Sharpening a chainsaw chain with your own hands - step-by-step instructions from a master on how to sharpen chain links correctly (manually or on a machine)

The guarantee of long-term operation and good performance of your tool is correct and timely maintenance. To make the sawing process comfortable, it is necessary to sharpen chain saws in a timely manner. Blunt teeth can be sharpened by contacting a specialist, or you can do it yourself. The process is simple. But given that the teeth have a non-standard shape, you need to know some nuances and acquire a special tool.

Features of the chain structure

Cutting wood is similar to working with a plane.
In all this, the size of the cut depends on the thickness of the limiter. When the saw chain works in a saturated mode, the teeth become dull faster. This is clearly manifested when the ground surface melts in the path of the chain. To completely blunt the teeth, it is enough to “catch” on the ground for a few seconds. If you are able to sharpen it frequently, the chain will serve even longer, since very little metal will be removed. In addition to the question of what angle of sharpening the chainsaw chain must be, this is also necessary to know!

There is no need to work with blunt equipment for a number of reasons. At first, this is reflected in the quality of the cut, but not radically. Lethargy also quickly sets in, which is felt not only in the palm of your hand, but also in the body.

Next reason. unjustified excessive consumption of fuel. Our client is left with the parts working in an intense mode, which inevitably leads to rapid wear and tear. Performance drops seriously, which also happens when using a defective chain.

To be able to sharpen a chainsaw chain perfectly, you should know the structure of its teeth. It will not do without knowing the sharpening angle. Whose tooth has a complex structure. Its geometry is represented by the following components:

• basis;
• spatula;
• depth limiter.

With all this, the blade consists of two blades: the end blade and the top blade. At the same time, they are expected to have the correct sharpening angle for the chainsaw chain in order to provide it with the required performance.

The best ones to think of now. It is not the chain that cuts the tree, since it serves as the basis for securing the cutting links and moves them at the highest speed. The links themselves have sharp blades, which are used to cut down the wood.

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ANY CUTTING TOOL, NO MATTER SHARP AND HARD IT IS, WILL BE DULLED IN THE PROCESS OF WORK. TO PRESERVE ITS ORIGINAL PERFORMANCE, THE USER HAS TO PUSH HARDER ON IT WHILE OPERATING, WHICH INCREASES FRICTION. THIS USUALLY RESULTS IN INTENSIVE HEAT GENERATION IN THE CUTTING AREA, AND WHEN CUTTING WOOD, SMOKE AND A BURNING SMELL MAY APPEAR. TO ELIMINATE THIS SITUATION, IT IS NECESSARY TO PERIODICALLY SHARPEN THE CUTTING TOOL TO RESTORE ITS ORIGINAL PROPERTIES. HOW TO MANUALLY SHARPEN A CHAINSAW YOURSELF? SERGEY GEKMAN, STIHL AND VIKING PRODUCT TRAINER, TELLS US ABOUT THIS TODAY.

When to sharpen and how to find out about it

Problems that may arise due to untimely maintenance of the circuit:

• crooked cuts;
• huge pressure;
• increased fuel consumption;
• faster wear of the leading parts of the chainsaw and a reduction in its service life.

The speed at which teeth become dull depends on the frequency of use of the tool and the criteria. Sharpening the saw chain of a chainsaw calm any cutting how to sharpen a chainsaw chain. It only takes a few hits on the ground or pebbles, and it will be useful to sharpen the chainsaw chain.

Signs by which you can determine that the chain is dull:

• the instrument tries to escape from your hands and gets stuck;
• small shavings, actually dust, fall out;
• the saw deepens only with greater effort;
• cutting time increases.

In addition, dull teeth can simply be examined closely. Signs of dullness will be visible even to the naked eye.

The earlier the chainsaw chain is sharpened, the less metal is ground off, which means it will last longer.

ABOUT THE DESIGN OF THE CHAINSAW SAW EQUIPMENT

First, a few words about the design of the saw chain. All modern saw chains are three-link and are designed on the same principle. They consist of driving links, connecting links, as well as left and right cutting teeth (installed alternately).

