All About Pocket Knives

I never realized just how bad I was at free hand sharpening a chainsaw until tonight. I set up this el cheapo harbor freight chainsaw sharpener and touched up the chains I’d been free handing. What a difference!

I cut down and limbed this half dead fir tree and it went like a knife through hot butter. Not bad for less than $30 for the sharpener. I reckon it’ll pay for itself with about two sharpenings.

My uncle Tony bought one of these electric sharpener with the grinding wheel , this same type sharpeners but it wasn't an HF it was actually Made in Italy and who he ordered it from I could not say but they sure will up the saws performance in cutting because they automatically put the right angles in with a simple adjustment......I too learned this the hard way after fighting several jobs on evergreens.......I bought this set shown below, the only problem that I had was that I was sharpening it by eye sight too and not using the guide in my Kit you see here.......I also filed the raker's on the blade......if the raker's stick up to high this is what leads to you burning your blade and is usually why everyone scratches their heads and asks why isn't my saw cutting......this is why, the raker's are to high not allowing the tooth to cut........anyways I started using the Angle Guide ever since I caught on - makes a big difference - Nice Score on the Sharpener HF always has good deals at low prices and you can always get a free flashlight with the free flashlight add or a pair of scissors or something with each visit. My Dad gave me a Craftsman 18" 40 something CC engine and I use it all the time its my go to for bigger jobs around the house and ranch......I also have a Ryobi Pole Saw for hard to reach Limbs it is a Small Blade but it does the Job too.

Mountain Man Knives wrote:My uncle Tony bought one of these electric sharpener with the grinding wheel , this same type sharpeners but it wasn't an HF it was actually Made in Italy and who he ordered it from I could not say but they sure will up the saws performance in cutting because they automatically put the right angles in with a simple adjustment......I too learned this the hard way after fighting several jobs on evergreens.......I bought this set shown below, the only problem that I had was that I was sharpening it by eye sight too and not using the guide in my Kit you see here.......I also filed the raker's on the blade......if the raker's stick up to high this is what leads to you burning your blade and is usually why everyone scratches their heads and asks why isn't my saw cutting......this is why, the raker's are to high not allowing the tooth to cut........anyways I started using the Angle Guide ever since I caught on - makes a bug differnce - Nice Score on the Sharpener HF always has good deals at low prices and you can always get a free flashlight with the free flashlight add or a pair of scissors or something with each visit. My Dad gave me a Craftsman 18" 40 something CC engine and I use it all the time its my go to for bigger jobs around the house and ranch......I also have a Ryobi Pole Saw for hard to reach Limbs it is a Small Blade but it does the Job too.

You’re right about the rakers. Even on a new chain I usually take them down a bit. I like the saw to pull itself through the wood.

I've thought about picking one of those up. Making me think about going and picking one up...and like MMK said...that freebie at Harbor Freight, "seals the deal".

Did'ja ever get the chain on backwards? It don't cut worth a hoot. Don't ask me how I know that.

jerryd6818 wrote:Did'ja ever get the chain on backwards? It don't cut worth a hoot. Don't ask me how I know that.

A few days ago I did. I didn’t make it out to cut anything, notices it right away, but I sure felt like a dolt.

Chain saws scare me.. One Christmas my wife/kids got me one.. It was returned pronto!!!
John

We hand sharpen with a rat tail and bastard file here at the farm. Two wood burners are our only heating option, so firewood cutting is a top priority and our saws get a lot of use. My brother also uses firewood and a guy who helps us make hay gets firewood too. Plus trees fall on our fencing and ATV trails, so a good cutting chainsaw is a must.

jerryd6818 wrote:Did'ja ever get the chain on backwards? It don't cut worth a hoot. Don't ask me how I know that.

My latest Stihl I picked up...the salesman put the chain on backwards. I had to tell him he put it on wrong.

jmh58 wrote:Chain saws scare me.. One Christmas my wife/kids got me one.. It was returned pronto!!!
John

Chainsaws are fun! Lol. My wife gets scared when I pull out the old Husqvarna. Not so much for me, she says I get a little happy with it and cut down everything in sight. Lol.

1967redrider wrote:We hand sharpen with a rat tail and bastard file here at the farm. Two wood burners are our only heating option, so firewood cutting is a top priority and our saws get a lot of use. My brother also uses firewood and a guy who helps us make hay gets firewood too. Plus trees fall on our fencing and ATV trails, so a good cutting chainsaw is a must.

That’s usually how I do it too. The old folks here used to say that heating with wood warms you twice. Once when you cut it and once when you burn it. Lol

As I recall my experiences with wood it heated me more than twice.
First I felled it then cut it and stacked it. Then I had to split it and pack it and stack it again.
It's a young strong mans game working with wood.

I heated our home with wood for the first twenty years we lived here. When my wood burning furnace finally gave up the ghost, I celebrated by having an electric heat pump installed. Now the only wood I burn is in the fireplace and I haven't even done that in three or four years. As Joe says, heating with wood is a young mans game and I'm not young or strong anymore.

After having several brands of chain saws over the years I finally bought a Stihl. Best chainsaw by far! With it I got one of those sharpener kits like Mountain Man showed. Very quick and easy to touch up the chain with it. The key is to use the angle guide. And you don’t have to remove the chain from the bar to use it!

I do keep a sharpened spare chain in the case with the saw, so I can quickly change to sharp chain when needed.

That Stihl saw is 10 years old now and still running like it was new.

Ken

FRJ wrote:As I recall my experiences with wood it heated me more than twice.
First I felled it then cut it and stacked it. Then I had to split it and pack it and stack it again.
It's a young strong mans game working with wood.

Very true. A good way to get a free workout.

Colonel26 wrote:

jmh58 wrote:Chain saws scare me.. One Christmas my wife/kids got me one.. It was returned pronto!!!
John

Chainsaws are fun! Lol. My wife gets scared when I pull out the old Husqvarna. Not so much for me, she says I get a little happy with it and cut down everything in sight. Lol.

Yes they are fun. I could chainsaw away all day.

Colonel26 wrote:I never realized just how bad I was at free hand sharpening a chainsaw until tonight. I set up this el cheapo harbor freight chainsaw sharpener and touched up the chains I’d been free handing. What a difference!

I cut down and limbed this half dead fir tree and it went like a knife through hot butter. Not bad for less than $30 for the sharpener. I reckon it’ll pay for itself with about two sharpenings.

534D1C6B-070F-4217-800E-1C74E477002B.jpeg3F26FF22-4627-4AF5-A13E-F51E585E4C04.jpeg

..........maybe this is what I need to get, mine doesn't cut good anymore , either!!!.......... ..............

carrmillus wrote:

Colonel26 wrote:I never realized just how bad I was at free hand sharpening a chainsaw until tonight. I set up this el cheapo harbor freight chainsaw sharpener and touched up the chains I’d been free handing. What a difference!

I cut down and limbed this half dead fir tree and it went like a knife through hot butter. Not bad for less than $30 for the sharpener. I reckon it’ll pay for itself with about two sharpenings.

534D1C6B-070F-4217-800E-1C74E477002B.jpeg3F26FF22-4627-4AF5-A13E-F51E585E4C04.jpeg

..........maybe this is what I need to get, mine doesn't cut good anymore , either!!!.......... ..............

They work really well. I was impressed.