself. they make guides for Rotary Tools. I have always used a file and guide. It only takes a few minutes to do it by hand.

    Sorry I don't know of a good service place.
     

    K.C.Dean

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 1, 2013
    2,844
    Buds Creek
    I use a dremel to sharpen mine. The bits will work in a drill also. I don't know how much it cost to have one sharpened but if it is more than $5.00 it is not worth it.
     

    PapiBarcelona

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 1, 2011
    7,343
    The timberline sharpener is probably one of the best manual tools for repeatability and consistency while holding correct geometry.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    http://www.stihlusa.com/locator/
    Most any Stihl dealer will do a decent job, usually with a bench sharpener and plenty of experience. Other hardware stores might sharpen, some better than others, many just use whatever file or rotary system they happen to sell. Used to work at a dealer in highschool, learned to sharpen by hand, and by machine, and being "the kid" in the shop I had to sharpen a crap ton of chains.

    If you do it yourself a file and jig is simple, and easy to get good results, just sharpen the chain regularly before it dulls, so you are basically just taking a burr off before the tooth actually deforms, or the edge wears. This way it only needs a pass or two per tooth, it stays sharp, making the chain, bar and saw last the longest. If a chain gets dull, you get more friction and heat in the bar, clutch, and chain teeth, so they go from a little dull to ruined quick. Want to make sure you are hitting the entire sharpened portion of the tooth with every pass of the file to sharpen most efficiently with the best results, usually 30 degrees. Every 2 or 3 sharpenings you should check the guide depth, and file if needed, uses another jig and flat file to file down the depth guides between the teeth, being as the angled teeth wear and sharpen they don't take as big of a bite as a new chain, and the guide depth gets too shallow.

    You can sharpen faster with a power sharpener, but it is really easy to over-sharpen or burn the blade. With a rotary sharpener a jig still helps, might be OK without one, but the angle has to be right. Sharpening perpendicular to the edge builds a burr, on it's own and is hard to get the same results as a hand file where sharpening parallel to the edge straightens the edge and takes the burr off more efficiently. A bench sharpener is the fastest way, and sharpens parallel to the edge, so it usually has better results, it also sets a specific sharpening depth, so all teeth are sharpened to the same depth, and they can grind the depth guides. Takes a fair amount of skill, and careful setup, the blade clamp has to clamp the blade in position consistently, and you need to make sure every tooth is set against the stop. Also need to make sure the wheel keeps the right profile and dress it if it doesn't. I have the Harbour freight sharpener, and it took a fair amount of fiddling to get the blade clamp to hold consistent, I've used the much better Oregon bench grinder, so I knew what to look for, and got it to work well enough for my needs. The Oregon system is much easier to set up and get consistent results, but near $200 vs $30puts it out of reach unless you use a chainsaw all the time.
     

    Yellowhand

    Active Member
    Jan 19, 2014
    443
    Eastern Shore
    I picked up a pack of round files at Ace in their bargain bin...keeps my Stihl sharp and no burning the teeth. My chains last a lot longer doing it by hand.
     

    madmantrapper

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 6, 2009
    1,528
    Carroll County
    I picked up a pack of round files at Ace in their bargain bin...keeps my Stihl sharp and no burning the teeth. My chains last a lot longer doing it by hand.

    Man ain't that the truth, a hand sharpened chain will out last a machine done one by a factor of three. By the time I set up my power job and make the change over from side to side I can almost give a sharpening and don't have to remove it from the saw.
     

    coopermania

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Aug 20, 2011
    3,815
    Indiana
    I have a jig the McCulloch sold years ago the you use a round and a flat file with and the chain stays on the saw.. It holds the correct angle and depth for you to hand file. In a few min I can sharpen my 044 farm boss with a 24" bar. Its a slick tool... I don't know if they still make it.
     

    fabsroman

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 14, 2009
    35,852
    Winfield/Taylorsville in Carroll
    Finch Services is a Stihl dealer on the north side of 26 closer to route 97 than route 32. Bought both of my Stihl saws there. Anyway, they sharpen chains. Already been mentioned, but there is Clark's Ace Hardware right at the intersection of route 40 and route 144 on the west side of Ellicott City.

    I have a Northern Tool sharpener that has been sitting here for 2 years. I have yet to use it. I bought 7 yellow link chains for my MS660 and still have 4 of them in the box. Had 3 green link and 1 yellow link for my MS261 and am finally on the last one. So, I went and ordered 6 more from e-bay for just under $20 each. once I have 6 dull chains from each saw, I'll fire up the sharpener.