Over time, it is the cutting links that become dull, even though STIHL makes them only from wear-resistant chromium-nickel steel. The chain is put on a tire with a guide groove along which its leading links slide. Note that in STIHL chains, the supporting surface adjacent to the bar is induction hardened during manufacturing to increase wear resistance. The tires have perfect symmetry, allowing them to be flipped, swapping bottom and top, allowing the load to be distributed evenly on both sides.

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The chain is driven by a drive sprocket on which the chain is placed. During manufacturing, each chain is necessarily subjected to pre-stretching, which reduces elongation during initial use to a minimum, increases its service life and reduces wear.

How and how to sharpen chain teeth

The saw chain teeth have an unusual shape. Sharpening a chainsaw chain is easy | country affairs. They consist of a base, a blade and a depth stop. At the same time, the spatula has a vertical blade and a horizontal blade that falls at an angle. It is thanks to these blades that the chainsaw cuts through wood.

Many people do not know how to sharpen the teeth on a chainsaw chain, but this is quite easy. round ratfil 4.8 mm and that’s it.

Many people don’t know how to sharpen the teeth on a chainsaw chain, but it’s quite simple. round file 4.8 mm and that’s it.

Reasons for blunting of tool chain teeth

There are many reasons why the cutting elements of gasoline and electric saws become dull. The main one is the natural process. Sawing wood, which has a softer structure than metal, still leads to a gradual dulling of the cutting edges of the teeth. It is simply impossible to avoid this, but the rate at which the level of sharpening decreases can be reduced if you use high-quality chains produced by reputable manufacturers.

Other reasons for the accelerated dulling of chainsaw chains include the following factors:

• incorrectly set chain tension;
• the use of low-quality oil, which does not get into the connections between the links, and thus does not provide high-quality lubrication. It is especially strictly contraindicated to use mining as a lubricant;
• It is important to consider the type of wood you are cutting, otherwise the chain can become dull very quickly. Especially for working with wood of high hardness, chains with pobedite tipped teeth should be used;
• foreign materials getting under the cutting parts, for example, metal, stone, plastic, sand, glass, earth. A slight contact of earth or sand on the tool chain accelerates the dulling of the edges by 10 times;
• long-term operation of the tool without interruption. During sawing, the cutting parts are subject to negative influences such as heat. The higher the temperature of the metal, the faster the teeth become dull, so experts recommend taking breaks while working with the tool (about every 2 hours, a break of 10-20 minutes);
• incorrect choice of chain for the technical parameters of the tool. This point should also be given special attention, otherwise it will lead not only to rapid dulling of the tool links, but also to a reduction in engine life.

Another important point that inexperienced sawers do not pay due attention to: sharpening the chainsaw chain should be done only and exclusively after it has cooled.

This is interesting! Advice for novice sawers: before using a chainsaw, it is recommended to additionally lubricate the chain with engine oil. You've probably noticed that new products have some kind of lubricant. During the process, the chain is lubricated through a special channel of the oil pump, but it will not be superfluous if, before work, you additionally apply a lubricant directly from a bottle or from a syringe.

How do you know when sharpening is needed?

There is no other way to find out whether the chain teeth are ground down, of course, by certain corresponding signs. This, here it all depends on how actively the chainsaw is used. It's worth taking a closer look to see what kind of shavings it leaves behind. Its uniformity and square shape indicate sharp teeth. When a chain is ground down, it usually leaves behind wood dust, and the sawdust itself is like the needles that a hand saw “produces.”

If the cutting speed is reduced, then this is also considered a sign of a dull chain. There is an increase in load on the instrument itself and the occurrence of vibration. It’s not always possible for newcomers to see some of these signs. Therefore, they should rather than just pay special attention to the quality of the chips. From time to time it comes in a coffee color, which is a guaranteed indication that it’s time to sharpen the chain.

