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Saw Chains for Chainsaws

  
Side view of cutter

Side view
Top view of cutter

Top view
Orthogonal view of cutter

Saw chain

When a chainsaw’s saw chain is sharpened using files, it is sharpened using a round file (sized for the chain). This is used to address the part marked in blue.

Oftentimes, a flat, mill file is also needed to reduce the size of the chip gauge (AKA, a “raker”). This is shown in the pictures marked in red.

 

 

I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.

Henry David Thoreau

General Guidelines

Saw Chain Type

Fleam

Drop

Rake

Chip Thickness

Comments

Vise Rotate Angle

Down Angle

Head Tilt Angle

Depth Gauge

Pitch < 0.404”

Pitch = 0.404”

Crosscut
Round ground chisel tooth

Round ground chisel tooth

25°

0° or 10°

55°

0.025”
0.65 mm

0.030”
0.76 mm
Fleam guide mark

Fleam Angle

Fleam / vise rotate angle is often indicated on the saw cutter as shown in the picture to the right. Match that angle.

Drop / down angle is chain-dependent, but 10° is most common.

Rake / head tilt angle typically ranges between 50° to 60°, but 55° is most common.
Chisel tooth

Chisel tooth

30°

Semi-chisel tooth

Semi-chisel tooth

35°

Rip

10°

10°

50°

0.025”
0.65 mm

0.030”
0.76 mm

 

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Notes & Comments

Notes:

  1. When using the Oregon Products or Tecomec Bench Grinder, the term equivalencies for the Grind Angles Chart are shown in blue the table above. The Grind Angles Chart should also be consulted for the relevant angles, based on the chain you are sharpening.
  2. These are some good general guidelines. Specific saw chains may require different angles.

Steps for Sharpening Saw Chains

Step

Comments

1   Clean the saw chain

If the chainsaw's saw chain has become gunked up, it can be immersed in a carburetor cleaning solution, and then scrubbed with a wire brush. Spray carburetor cleaner (in an aerosol can) can quickly remove any solvent remaining on the saw chain.

Safety Note: It is recommended that you clean the saw chain before sharpening it. This is safer, and you are less likely to dull the blade by the cleaning activities. Also, it will be easier to see what you are doing during the sharpening activities. Finally, be sure to follow the safety guidelines for use and disposal of any cleaning chemicals.

2  

Sharpen the Cutters

Fleam guide mark

Fleam Angle

The tops of some saw chain cutters have an line at an angle which is used to indicate the manufacturer's recommended Fleam / Vise Rotate Angle. This is shown as a red line in the picture to the right (click on the picture to see a bigger version).

  i

Inspect the chain to find the cutter most in need for regrinding.

When ground, the length on this cutter will set the amount ground from all the cutters. This ensures a consist chain which saws cleanly, neatly, and (hopefully) safely.

Mark the top of this cutter with a red Sharpie (or use whichever colour you prefer).

  ii

Sharpen all the left hand (or right hand) cutters.

Start sharpening with the cutter marked red in the prior step.

Saw Chain Pitch File Diameter
1/4”
0.250” 		5/32”
4 mm
0.325” 3/16”
4.8 mm
3/8”
0.375” 		13/64”
5.2 mm
0.404” 7/32”
5.5 mm

If sharpening the cutters by hand, a round file guide is recommended.

If sharpening the cutters using a grinder,

  • Ensure the grindstone's shape is appropriate. Use the wheel dresser to reshape it as necessary.
  • Be sure to manage the heat during the process. Saw chains are typically not hardened steel and if the grinding is too agressive, the teeth will lose temper.
  • Ensure the chain vise holds the saw chain securely, and also allows the chain to slide easily during the sharpening; adjust as necessary.
  iii

Sharpen all the opposite hand cutters.

Start sharpening with the cutter to the left of the one marked red.

Cutter length

Cutter Length

When grinding the cutters, it is important that the left and right cutters are equal length. It is a good practice to measure the cutters you just sharpened, and set the length of these cutters to be the same. Aim for a difference in lengths around ±0.01” (±0.25 mm).

A micrometer is a good tool for measuring this.

3  

Set the height for the Chip Gauges

Chip gauge

Chip Gauge

If the saw is generating fine (not chunky) sawdust, the chip gauge / raker will need to be filed down to increase the chip thickness. The chip gauge is the metal part of the saw chain which projects up in front of the cutter and sets the chip thickness.

Depth gauge tool

Depth Gauge Tool

When filing down the chip gauge, be careful to not take off too much. If it is too short, the chainsaw will become too aggressive, and will also be dangerous to use.

A depth gauge tool is really needed for setting the chip gauge's height correctly.

If grinding the chip gauges using a grinder,

  • Set the thickness for one of them first by hand. This one is used to set the depth for grinding the others.
  • Ensure the grindstone's shape is appropriate. Use the wheel dresser to reshape it as necessary.
  • As noted above, be sure to manage the heat during the process.
4  

Oil the saw chain. In a dusty environment, this can attract dust to the chain, so it may be better to only add a light coat of oil.

 

File Size to Use

The file size needed, based on the chain used, should be as noted in the table below. It is best to consult your machine's manual though.