    Looks like the Northern Tool version has been replaced with this one:

    http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200624012_200624012
     

    namrelio

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 14, 2013
    4,372
    Frederick Co. Virginia
    Thank you all for the info. I think I'll try Ace right now, and if they are to high, I'll try to get into sharpening my own. I tried sharpening my own years ago, and sometimes they would not cut straight. I think I'll try it again and spend a little more time and try to get it right. It is expensive getting them done.
     

    fabsroman

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 14, 2009
    35,852
    Winfield/Taylorsville in Carroll
    Thank you all for the info. I think I'll try Ace right now, and if they are to high, I'll try to get into sharpening my own. I tried sharpening my own years ago, and sometimes they would not cut straight. I think I'll try it again and spend a little more time and try to get it right. It is expensive getting them done.

    Yeah, as already mentioned, if it is more than $5 it really isn't worth it since a new chain is around $20 on e-bay. I think Finch was something like $12 per loop, which gave me a heart attack. I have no idea what Ace wants because I bought my grinder figuring I will be cutting tons of firewood. Thing is, the chains remain decently sharp for quite a while.

    I have cut about 5 years worth of firewood for both me and my parents and only dulled about 6 or 7 chains over the past 3 years. With what I just bought, I probably have enough chains for another 3 to 4 years worth of firewood for the two households. Good times I tell you.

    Also, Stihl chains are more expensive than the others (e.g., Oregon), but they hold their edge longer.
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,667
    Not Far Enough from the City
    Yeah, as already mentioned, if it is more than $5 it really isn't worth it since a new chain is around $20 on e-bay. I think Finch was something like $12 per loop, which gave me a heart attack. I have no idea what Ace wants because I bought my grinder figuring I will be cutting tons of firewood. Thing is, the chains remain decently sharp for quite a while.

    I have cut about 5 years worth of firewood for both me and my parents and only dulled about 6 or 7 chains over the past 3 years. With what I just bought, I probably have enough chains for another 3 to 4 years worth of firewood for the two households. Good times I tell you.

    Also, Stihl chains are more expensive than the others (e.g., Oregon), but they hold their edge longer.

    That's pretty darned good wear! :thumbsup:

    The thing with chain and bar life is to make sure that chains are well oiled. The thing with keeping teeth sharp is to make sure they never contact the ground. Chains that hit the dirt even momentarily will need sharpening. Dull chains not only have to work harder.....and take time and money to sharpen. The worst part by far is that dull chains are dangerous as all hell.
     

    fabsroman

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 14, 2009
    35,852
    Winfield/Taylorsville in Carroll
    That's pretty darned good wear! :thumbsup:

    The thing with chain and bar life is to make sure that chains are well oiled. The thing with keeping teeth sharp is to make sure they never contact the ground. Chains that hit the dirt even momentarily will need sharpening. Dull chains not only have to work harder.....and take time and money to sharpen. The worst part by far is that dull chains are dangerous as all hell.

    Yeah, I am surprised that they remained sharp that long. A couple of weekends ago I was favoring the big saw over the small one because the big saw was just cutting so much faster. Then, I decided to change the chain on the small saw and did not pick up the big saw the rest of the day. A sharp chain makes all the difference. You can get stuff done twice as fast with a sharp chain.

    This weekend, I picked up my buddy's saw for a second to cut a piece down to 24". My saws were still in the truck. The rpm's on his saw were so low that it was painful cutting that one piece. I almost wanted to give the poor saw a tuneup. Then, he picked it up to cut a piece on the ground while I was splitting and I could see dirt shooting up as he ran the chain into the ground. I am pretty careful not to touch the dirt with my chains.

    Been lucky too. Have not run into a nail, fence, or other metal item inside a tree. Knock on wood and all that.
     

    sxs

    Senior Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 20, 2009
    3,378
    Anne Arundel County, MD
    This should work if you have a Dremel. I think it will likely fit the much cheaper Harbor Frieght rotary tool as well:

    http://www.lowes.com/pd_115453-353-...p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=Dremel

    I have a 20 year old attachment that I have used periodically over that time. It works very well. Note that there are multiple angles each of which is best for certain blades as well as 3 sizes of stones to fit the various chainsaw teeth. FWIW, I've actually used the sharpener with the chain mounted right on the saw and bar. I just use a perm marker to mark the tooth I start with and rotated the blade as I sharpen the teeth. I use a leather glove to pull the chain along so I won't easily get cut. Works well. 20+ years ago I paid something like $10 or $12 when getting a chain sharpened could cost 3 or $4. Do be careful not to grind the teeth too vigorously. It will wear the teeth out faster (grind 'em down) plus if you over heat the tooth with the grinder, it could lose it's temper and then it won't hold it's edge well.

    Hand files work well also, but are much slower. On the other hand, you don't have to worry about overheating the saw teeth. Again, not really an issue with the Dremel attachment unless you grind away. All you really have to do is use the guide with the proper grinding stone and just work it in and out once or twice fairly quickly.

    I do replace the sharpening stones once in a while, but they hold up for a pretty long time ...if you don't drop them on concrete (ask me how I know)
     

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