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HOW TO DETERMINE THAT IT’S TIME TO SHARPEN A CHAINSAW CHAIN

Frequent use of a chain saw leads to rapid dulling of the cutting teeth, and when abrasive particles (for example, earth) enter this process accelerates. Sometimes it is necessary to restore the cutting ability of a saw several times during one working day: with timely sharpening, less steel will have to be removed each time, which will increase the service life of the entire cutting set as a whole. We list the most characteristic signs of a dull chain:

• – the saw does not cut into the wood itself, requiring significant pressure on the motor unit;
• – instead of large chips, the saw chain throws out small sawdust;
• – the appearance of smoke and a burning smell when sawing, despite the impeccable operation of the oil pump and sufficient chain tension;
• – the saw “leads” to the side due to uneven wear of the cutting teeth;
• – when sawing, the chain “beats” and “jumps”, which can be caused by a small distance between the tops of the depth stops and the corresponding cutting edges.

In addition, special lines are applied to the cutting links of STIHL chains - these are wear markings. If the chain wears down to these lines, the chain needs to be replaced.

Sharpening kits

One of the most common methods is using a set consisting of a round and flat file, a holder, a template for the stop and a hook used to remove sawdust. To ensure the correct positioning of the holder, special markings are applied to it, allowing you to find the correct angle for sharpening.

It is installed on the upper part of the tooth and stop; the round ratfil remains under it and is placed right next to the blade. Thanks to the holder, the ratfile is at the correct height, or rather, protrudes 1/5 above the blade. To sharpen a cutting tooth, only round grinders are used, because the contour of the tooth is oval.

Technical features of the sharpening process

The sharpening operation is complicated by the fact that the teeth have a large number of cutting edges located in different planes and having different sharpening angles. When sharpening teeth, it is necessary to make the same amount of movement, and it is necessary to withstand the same pressure force. As a result, all teeth will receive the same type of sharpening.

Also, if the saw chain is sharpened more than 4 or 5 times, then the depth stop must be reduced.

Sharpening methods

To sharpen a tool, of course, turn to the services of craftsmen who not only know what angle of sharpening chainsaw chains is needed, but will also do all the work quickly and at a high professional level. You, the price of such services is not that high, alas, the quality, on the contrary, is very high! This option is suitable for those lovers of wood cutting who do not have the slightest desire to tinker with their own equipment.

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Everyone else will be curious to test their strength in such a matter. Masters here always choose automatic equipment, which is characterized by the greatest efficiency and accuracy. Naturally, acquiring it is rarely realistic for any woodcutter, so they make do with different methods. Here among many amateurs there are discussions on the topic of which technique is better to give preference:

• manual;
• another;
• modern.

It makes no sense to ignore the signs of dullness, and at the first need to start sharpening the chainsaw chain. This will allow you to use it for a long time.

External signs of a dull cutting edge of a chainsaw tooth

Let us recall that a chainsaw tooth has a complex configuration (see Fig. 1), which also depends on the direction of movement of the chain. It has two working edges: a side edge, which is located perpendicular to the axis of movement of the links, and an upper edge, located at a certain angle to the direction of movement of the chain. In addition, a limiter is provided on each tooth, the parameters of which determine the height of the chips removed. Since the main cutting force falls precisely on the working angle, all subsequent work with the tool will depend on the angle to which the tooth is sharpened.

Figure 1 – Functional parts of a chainsaw tooth and their appearance

Before starting long-term work with a chainsaw, it needs to be inspected and test sawed, as a result of which:

1. Visually determine the presence (or absence) of a conical section adjacent to the corner of the tooth, as well as a radius rounding on it - the main signs of blunting (see Fig. 2).

Figure 2

1. Check the feed force at which the tool operates steadily and produces a quick cut. For sharp teeth, the initial moment of penetration of the tooth into the wood occurs quickly, and without significant resistance to the material.
2. Find out the presence of chain vibrations during a steady cut - if they are noticeable, then the teeth need to be sharpened.
3. Inspect the appearance of the newly cut end (especially if the tool is used for rip sawing). If there are rough chips and dents, the chainsaw chain must be sharpened.

