Paid to have the chain sharpened

[fireview2788]

I've been hitting my chain with the sharpener myself but this last weekend I was clearly not doing a good job so I took it to a local place to see how a professional does it. They cleaned the chain up and did a great job sharpening it, even hit the rakers. Now I know exactly what it should look like so I think if I take my time I'll be able to do it myself. Charged me $8 which I didn't think was bad.


fv

 

[Jags]

I have sharpened many-o-chain by hand, but eventually I need a machine to bring it back to "true". No shame in taking it in to get everything back to the way it should be. That is actually the reason I first bought my grinder. Now I rarely file sharpen. I just carry extra chains and swap out as needed.

 

[downeast]

I have sharpened many-o-chain by hand, but eventually I need a machine to bring it back to "true". No shame in taking it in to get everything back to the way it should be. That is actually the reason I first bought my grinder. Now I rarely file sharpen. I just carry extra chains and swap out as needed.

The man is correct, only in that Jags says that there is never any shame letting a pro true the teeth and rakers.
BUTT-a big however. If you're a real logbutcher harvesting all of your firewood from the stump you need to know how to sharpen and touch up chains by hand in the field with a handy stump vise.
There are many handheld devices to ease the job. Just look online at Baileys or your local pro dealer.
I'm a freak for the PFERD system. It does the edge and raker with each stroke following the "witness line" on the top of Stihl chains (also my bias for their hardness and reliability, not the $$$$ ! ).
An inconvenient truth is that even we experienced cutters (sic ) do rock or bury chains every now and then, and bring them to the shop for trueing ( is that a word Jags ? )

 

[Jags]

... trueing ( is that a word Jags ? )

In my book, it is.

 

[BobUrban]

I don't swap very often in the field unless I really booger one up but I do always have an extra with me and I touch them up with a file every tank or two depending on the wood and type of chain I am cutting with. Like Jags, I bought a grinder for returning them to OG condition(or as close as I can with my skill set)

 

[bogydave]

Machine brings them back true.
But for birch & spruce close works OK for me.
Wore out 1 chain last year filing, even threw it in the trash.

Spares in the saw tool box if needed, so far I can get a trailer load & not need sharperning.
Sharpen (file) in the shop after each trip out.
Was using a Stihl RS last year , this year trying an Oregon LGX.

Nice to know how to file & sometimes take a few in to get them trued up
I think last year I got better at filing . It cut pretty fast & true after a file job.

 

[KodiakII]

I have a grinder in the basement that I haven't touched since I bought my Timberline Sharpener. I am going to keep it JIC I hit a rock or nail and really booger up a chain. Timberline keeps the teeth even and true, and does a better job than I can do with a file. Still have to touch up those rakers by hand though....same as with a grinder.

 

[nate379]

If I'm out cutting and need to hand sharpen I probably need to lay off the beer or something. I keep about 8-10 sharpened chains with me. I swap out if one goes dull and then bring the dull ones home and run them through the grinder.

I certainly know how to hand sharpen but time is money and it's much quicker to swap chains vs hand sharpening them.

 

[mikefrommaine]

I just bought a saw that had a chain which been professionally sharpened on a grinder. The left hand cutters are at about 10 degrees. The right cutters are about 35 degrees and a good bit longer than the left hand cutters. Some have a convex shape while others have a concave shape.

Obviously it was never meant to cut wood. As it appears to be a secret cipher, perhaps an unknown communication system used by Al Queda? I have not been able to decipher the pattern.

I've always hand filed my chains. One chain per bar. When it is worn out I buy a new one. Seeing what a hack with a grinder can do to an otherwise good chain isn't going to get me to drop off any chains to be sharpened.

 

[nate379]

The local saw shop does pretty good, but it's $10 a chain or maybe $12 and they don't touch the rakers. The last chains I got from them I only paid 1/2 their price. They did 1/2 the job.

 

[fireview2788]

One of the reasons I did it is because I wanted to be able to look at it and see what it should look like since I'm still a rookie at all of this. I took it to a screwy round tonight and it sliced like it was cutting butter. I had forgotten what the long strands of saw curls looked like!

fv

 

[Stlshrk]

$15 bucks for a used Granberg (incl shipping) on the bay was money well spent. Pay attention to the angles, tighten the adjuster down when sharpening so the chain is nice and tight and you are sharper than a grinder. And the chains last a lot longer too. I still have my grinders for when I really rock, nail, or fence one good, but not too often. Probably 7-8 months since I've even pulled a grinder out.

 

[MasterMech]

I hand file all of my saw chain currently. I'm spoiled by how sharp I can get it and I'm not sure I wouldn't be disappointed by gong back to a grinder. I don't have one but I think the Timberline would be a great option to restore perfection to mis-filed or damaged chains as well. Should come out just as sharp, if not better than a file too.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/timberline-chain-sharpener-group-buy.85628/

 

[schlot]

The price looks right...and I too tried by hand but the "sharp" seemed to go away quickly when I was cutting the mulberry. Swapped to a pro sharpened chain and it lasted twice as long, so obviously I don't know everything....something my wife is well aware of.