Strange things happen in my saw shop, probably in other shops also. The other day I had a customer who appeared to be very angry with me. We’ll call him Bill. He said his saw was just making powder and would not cut any wood and I had sharpened his chain. He must have run the chain for several days without sharpening it. The chain was so dull, I had to grind each tooth back about a sixteenth of an inch. Then I filed it to get it really sharp and set the depth gauges (rakers). I spent a lot of time grinding and filing. When Bill came in to pick up his chain, I told him I would guarantee it would stay sharp for about 45 minutes of cutting if he didn’t hit any metal like fence wire or run the bar into the dirt. I further told him the chain should be resharpened each time he filled up with gasoline and oil. Bill smiled and I think he knew what I was talking about and had just been pulling my leg when he came in. But I am not sure.

Then Lyle came in. His saw was super clean, but it needed a new sprocket (frequently a forgotten item). Lyle also complained that the saw was cutting crooked. I ground his bar but that was not the problem. His chain was sharp on one side and not so sharp on the other side. This often happens. So again sharpening is the problem.

Perhaps 70% or more of chain saw users run dull Chains. Clearly they cut far less firewood and suffer greater fatigue than they should. But here are some not so obvious problems with dull saw chains.

1. Safety – a dull chain can kick back more violently than a sharp saw chain.
2. Vibration – saw parts will come lose such as the handle and muffler.
3. Excessive wear on the bar, sprocket and the chain. The chain will stretch out and frequently jump the bar.
4. Short engine life. .

Clearly these are compelling reasons to keep the chain sharp. So why do chain saw users resist sharpening? We as chain saw servicing dealers are partly to blame. We encourage chain saw buyers to buy extra chain and tell them to bring in the dull chain for sharpening. This is wrong. The chain cutting oak firewood for example needs to be “touched up” each time the saw is filled with mix gasoline and bar & chain oil. Usually two strokes with a round file each hour of operation will keep the chain razor sharp.

When I sell a chain saw, I sharpen the chain for the customer. “ Why are you doing that? Isn't a new chain sharp.” they some times ask. I tell them loggers always sharpen a new chain with a file. It will increase the cutting speed by about 10%. I use a tool called a Sharp Force. It has a round file for the cutter and a flat file for the depth gauge (raker). In most cases, the customer will also purchase a Sharp Force with his new chain saw.

Reading this does not tell you how to sharpen a chain. It takes practice and patience to get good at it. Find some who knows how to do it. (Ask someone who knows). Loggers who do a lot of hand cutting can show you. I spend a lot time showing customers how to sharpen their chains and I sell a lot of Sharp Force tools. Another way to learn all aspects of chain saw use including chain sharpening is to take Game of Logging (GOL) taught by Ken Lallemont. See Links at www.samselsawmill.com.

_{Clyde Samsel is a retired Chemical Engineer, who with his wife Janet, and son Jay operate a sawmill and saw shop near Hancock Wisconsin in Waushara County. The Samsel Tree Farm has been in the family for 60 years. Visitors to the mill and Tree Farm are always welcome. See Web site for a map and contact information.}