Oregon Stihl chain sharpening angles

The sharpening angle of chainsaw chains is not a constant value and does not depend on the manufacturer or model of equipment. It is selected taking into account the specific tree to be dealt with. Select some average value, but the cutting efficiency may be ineffective. Therefore, you need to choose the right value when taking a specific type of wood seriously.

If we are talking about hard wood, including all trees that have been “frozen” for a long time, it has the highest resistivity. Based on these reasons, the sharpening angle should be reduced. This will virtually avoid the occurrence of vibrations, and the chain will move more smoothly. Small value – 25°.

PowerSharp system

This system allows you to sharpen the chain in a few seconds, without even removing it from the bar. The set includes a PowerSharp chain, an abrasive bar,

and sharpening device. In order to sharpen a chain with it, it is useful to take the following 3 steps:

• install the PowerSharp bar and chain;
• fasten the beam inside the sharpening device, after which it is installed on the tire;
• The end of the chainsaw is rested on some object and started for a couple of seconds.

Modern way

If the teeth are very sharp and the cutting blade has lost its shape, then smoothing them by hand will take a lot of time. Stihl 180, chainsaw chain sharpening video, chain sharpening kit stihl 5605 007 1027 saw chain sharpening, saw chain sharpening, chainsaw chain sharpening. In this case, they usually use a manual machine or an electronic one with a sharpening wheel. The first type of device looks like a bow saw with a round file. The machines are stationary and mobile, which can be installed directly on the tire.

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They begin to adjust the required characteristics from the smallest tooth. After all the teeth are sharpened and aligned, the round file is replaced with a thin one to sharpen the stops.

The advantage of electronic machines is that the disc is placed directly under the blade being sharpened. In addition, the quality of sharpening in this case is guaranteed and all teeth will be of the same size.

The video below shows an example of sharpening a chainsaw with your own hands using an electronic machine.

The blades are always sharpened first, and only later the stops.

The sharpening angle can be changed - this depends on the intended purpose. For cutting hard wood, use the smallest angle, and for soft wood, use a larger angle. Sharpening a chainsaw chain, then turn the chainsaw 180 degrees when sharpening is complete. how to properly start a calm 180 sharpening and straightening a chainsaw chain sharpening a chain. In any case, it should be from 25° to 35°. A 10° angle is used for chains designed for longitudinal cutting.

This is the most common and smoky method for sharpening chain teeth. Still, the method is not bad when sharpening is done in an area in the forest. Why don’t you constantly transport a whole machine in person?! However, here it is worth being more precise - it is not supposed to be any tool, but a whole set, which includes:

• thin ratfil;
• round ratfil;
• sample.

They do their duties. The main purpose of the flat tool is to sharpen the depth gauge.

The round ratfil already performs the main operation, making the cutting edges sharper. At the same time, each chain requires a certain tool diameter:

• pitch ¼ inch - 4 mm;
• pitch 0.325 – 4.8 mm;
• 3/8 inch pitch – 5.2.4 mm;
• pitch 0.404 - 5.5 mm.

For Picco chains, which are equipped with Stihl 180 chainsaws with pitches of 3/8 and a quarter of an inch, a ratfil with a diameter of 4 mm is also suitable. It is important to hold it correctly. With respect to the vertical plane, the ratfil must be positioned strictly perpendicular to the chain, and with respect to the horizontal plane - at a small angle (about 30°). A specific sharpening angle is selected depending on the needs, but at 25-35°.

As opposed to sharpening a chainsaw chain on a machine, the angle here can be set using a template, which is considered a useful assistant. For this purpose, it is equipped with 2 slots: SOFT/S (for soft wood) and HARD/H (for hard wood). The template should be secured above the chain, which gives it the benefits of a limiter.

Just keep in mind that this method is not intended for permanent implementation, but serves only as a way to straighten the blades. The very frequent use of ratfil after some time leads to wear of the chain, and the teeth themselves will be sharpened unevenly.

