How Often Do You Sharpen Chain

[Stephen Blair]

Top handle and pole saw hardly ever tbh, a chain can last me months.  The 261 is mainly for branch wood so unless I hit a nail or flushing a stump I give it a freshen up at the start of the day.  The 500i takes all the abuse on bigger diameter wood, felling and has the highest risk of the nose in the dirt when doing wind blow or cutting timber thats been moved with the digger or Avant.  I’ve seen me sharpen a chain to nothing over the course of a slice and dice back garden tree full of Metal and dirt and when it’s a job for an 88 then that can be worse because an old large tree has been about for 150-300 years and in that time it can have steel, wire, concrete, stones, sand and dirt throughout the whole stem.

[Witterings]

9 hours ago, Stubby said:

I assume you are taking the rakers down every 3rd or 4th sharpen ? 

 

Must admit I wondered if that may be the problem from the size of chip, I'm using one of the Stihl 2 in 1's to sharpen.

I've used them on other saws / chains before and they've been great, I checked what size I needed when I bought this saw.

Sure I've got a gauge somewhere so can dig it out and check 👍

[dan blocker]

20 hours ago, Witterings said:

 

Must admit I wondered if that may be the problem from the size of chip, I'm using one of the Stihl 2 in 1's to sharpen.

I've used them on other saws / chains before and they've been great, I checked what size I needed when I bought this saw.

Sure I've got a gauge somewhere so can dig it out and check 👍

I use these and find it takes the rakers down too much. I take the flat file out and put it back in every couple of files. That shouldn’t be the case with you though if it’s not cutting. 

[peatff]

I sharpen as soon as they start to blunt and stop making chips, nothing worse than struggling along trying to force the cut.