Since this seems to now be a general chainsaw thread can we talk about sharpening a bit? My chainsaw seems like it is getting dull, cuts are a lot slower than I remember when it was new. I looked into different options and since I have a Dremel tool I bought the little Dremel chain saw sharpening kit (which also sharpens axes etc - looks better than the manual way I was doing those). For you chain saw experts, how many hours of use before sharpening? Any other tips/tricks?
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what kind of saw ? the low kickback chains on homeowner saws have very high rakers. if you dont file those, the teeth wont have much bite
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Its the DeWalt 20V little one (mentioned a hundred or so posts up there somewhere).
I had to Google what a raker is, I know how to power up the saw and not a whole lot else 
Maybe I will file them down a bit - ?
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I give my chain a few licks with the file before every time I run it. Just like this. Those files are cheap, you do have to match the diameter of the teeth, there are 3-4 common tooth sizes. This video is how I was taught to do it. It only takes a few minutes once you get the flow. Even on long bars.
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+sharpen+a+chain+saw+by+hand&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#kpvalbx=_iLVsZbO-MPKj0PEPgNSdgA0_41
Check the oiler port just under the bar cover. On smaller saws I have found that if the oiler port has some sawdust in it (dull chain makes dust instead of chips so they go together; clogged oiler as it fills with wood dust) it will not feed oil right. The oiler pump on smaller saws (many different brands, even stihl) seems to not have enough force to overcome a clogged oiler. This is a very common problem. If the chain is smoking you are wearing it, but most importantly that is when it is most likely to break. The smoke is a tell tale sign you got a clogged oiler. Just use an old toothbrush to brush it clean. Works the best in my opinion. Also, most saws run thru the oil at a slightly faster rate than the fuel. If you are gassing the saw and the oiler tank is still pretty full, odds are your oiler port is pretty clogged and needs some love. Hope that makes sense.
Pros just bring 3-4 sharp chains to a job and swap them out as needed.
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if you keep your chain out of dirt and away from rocks, etc. it will stay sharp for a long time. a single touch of soil, etc. is enough to dull a chain noticeably. i value my time, so I tend to keep a couple of new chains handy since theyre not that expensive and they work so much better. When i have some time and a notion to, Ill sharpen one or more chains. In my area, there are sharpening services that make a chain like new for about 1/2 the price of a new chain. Many small hardware stores or other equipment dealers send things out to be sharpened. A week turnaround is typical in my experience.
I sharpen tools constantly for work (chisels, planes, etc.) so its kind of second nature to me anymore. Chain saws are tricky though, and most people who āknowā how to sharpen them dont do that good a job. The angle and size/profile of the tooth need be kept consistent along the length of the chain and side to side, otherwise the cut quality and speed will suffer. with a file, one usually counts strokes (like say 5 strokes per tooth) while maintaining the cutting angle carefully. Make sure you have the right size file- there are several different sizes and its the size of the file that produces the proper profile. I imagine the cutters in the electric (such as dremel) sharpeners have the same range of sizes. Youll also need a sharp flat mill file to file the rakers.
Filing guides can be helpful, but they can also be problematic. Ive heard good things about this newer style: https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/filing-tools/2in1file/
If you hold a straight edge across the teeth, the rakers should be below the teeth by a certain amount- usually around 1/16 + or so (Id guess) on the low kickback safety chains and maybe 1/8 + on regular chains. they limit the size of the chip each tooth takes, and also push the chips out the kerf.
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I borrowed a $300 chainsaw from a friend years ago and couldnāt cut through a 15 inch tree. He had lent it to his brother-in-law who dulled the chain. I then bought a $39 AC powered chainsaw and it was easy cutting that 15 inch tree with itās nice sharp chain. I learned quickly how important a sharp chain was.
Not all sharpening techniques maximize chain cutting ability. Hereās one opinion:
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Iām a big fan of the Stihl 2in1 itās about $30-$40. It sharpens your rakers as well the gullet.
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The day after I noticed the smoke there was some bar oil leaking around one of the two nuts that holds the bar and plastic cover on the saw. They were both a little loose. Must have become loose or maybe I had neglected to fully tighten the nuts. I find that when fully tensioning the chain its best to tighten the nuts and then loosen then a turn or two and then tighten the chain to the bar. I donāt know if other chainsaws are like that but that is how Milwaukee M18 seems to be.
I use the Black Max bar oil sold at Walmart which is about $13 a gallon. Some other brands are much more expensive. Donāt know if it makes any difference. Doubt if I will ever try it but some folks have used Crisco vegetable oil. Iām not that cheap but some say I am!
@danzep
Did not realize that there were so many options as to kits for sharpening the chain. The 11/64" file listed in the manual for the R56 chain as recommended in the Milwaukee M18 saw manual was unavailable in the stores in my area. Iāll be looking at the Stihl 2in1 kit. Iām guessing any round file will fit it.
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The Stihl 2-in-1 take a shorter rat-tail file, but I donāt know the length. I find I have to pop the rat-tail files out of the frame and give them a 1/4 turn every once in a while.
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The package on the R56 chain says itās 3/8th chain, so a Stihl 3/8th 2in1 should do the trick.