Saw Chain Pitch File Diameter Grinding Wheel Diameter Vendor Chain Part Numbers
1/4”
0.250” 		5/32”
4 mm 		1/8”
3.2 mm

Carlton: E1MC

EM: S00

Husqvarna: H00

Oregon: 25

SARP: 16

Stihl: 13, 13RM, 71

Windsor: 50K
0.325” 3/16”
4.8 mm 		1/8”
3.2 mm

Carlton: K1C, K1L, K2C, K2L, K3C, K3L

EM: S21, S27, S28

Husqvarna: H21, H22, H23, H25, H26, H27, H30, H78

Oregon: 20, 21, 22, 33, 34, 35, 80, 95, M21, M22

SARP: 520, 523, 528, 920, 923, 928

Stihl: 23, 25, 26

Windsor: 50JL, 50JLG, 58JL, 58JLG, 63JL, 63JLG
3/8”
0.375” 		13/64”
5.2 mm 		1/8”
3.2 mm

or

3/16”
4.7 mm

Carlton: A1EP, A1LM, A2EP, A2LM, A3EP, AA3LM, N1C, N4C

EM: S36, S41, S44, S45, S46, S48, S49, S51, S52, S53, S54

Husqvarna: H42, H45, H46, H47, H48, H48S, H50, H51, H54, H80, H81, H82, H83, H475

Oregon: 72, 73, 75, 90, 91

SARP: 357, 357P, 357S, 980, 980D, 983, 983D, 988, 988D

Stihl: 33, 35, 36, 61, 63

Windsor: 43RG, 50AG, 50APL, 50APLG, 50R, 50RG, 58AG, 58APLG, 63AG, 63APL, 63APLG
0.404” 7/32”
5.5 mm 		3/16”
4.7 mm

Carlton: B2EP, B2LM, B3EP, B3H, B3HR, B3RM10, B3RM35, B3S, B5M

EM: S64, S65, S66

Husqvarna: H57, H64, H65

Oregon: 16, 18, 19, 26, 27, 58, 59, 68

SARP: 463, 757, 757MK, 858, J63, MKII2000

Stihl: 40, 46

Windsor: 58B, 63B, 63BL, 63BR, HC, 2HC

Husqvarna file handle

Husqvarna's file handle

Safety Note: When using a hand file for filing a saw chain, ensure that you also use a file handle. Husqvarna makes one (shown in the picture to the right) which is nice as the two angled edges are at 25° and 30° so it is easy to use that as a reference for the fleam angle.

This handle fits 4.0-4.5 mm round files and 6-8” flat files.

I prefer this handle style for sharpening saw chains over the wooden file handles.

Toolkit for Saw Chain Sharpening

Oregon Products makes a very useful field sharpening kit. (Though they don't seem to show it on their web site; I bought mine via Amazon.)

Such a kit needs to include:

  • Commonly used hand files for sharpening the saw chain used on your chainsaw:
    • Round file - 4mm or 5/32”
    • Round file - 4.8mm or 3/16”
    • Round file - 5.2mm or 13/64”
    • Round file - 5.8mm or 7/32”
    • Flat file - 6”, single cut
  • File handle
  • Guide/jig for sharpening the cutters, preferrably one which has marks for the fleam at 25°, 30°, & 35° to make the process easier
  • Depth gauge tool for filing the chip gauge's height

Grinding Wheels for Saw Chain Grinders

The grinding wheels for the saw chain grinders are:

Grinding Wheel Comments
Pink This is the grindstone traditionally supplied with new machines.
Green General-purpose grindstone which balances speed of cutting with wheel wear.
Gray Uses an abrasive material design to grind chains with hard coating materials applied to the cutter. This material creates a harder surface than a standard steel cutter. The gray wheel will grind much cooler and with less burning than the pink or green grindstones. However, it is softer and will not last as long.
CBN Grinding wheels coated with CBN will cut without the heat buildup experienced by the traditional grindstones (any colour). They should be used on steel saw chains.
Diamond Grinding wheels coated with diamonds will also cut without the heat buildup experienced by the traditional grindstones (any colour). They should be used on saw chains with teeth which are carbide.

Chainsaw Maintenance

Do not forget to also maintain the chainsaw.

Chain catcher

Chain Catcher
Remove burrs

Remove burrs
Lube sprocket bearing

Lube sprocket bearing
  1. After removing the chain:
    1. Clean the area behind the clutch cover / sprocket cover.
    2. Clean the guide bar.
    3. Clean the guide bar's chain groove.
    4. Check that the oil channel in the guide bar is not obstructed. Clean if necessary.
  2. Inspect the guide bar, looking for any significant damage:
    1. Cracks in the guide bar,
    2. Dents in the guide bar,
    3. Excessive wear, especially in the chain's groove,
    4. The guide bar tip sprocket turns freely,
    5. The lubricating hole in the tip sprocket is not blocked, and
    6. The guide bar is straight.

    If the guide bar is badly damaged, replace it.
  3. Inspect the chain catcher to ensure it is not damaged and that it is firmly attached to the body of the chain saw. Replace if necessary (see also, top picture to the right).
  4. Dress the guide bar. A jointer & edger used for hand saws makes this easier and more consistent along the edge. (Do not use a handle on the file when doing this; the jointer/edger handle holds the file.)
  5. Remove any burrs on the sides of the guide bar (see also, middle picture to the right).
  6. Some chainsaws require you to lubricate the guide bar tip sprocket (if there is one) with bearing grease (see also, bottom picture to the right). Others want you to ensure the oil channel supplies oil to the sprocket.
  7. When re-installing the guide bar, flip it over 180° from the way it was originally installed. This prolongs the life of the guide bar.
  8. After re-installing the chain, ensure the chain does not bind. Also ensure it is not too loose, indicating that the groove is excessively worn. Either of these scenarios indicate that the bar should be replaced.
  9. If you are putting the chainsaw away for the season (or even for an extended period), remove the fuel.

More Information

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