Dremel sharpener

I filed by hand for many, many moons until my hands got just too bad to do much. I had scoffed at the dremels but watched a neighbor one day do his. I bought one and now I wonder why I didn't buy this thing earlier. It is a breeze.

What you have to watch for is to not burn the chain. Do that and sharpen at the right angle and all will be well. Mine is DC and has clips so I just hook it to the atv out in the woods whenever it needs sharpening. The stones do not last a super long time but a tolerable amount and are not expensive. Usually come 3 in a pack but don't recall what the price was the last time I bought.

I use the Dremel sharpener too. Mine is the 110v, by the time my chain gets dull in the woods it means time to quit for me anyway. Just do it lightly. I usually count to five or something like that while moving the stone back and forth like a file to wear the stone evenly. When I put on a new chain, I also put a new stone in the tool.

Exactly what Dennis said, watch the burning/discoloring at the tip of the tooth. I have a can of the water based tool lubricating milk that I dip the stone into after each tooth has been sharpened. It keeps the temp down and the pores of the stone clear. Mine in 120 Volt so I do all my saws before I leave the house. Either processing in my bottom feild or out on the landing where I get my wood. When my saw is out of gas I pick up the next saw and carry on. A quick touch up when I return for my next outing. Keep an eye on those rakers also. A flat file with a couple of draws after about 4 sharpenings does it for me.

StackedLumber said:

60, I'd be interested in that lubricating milk you use, what is it?? Did you pick it up at one of the big box stores or where??

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Try an industrial supply place. Do you have an Acklands Granger in the USA or similar?
Ask for a product called Ostrem cool lube or Liquid-ice or Hangsterfer machine water soluble lube. Hangsterfer is made in the States as well I think the rest is. They can also give you info on a distributor. Just google their names. Let me know how you make out.

For you guys who have the dremel, it is easy to keep the angle correct or do you have to have them "corrected" once in a while by another method. I know they have a guide line but you are still relying on a steady hand correct?

All by eye for me and still makes the chips fly. Again, dont forget about the flat file on the rakers once in awhile.

It is much easier to keep the angles right with the dremel than doing by hand.

Backwoods Savage said:

It is much easier to keep the angles right with the dremel than doing by hand.

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+1

Easy ways not always the best way...Just saying a good chain is worth everything. Your not going to get a good chain out of a dremel, maybe a quick touch up.

Did the dremel thing for a while and then went back to files. For me I was able to get better angles with a file. I did even try holding a sharpening guide from a file on my dremel with Ty-Wraps. Now I have moved on to a chain grinder - like that the best.

smokinjay said:

Easy ways not always the best way...Just saying a good chain is worth everything. Your not going to get a good chain out of a dremel, maybe a quick touch up.

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Jay, it sounds like you have not used this method before! I hand filed my chains for years and always considered it a good job done. Now I still get the same job done in less time and easier on the hands. The chains also love it and cut just fine.