Chain sharpening. Am I doing something wrong?

[Stubby]

File it flat.

 

The 10 degree angle takes into account the chain canting slightly in the bar while you are sharpening it.

 

Use a 3/16 file.

 

If the cutter was canting over in the bar to compensate you would have to lift the file 10 degrees not drop it . 10 degrees down is Oregon , level is Stihl I seem to remember .

[Big 'Ammer]

If the cutter was canting over in the bar to compensate you would have to lift the file 10 degrees not drop it . 10 degrees down is Oregon , level is Stihl I seem to remember .

 

The OP is using Oregon chain which requires an uphill filing angle of 10 degrees.

 

If you file it flat freehand, the action of pushing the file forward will naturally cant the cutter over very slightly in the bar.

 

To all intents and purposes, this filing flat with the cutter slightly canted is the equivalent of the cutter being stationery and the file being held at a slight uphill angle.

 

If you want fast, smooth, low-vibration cutting the most important thing is having the rakers at the correct depth and a smooth rounded lead in to the raker.

 

This makes more difference to cutting performance than minute discrepancies in cutter angles, IMO.

 

As Gardenkit said, a little tiny bit filed off the top of a tie strap isn't going to make any difference when a chains used to that extent.

 

I always file Stihl and Oregon chains the same way anyway, freehand and never drop a file size, adjusting angles by eye if they need it, usually when somebody else has made a pigs ear of sharpening a chain.

[Stubby]

Yep when I say drop the file down I mean the handle which will give you an "up hill" as you say .But if you think about it , filing from the inside of the cutter as you should if it tips asway from you , as it will it has the effect of making that angle even steeper ....