Chainsaw Filing, Friends...

[Dutch3]

This guy drives me nuts, friends. He really has some issues, friends.

But friends, I just keep watching his videos friends, because he does have some knowledge aboot stuff, friends...

[freonr22]

where is Melvino, my friend? i miss him

[KevinB]

We power sharpen all our chains. Always carry a couple of spare chains with you in the woods and when you stuff one just switch it out. I don't know anyone that hand files anymore.

We make all our own chains and only buy the best chain we can. Oregon makes really good chains for all apps.

The guy in the video is a nut.

[Eat Dirt]

Originally Posted by KevinB

Always carry a couple of spare chains with you in the woods and when stuff one just switch it out.


The guy in the video is a nut.

I carry a sharp spare chain in bottom of carry case ! Always

And in this big round round ball we call Earth [ I made it thru 30 sec. Of video ]
Never ....... I mean Never ..... Loan out you saw !!!!!
Never ..... Never ......Never

[Citizen_B]

I stopped hand filing awhile ago. Power sharpener now. Fast and consistent. I take the rakers down lower than they're supposed to be freehand on a grinding wheel. The extra depth lets the weight of the saw do the cutting and I can pull back some if it's biting too much. I don't suggest this with someone inexperienced nor on underpowered saws.

[ZirconJohn]

Buckin' Billy Ray KNOWS his sheet ...!

I watch his channel almost every episode - he really knows his stuff

I am a better chain hand filer since for subscribing to his channel ... my STIHL 461 rips RIBBONS out them logs ... NO sawdust for me aye ... NO SIR ...!

[Dutch3]

I still hand file my chains. I don't have a power sharpener. I don't really use a saw that much anyway. When I need it, I need it.

Skip to 17:20...it is about your wedgesmanship, friends...

[Derbycat]

Can anyone recommend a good power sharpener? Sounds like a good investment.

[luckylogger6]

Oregon 520 is the standard, however even with a grinder you still need to know what you are doing if you want your chain to cut straight...or at all.

I hand file my chain. If I was falling timber and had a bunch chains to sharpen every day I would absolutely grind them but to just keep a sharp chain on my saw in the truck its faster for me to file them. As for the video, I never made it to chain sharpening...

[Dnele928]

Got this...will be trying it out soon...

https://www.amazon.com/KMOOL-Chainsa.../dp/B08FSJSRFY

[luckylogger6]

I have no experience with anything like that but don't see how it could possibly sharpen a chain. All it will do is sharpen(maybe) the top plate and from the wrong side. It will do nothing for the side plate of the cutter thus ending up with a dull working/cutting corner.

Wish you the best of luck...

[WartHog]

Originally Posted by luckylogger6

I have no experience with anything like that but don't see how it could possibly sharpen a chain. All it will do is sharpen(maybe) the top plate and from the wrong side. It will do nothing for the side plate of the cutter thus ending up with a dull working/cutting corner.

Wish you the best of luck...

Gets so-so reviews too. Are those Stihl 2 in 1 easy file sharpeners worth trying?

[jeffrice6]

Originally Posted by Derbycat

Can anyone recommend a good power sharpener? Sounds like a good investment.

My neighbor loves his harbor freight, I’m thinking about picking one as well.

[Citizen_B]

I've tried the higher end grinding types (like the Oregon lucky mentions) and the lower end HF grinding types (what I use now). The higher end ones are nice but honestly the cheap ones do a fine job once you get the hang of it. I might get a higher end just for the hell of it since I do use it a lot. Some of the advantages is you can swap stones and grind the rakers quickly/consistently.

If you're a light duty user, a hand file would be just fine with some practice. I like the grinders because I'll just rotate through my spare chains then sharpen them all at once.

If you abuse chains, the grinder is the way to go. I sharpened a family members chain and it looked like it was used to cut stone then fell off a cliff. Super dull, banged up teeth, chips. Had to take a lot of meat off to get them back to perfect. Would have taken me forever with a hand file.

[Misterclick]

^ maybe I should by a grinder Type for my son, he cannot keep his freaking bar out of the dirt! It’s maddening. I did pick up a Stihl 2-1 so I will report out after use. I have spare chains that I rotate end of season to be sharpened. Got a 150, 261, 271, 311 between the kid and I.

[Featureless]

As much as I love working with my chainsaws, that is TMI. Don't mean that in a bad way.

[Misterclick]

Ha ha ha!

[Tanner68]

Buckin' Billy is one happy guy. Never even seems like he is working. He is just having fun. His work happens to be his favorite activity, carefully felling trees, and sharing his knowledge and experience with all his friends.

And I still hand file.

[luckylogger6]

Originally Posted by Citizen_B

I've tried the higher end grinding types (like the Oregon lucky mentions) and the lower end HF grinding types (what I use now). The higher end ones are nice but honestly the cheap ones do a fine job once you get the hang of it. I might get a higher end just for the hell of it since I do use it a lot. Some of the advantages is you can swap stones and grind the rakers quickly/consistently.

If you're a light duty user, a hand file would be just fine with some practice. I like the grinders because I'll just rotate through my spare chains then sharpen them all at once.

If you abuse chains, the grinder is the way to go. I sharpened a family members chain and it looked like it was used to cut stone then fell off a cliff. Super dull, banged up teeth, chips. Had to take a lot of meat off to get them back to perfect. Would have taken me forever with a hand file.

That's a good point. If you use your saw to cut roots when digging out a stump or something like that a grinder is a must. The trick to hand filing is to keep you chain sharp and just touch it up 2-3 passes with a file is all it needs.

[luckylogger6]

Originally Posted by WartHog

Gets so-so reviews too. Are those Stihl 2 in 1 easy file sharpeners worth trying?

I've actually never tried one but here is a funny story about the 2 in 1 sharpeners ...

I was attending a timber falling clinic/competition hosted by Husqvarna where A perfect score wins you a brand new husky 372. I got a "safety" penalty for unnecessarily reving up my saw when pulling it out of a face cut. Cutting all day that was the only point I lost and my conciliation prize was a 2 in 1 file rather than a new saw...

[ZirconJohn]

Originally Posted by luckylogger6

I've actually never tried one but here is a funny story about the 2 in 1 sharpeners ...

I was attending a timber falling clinic/competition hosted by Husqvarna where A perfect score wins you a brand new husky 372. I got a "safety" penalty for unnecessarily reving up my saw when pulling it out of a face cut. Cutting all day that was the only point I lost and my conciliation prize was a 2 in 1 file rather than a new saw...

I only rev my saw when I'm in the cut!

...just a rev in the cut kind'a guy I guess

[Dutch3]

Originally Posted by Tanner68

Buckin' Billy is one happy guy. Never even seems like he is working. He is just having fun. His work happens to be his favorite activity, carefully felling trees, and sharing his knowledge and experience with all his friends.

And I still hand file.

I can't fault him for his friendliness and sharing. I guess I am just not used to it these days.

I hand file for my three saws. Which amounts to about twice a year, friends LOL

[smle-man]

I just buy a new chain.