In fact, every non-professional is worried about the question, what is the angle of sharpening the chainsaw chain on the machine? It is impossible to use a ratfil all the time, it is difficult to use an angle grinder, and this procedure is completely unsafe for beginners. There’s nothing you can do about it; you have to use machines that will be both mechanical and electronic.

You will have to work for an “eternity” with a manual machine, but you get pleasure from using an electronic analogue. There are now a variety of models to choose from that provide

• correct sharpening angle;
• level of work properties;
• Highest sharpening speed.

It should also be noted that sharpening is done moderately on all links. What remains for our client to do, what is necessary, is to turn on the equipment to the network, set the required angle, enjoy the spectacle, or get down to business. The price of such machines varies from 4.5 to 4 thousand rubles. However, the most important thing is that it will not be difficult to find the sharpening angle of the Shtil chainsaw chain on the machine.

Although fiddling around with manual equipment is a very long process, it costs several times less. In appearance, the machine resembles a bow saw, only instead of a blade there is a round file. A smaller tooth is also taken into the base. At the same time, 2 or 3 movements are enough for sharpening, then of course move on to the next link. If it is necessary to process the limiter, the ratfil is changed (round is replaced by flat).

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How to choose the right angle?

Cutting hardwood is characterized by low productivity and a large load on all components of the chainsaw (we recommend reading in more detail about the structure of the chainsaw). The most popular hardwoods are ash, beech, birch, elm, maple, oak and hazel.

The photo shows a special sharpening device that allows you to securely fix the file.

In order to effectively cut these rocks, it is necessary to maintain a sharpening angle of 25°. This value will ensure optimal operation of the chainsaw with average performance characteristics.

Softwoods include all conifers, with the exception of larch - spruce, pine, fir, cedar, as well as deciduous trees - alder, linden, aspen, willow and poplar.

For rip cutting

As already mentioned, the recommended sharpening angle is 10° with a possible deviation of up to 2°. This is due to the need to quickly cut deep into the tree when making a longitudinal cut.

For working with soft wood, the optimal angle is 25°. The fibers of soft wood are distributed unevenly, that is, hard ones alternate with soft ones. A value of 25° allows cutting of alternating fibers without periodically increasing the engine speed.

For cross cutting

For cross cuts in soft and hard wood, a value of 35° is recommended. This value allows you to achieve optimal power characteristics and load on the chain when cutting.

Angle table

The sharpening angles for saw chains are presented in the table below. From the table you can even understand which file will be needed to sharpen a particular chain.

Table of sharpening angles for all types of saw chains, as well as cutting depths. To enlarge, click on the photo.

Bulgarian is not a bad candidate

Professional woodcutters consider this method primitive and labor-intensive. It is used in the very last case, since it is impossible to fix the grinder on the template. Therefore, it is very difficult to achieve control over maintaining a constant sharpening angle and depth.

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The tire is firmly fixed in a vice to prevent its mobility during operation. There is no need to attach a new cutting disc to the grinder; it is better to use an old circle 1.5-2 mm wide.

It is better for newcomers not to use this method at all - they will be safer. There is a risk of causing severe injury to yourself. In addition, there is no way to do this without the ability to work with similar equipment.

Sharpening rules

Similar areas of each link must be subjected to uniform processing. Otherwise, if there is an excessive selection of metal in any one area, then this ultimately leads to an imbalance, uneven movement and jerking during the operation of the chainsaw. The load on the mechanism increases several times, which again threatens to break the chain.

Therefore, the operation should be carried out at the desired angle of sharpening the chain of the Shtil 180 chainsaw (as well as any other tool) with special care, avoiding unnecessary force. The procedure itself is done one by one, in other words, you need to start with one positive thing and then finish with another.

Sometimes there is an option to monitor whether one cutting edge (or several) is sharpened more sharply. This happens when the chain hits a knot on its own path, which occurs when cutting hard wood. Then we need to find which of the teeth has been ground down than just all of them and use it to equalize what remains for our client to do other links.

