How To Sharpen Your Chainsaw [12 Essential Steps To Follow]

Step 1:

You will need to buy a chainsaw file or a rotary grind based on the size or gauge of your chainsaw. You can find it in the manual. But the most common sizes are 3/16, 5/32 and 7/32 of an inch in diameter. The size is important as a wrong size can lead to breakage.

Step 2:

Cleaning the chain is also important. To get rid of the dirt, oil, and grime you can use a degreasing detergent or mineral spirits. Do not use excessive amounts as it can cause harm to the plastic part of the chainsaw. 

Step 3:

Check for damage in the chain teeth. The top plate should stand at 1/4th of an inch. Checking it is important as a damaged part can cause breakage to the whole chain. Damaged chains should be discarded. 

Step 4:

Use a table to stabilize your chainsaw. It can be made stable using a vise. This will ensure that the chain will move freely and will be stable when you sharpen it. 

Step 5:

To start sharpening, you have to find the leading cutter. It is the smallest one in the chain. If you find that everyone looks similar, start from anywhere. You have to file every top of each cutter to be the same length approximately. You can dot the beginning with a sharpie or a permanent marker. 

Step 6:

Your file should be placed in the notch present in the cutter’s front present mainly on the flat surface. The curve of the file has to fit appropriately with the curve of the cutting tip. 

Step 7:

The sharpening angle should be the same as it came with. It typically is between 20-30 degrees, but it is best to consult the manual. Your chainsaw sharpening angle is important as a wrong angle can distort teeth.

Step 8:

You will need to slide the file towards the face of the cutter while making a moderate twisting motion. It is best to push towards the long point from the short side. Reading more about chainsaw sharpening tricks will make you more aware of the techniques.

Step 9:

Work all the way of the top from the beginning point. Also, make sure that everyone is done similarly. 

Step 10:

After the top has been done, reverse the saw and similarly do the filing. You should also measure the bites to make sure that they turn out equal. Once you learn to sharpen a chainsaw properly, you can guess the measurements.

Step 11:

Each cutting edge needs to be 1/10th of an each less than the cutter. This is important as it will ensure that equal portions of wood come out while cutting. A flat mill bastard file can be used to file any raker.

Step 12:

The last step would be to apply a good quality chain oil or machine oil on the chain.