How many of you sharpen a new chain?

[18 stoner]

After years of saw work, i've learned that sometimes after putting a new chain on a saw, it doesnt seem to cut perfectly and actually seemed to cut better after the first sharpen, now i always give a new chain a rub straight out of the box.

 

I understand such saw vets as Al smith and Pete McSarnie have done this for years.

 

Today i even took 4 strokes off every depth guage on a new oregon chain.

 

Anyone else do the same?

[David oakman]

No i dont, but as i mainly work on oak it is only a short time before you sharpen. But it was on the woodturners thread that if you buy a new set of chisels you need to sharpen them before you first use them:001_smile:

[Johny Walker]

been using saws since i was 13 yr old thats 30yrs on saws & never done that !!!!! why sharpen a sharp chain ,used to change the angle when moving from s/wood to h/wood but that was yrs ago no point these days saw chain is good on both types these days sounds like a waste off time !!!

[MattyF]

I do it if i have time ...Personally agree as most chains cut pretty crap out the box evan worse when you get a look at some novice users chains that they have re sharpened by dealers on there bench grinders!

[Johny Walker]

I do it if i have time ...Personally agree as most chains cut pretty crap out the box evan worse when you get a look at some novice users chains that they have re sharpened by dealers on there bench grinders!

 

you must be buying crap chain then !!!!!!!!

[MattyF]

yeah probably....have you not ever noticed a chain cuts better after the first sharpen though??? imo sharpening by hand will all ways get better results than a ground chain and all new chains are ground.

I like a new chain but on my bigger saws but look forward to a couple of strokes off the rakers and 3 on the cutters to get a touch more depth ,then watch the chips fly!

[arbaholic]

I never sharpen a chain straight out of the box, never found any reason to every new chain I have used flys.

 

But I also agree that a chain probably cuts better after its first sharpen. But not enough difference to warrant sharpening it straight out of the box.

[18 stoner]

why sharpen a sharp chain, sounds like a waste off time !!!

 

I didnt say sharpen a sharp chain, i said a new chain! Big difference!

[Steve Bullman]

chains definetly cut better after their first sharpen, i dont think they cut poor enough out of the box to warrant an immediate sharpening however

[Stephen Blair]

i have never sharpened one straight out the box, the first guy i ever worked with in the woods used too, i have never come close to sharpening a chain like him, it was unbelievable how good he could get a chain. to be honest i am not that great at putting an edge on a saw, i am too impatient. my mate can get it sharper than a sharp thing aswell. any time i work with him its great, he goes over all my chains for me. but sometimes you just nail it perfectly, like today. i cut through some crap the other day while cutting oak on the deck, so i gave it a bit of a rubb in the vice this afternoon, wow i could hardly hold onto the 046, but it wasnt long till it was gone:sad: