Dessing Chainsaw Bar

The saw bar is quite narrow and the wood blocks held tight to the bottom of the file and the saw bar help the guy with the file keep the file flat. The file is at an angle to increase the cutting action of the file. Look closely at your typical Nicholson Mill Bastard file, the teeth are cut into the file at an angle. By turning the file at that angle, the filer is putting the teeth into a position to get a better bite. A few light passes with that file may be all it takes to square things up.

When I change out my chains I run the file up the sides of the bar, with just a tiny gap at the bottom, to take off the fine wire edge that running the saw produces. You can feel it with your finger nail on the edge of the bar.

Remember, save the life of your file, push it only in the cutting direction, dragging it backwards on metal is hard on it.

Good luck.

Baileys has guide for this:
http://www.baileysonline.com/Chainsaw-Bars/Bar-Grinders/Rail-Grinders/Oregon-Bar-Rail-Dresser.axd

I did mine on a drill press with a stone.

WES999 said:

Baileys has guide for this:
http://www.baileysonline.com/Chainsaw-Bars/Bar-Grinders/Rail-Grinders/Oregon-Bar-Rail-Dresser.axd

I did mine on a drill press with a stone.

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I have one of these ,different brand but it does work great and I use to do it with a flat file but the bar dressing gizmo I think works awesome.

The method is called draw filing. It makes a nice flat smooth surface. My uncle (retired millwright) taught me how to do it.

As much as I believe in doing things for my self, I think if I had a bar that needed that done I'd have a good saw shop do it.... or replace my bar depending on $$