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Are the Stihl āknock-offā 2-in-1 filing guides (Mempa, Benego, Simsin, Etc brands) on Amazon about the same quality as the Stihl 2-in-1 filing guides?
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I mostly keep it old school and sharpen by eye, but I used to saw for work so have years of practice. Filing guides are very helpful, especially when youāre learning. I use the anodized blue Husqvarna roller guide if I want the chain really dialed or need check/adjust raker height especially for switching between hardwood and softwood.
However, many of the group of volunteer sawyers I train and manage have bought the Stihl 2 in 1 and love it, so I usually recommend that to new sawyers. Canāt speak to the Amazon versions, but with cutting tools like files and chisels where material, hardening, and temper are super important, you usually get what you pay for.
As far as when to sharpen, a sharp chain is much safer because you donāt have to push on the saw, which will make you tired and sloppy, and if youāre pushing, the saw will have too much energy when finishing the cut. If itās really clean wood maybe you can get away with 3 or 5 tanks/batteries before sharpening (a tank is 45 min to 1 hr of work). But more often I sharpen every other tank or when I hit dirt/rock, whichever comes first.
And if anyoneās still on fence with electric or gas: at this point gas saws are for when youāre away from charging and need to carry your fuel (energy density of gasoline is still many times higher than lithium ion), or need to get a lot of work done fast or are cutting large trees. A well tuned pro grade gas saw of just 50 cc is miles ahead of even the new Stihl 300 electric in heavy cutting. But for intermittent cutting, or less than 1-2 hrs cutting, and smaller diameter wood, why not save your ears?
One thing to watch out for though: in an effort to maximize the limited power of batteries, some brands use a very small chain size, which are more efficient, but Iāve seen them stretch out in one bout of heavy cutting to the point the chain tensioner was maxed and it still was hanging loose. That was an EGo. So all the battery saws popping up from the hardware store tool brands may not be up to heavy cutting. But theyāre probably perfectly adequate for pruning type work.
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Yes, I am not understanding the Stihl 2 in 1. It does not seem to have a 11/64" version as recommended for the Milwaukee saw chain. Could I purchase the Stihl 2 in 1 in the 3/8" version and then swap out the 3/8" file with a 11/64" file? Donāt know.
In the meantime, I have ordered this for the Milwaukee M18ā¦
Amazon.com: Oregon 38278 4.5 mm Chain Saw Sharpening Kit : Oregon: Patio, Lawn & Garden
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that looks really handy. the classic stamped filing guides are pretty janky, but that roller guide seems like it keeps your angle and file height super consistent.
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Yeah it doesnāt rigidly hold the correct angle for you, but gives a great visual reference, and the roller gives a nice feel. Plus itās not nearly so bulky as most guides so you can always have it with you.
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What we have (all gassers):
Stihl MS 192
2 - Stihl MS 193c
Stihl MS 194c
Husqvarna 540 XP Mark III (rear handle)
Stihl MS 181
Stihl MS 026
Stihl MS 026 (parts saw)
Stihl MS 260
Stihl MS 400c-m
Stihl MS 461
Stihl MS 500i
McCulloch Pro 10-10-Automatic
McCulloch Pro 10-10 (Parts saw)
What we donāt have: Battery Saw
However, weād like to pick up a battery saw (probably Stihl) to use at the sawmill for cutting up slab wood. For bucking up saw logs and firewood, weād prefer to stay with a gas saw. Battery saws donāt offer bar lengths long enough for some of the logs we cut anyway.
For suburban homeowners who want a saw for yard work and clean up, I think the hand-tool brand saws functioning off a battery system the homeowner already has is a great way to go. For more demanding use, Iād recommend one of the battery saws produced by Stihl, Husqvarna or Echo. And for firewood production, producing enough wood for heat not just occasional ambiance, I think a gas saw is called for.
And yes, we have a chainsaw addiction, donāt judge fruit tree peopleā¦ already have more trees on order for spring and Iām sure new saws will be considered in the future (havenāt tried a top handle limbing saw yet) hmmmmā¦
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Iāve read that in the log splitters an electrical motor that is rated 2.5 eHP equates to a gas 5 HP. Is the same true of the chainsaws where my battery powered Milwaukee M18 Fuel which is rated 5.3 HP equates to a 10.6 HP gas chainsaw?
This does not seem right both ways.
Iām trying to get in the habit of using the chain brake much more than I have been. These battery chainsaws can be dangerous because when the trigger is released the torque is greatly reduced but the chain is still rotating.
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Chainsaws are running at a narrow rpm range. Ideally the HP at the running rpm would be the best number to know for electric or ICE but thatās not what the marketing people tell you. I donāt know if any specifications tell you the HP at the running rpm.
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I see Amazon is showing that 5.3 hp on the 16" saw, but Milwaukee Tools shows 2.7 peak hp on their 14" saw. Milwaukee doesnāt even show a hp rating on the 16" saw, I donāt know where Amazon came up with that. A Stihl MS 261 has 4 bhp and itās a 50.2cc saw.
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My speculation is the some (most?) small dealership of Stihl and Husqvarna refuse to sell the battery powered chainsaws because of the price tags. I know of at least one Husqvarna dealership that does not.
I can only wonder what the batteries that the two have are like.
The Stihl MSA 220 TC-O is an interesting top-handle saw.
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