When your finished sharpening a chain

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ampamp

Member
Oct 31, 2010
91
Buffalo - Rochester
So, I notice after sharpening a chain on the saw it leaves some metal filings on the chain (a little bit). Can you hit the bar and chain with some carb cleaner to clean things up a bit. I just worry about the little filing geting into the drive gear. Could you use brake cleaner I suppose as well? After your done and get back to running the saw...your chain will get oil back on it.....so no worries I'd imagine after gettting the filing and oil off after sharpening...right?

I would imagine this idea is good if you're in your shop.....but in the field.
 
Carb cleaner maybe a little strong. I use wd-40.
 
Good idea. Thanks. I read the label and the solvents are pretty harsh for carb cleaner. The wd40 certaintly wouldnt hurt since it's a mild lubricant and would probably wash the shavings off. Thanks!
 
You're obsessing. Centrifugal forces will fling it off.
 
amp said:
So, I notice after sharpening a chain on the saw it leaves some metal filings on the chain (a little bit). Can you hit the bar and chain with some carb cleaner to clean things up a bit. I just worry about the little filing geting into the drive gear. Could you use brake cleaner I suppose as well? After your done and get back to running the saw...your chain will get oil back on it.....so no worries I'd imagine after gettting the filing and oil off after sharpening...right?

I would imagine this idea is good if you're in your shop.....but in the field.

Your chain should be cleaned of oil before sharpening to be correct. If one wants to clean off filings a blow gun could be used but like was said the force will remove them. I have never removed them for 55 yrs of cutting so I don't think it a big deal.

W.C.W.
 
LLigetfa said:
You're obsessing. Centrifugal forces will fling it off.

What he said. Wood is also a good cleaning agent, except for white ash. Don't over-think the unnecessary.

To be clear, I never remove a chain from the saw for sharpening- Granberg file guide clamps right to bar.
Filing a cutter tosses the chips off to the side of the b&c. Nothing to clean there.
Couple of strokes/tooth, fire it up and get it into the wood, Bada-bing, Bada-boom. K.I.S.S.
No matter how grungy a chain gets (white ash, E. white pine) oak or maple are excellent dentifrices.
NO WAY with oven cleaner. Sheesh!
 
amp said:
So, I notice after sharpening a chain on the saw it leaves some metal filings on the chain (a little bit). Can you hit the bar and chain with some carb cleaner to clean things up a bit. I just worry about the little filing geting into the drive gear. Could you use brake cleaner I suppose as well? After your done and get back to running the saw...your chain will get oil back on it.....so no worries I'd imagine after gettting the filing and oil off after sharpening...right?

I would imagine this idea is good if you're in your shop.....but in the field.


Hit it with the air compressor, should take off most of it.


zap
 
After sharpening run it in some bone-dry hard dead Red & White Oak and/or Shagbark Hickory.Cleans it right up.
 
I would think WD-40 could wash the filings down into the bearings of the nose sprocket and who knows where air might blow it. I usually give the nose sprocket a shot of grease after filing the chain. Some folk never grease the sprocket.
 
Yeah, I clean the chain in oak rounds.
 
I never concern myself with it. What may work well for you is a gatorade bottle with some diesel fuel in the bottom. Drop in the chain, shake and remove.
 
After i sharpen I give it a quick brushing with a brush I keep in my kit box for cleaning the saw. I don't worry about rinsing it off.
 
For woodworking, a professor of mine used oven cleaner to chean the tools before sharpening. I tried it on my chains before putting them on my bench sharpener. It really does a great job cleaning up the chain, but you need to oil them up before putting them back on the chainsaw. If you don't, they bind up in your first couple of cuts. I just soak them in wd-40 before putting them on. I tried this a couple of times to see what I was doing on the sharpener when I first got it. If you use anything to clean your chains, I would definitely oil them before reinstalling them.
 
WD-40 isn't a lubricant...you might be better off with light machine oil or motor oil.
 
LLigetfa said:
I would think WD-40 could wash the filings down into the bearings of the nose sprocket and who knows where air might blow it. I usually give the nose sprocket a shot of grease after filing the chain. Some folk never grease the sprocket.

Is there a zerk fitting to grease the nose sproket? I never looked at it.

Thanks
 
xman23 said:
LLigetfa said:
I would think WD-40 could wash the filings down into the bearings of the nose sprocket and who knows where air might blow it. I usually give the nose sprocket a shot of grease after filing the chain. Some folk never grease the sprocket.

Is there a zerk fitting to grease the nose sproket? I never looked at it.

Thanks

No but there's a little hole there.I grease the sprocket every fill up w/gas & oil
 
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