When sharpening is completed, you should blow the chain with air from a compressor or pump, and then place it in a container with engine oil for a short time. Usually not everyone does this, but it is useful for the chain.

Causes of the problem

A chainsaw is a hand tool that is used for longitudinal and cross cutting of wood. The cutting element of the saw is equipped with teeth with a cutting edge; they are sharpened in a special order. Wood is a relatively soft material, despite this, with intensive use of the chain, the teeth become naturally dull, and small defects and chips appear on them.

These defects lead to a decrease in the efficiency (efficiency) of sawing, a significant weighting is felt, as well as a delay in the process. Do-it-yourself chainsaw edits improve performance. This standard procedure can be performed using various devices.

Circuit State Determination

Pronounced signs of wear on the cutting part of the tool include the following manifestations:

1. 
   When cutting wood, the tool “walks” from side to side.

2. In electric saws, at maximum speeds, the load on the engine is significantly felt.
3. Excessive width and unevenness of the cut is observed.
4. An abundance of small chips appears.
5. The usual cutting time increases and work productivity decreases.

During work, additional efforts must be made; this not only leads to rapid fatigue of the worker, but also increases the risk of tool breakage or chain breakage. Therefore, you should not hesitate to resolve the issue of eliminating defects, and in some cases, replacing the chain.

Useful tips

Some useful tips will help keep the equipment in working order and eliminate the risk of injury. Of course, you need to know the correct sharpening angle for the Shtil chainsaw chain. However, timely tire care is important:

1. You need to keep the chain tension under control. Especially if the chainsaw tilts to one side during operation. Poor tension can be dangerous to humans.
2. Sharpening in a timely manner, without delay, will last a long time for our client. Even if it is expensive, alas, it is better to give preference to electrical equipment.
3. Frequently lubricate the entire chain, otherwise it may fly off (its speed is about 100 km/h). Who will draw their own conclusions?
4. Do not use used auto oil in any other way, any product of unknown properties. You should only choose special lubricants. As the best remedy - autol.

Before you start working with a chainsaw, the chain should be broken in. Let it run at low speed for 40-50 seconds. The lubricant will reach every part, and the chains with the sprocket will heat up a little and rub against your loved one.

It is harmful to ignore these professional tips if you want to remain safe and sound!

Useful recommendations from experts

To prevent premature chain wear, you need to follow the advice of experts. Experienced professionals advise:

break in the chain before sharpening. To do this, you will first need to run the headset at low engine speeds

After complete cooling and restoration of the chain, you will need to adjust it on the bus; regularly inspect the saw element, paying attention to its tension and condition. When sawing wood, when the chainsaw is tilted to one side, the saw set takes on increased loads

Due to poor tension, the cutting teeth may become unusable; remove shavings and other wood waste from the cutting set in a timely manner; try to prevent the chain teeth from getting on nails and other hard objects; sharpen the saw element on time - if the chainsaw is not used regularly at home, the operator will only need one procedure per 3 months of use. If the tool is intensively used in forest felling, then the headset will need to be restored at least once every 2–3 weeks; Do not use the chain immediately after sharpening it. The headset needs time to cool completely. If necessary, the process can be accelerated by using compressed air cylinders. Before installing the part back onto the tire, it will need to be dipped in clean oil. This will make the cutting element more mobile and significantly extend its service life; Use only high-quality branded oils for lubrication. Filling with used lubricants is not allowed.

To the end of the note

The sharpening angle of chainsaw chains is selected taking into account the type of wood that needs to be cut. If you have the time and desire, restoring the functionality of the equipment will not be difficult for you. Even an amateur who has worked as a ratfiler at least once in his life can cope with the service. Naturally, for this purpose you will have to spend from 30 to 700 rubles to purchase a sharpening set. The approximate price for chain sharpening services at any company is 200-300 rubles. The final choice is up to the woodcutter.