Written by Glenda Taylor and Bob Vera | Updated 4:08 PM, December 15, 2021

Like any other tool in your arsenal, a chainsaw must be properly and consistently maintained to operate effectively. Of course, you can hire a professional to sharpen a chainsaw, but most DIYers can learn how to sharpen a chainsaw so that they can handle the work themselves and save some money in the process.

If you find that your chain saw no longer cuts as easily and cleanly as before, now is a good time to learn how to sharpen the chain saw blade and check for blunt teeth or sharp teeth. If you are not sure how to proceed, please read on to learn how to sharpen the chain saw chain and keep the chain saw blade in good working condition.

The maintenance of a chainsaw requires a basic understanding of the components of the tool. Most models owned by homeowners usually include the following parts:

The chain saw file is made into a specific size to match the size and shape of the chain saw teeth. If the file is too large or too small, it will be difficult to sharpen the blade properly. Although there are multiple sizes, the most popular file sizes are 4 mm, 4.8 mm, and 5.5 mm. Always check your user manual to make sure you are using the correct file.

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When the chain saw is sharp, it is easier and safer to use the tool, thereby minimizing machine wear and improving overall efficiency. If the chainsaw chain needs to be sharpened, there are some obvious signs to look for. If you notice any of the following, please take action and pick up the sharpener:

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There are two ways to sharpen an electric saw: First, the task can be handled by an electric chain saw sharpener. (If you often cut down trees, an electric chain saw sharpener is an essential convenience.) Another option is to sharpen the knife manually, using a combination of muscle, sweat, and sharpening files.

Since electric sharpeners are mainly used by businessmen, these tips focus on the manual method of sharpening a knife with a chain saw sharpening tool, which is more common and easy to use for DIY enthusiasts.

Since the chain saw chain contains a series of teeth, you need a chain saw file that exactly matches the size of the individual teeth in the chain. For reference, the most common sizes are 3/16 inch, 5/32 inch, and 7/32 inch.

Note: Consumer-friendly chain saw sharpener file kits, such as this Katzco chain saw sharpener file kit, can conveniently contain everything needed to sharpen any common size.

After obtaining the correct size file, please wear appropriate safety equipment, such as work gloves and safety glasses. Next, clean the chain thoroughly, remove all oil, dirt and debris, and start work. Use an old towel and screwdriver to complete this operation. Depending on the condition of the chain, you may also need to use mineral spirits.

Check the chain when cleaning the chain. If any of the teeth are damaged, the chain may be unsafe to use. You may first need to repair or replace the chain instead of continuing to sharpen the chain saw.

The chain on the chain saw needs to be set to a specific tension to prevent you from having problems at work. A loose chain saw chain increases the possibility of the saw rebounding or the chain falling off the guide bar. A chain that is too tight may not move at all, or it may increase the amount of friction between parts and cause heat to build up. Overheated components increase the risk of fire and significantly reduce the service life of the components.

To avoid this problem, set the chain tension by positioning and adjusting the tension screw on the side or front of the saw, and then turn the screw clockwise to increase the tension or counterclockwise to loosen the chain. Test the chain by pulling the chain from the underside of the guide rod in order to pull one or two links away from the guide rod. Loosen the chain, it should snap into place directly, indicating that the chain is tight enough for use. If you cannot pull the chain off the rod, it is too tight and needs to be loosened. If the chain does not spring back to its original position, it is too loose and needs to be tightened.

For best results, you need to stabilize the chain saw firmly before attempting to archive the chain. Some people choose to put the chain saw in a vise and fix the guide rod with a clamp so that the chain can rotate freely. Or, you can ask an assistant to keep the tool stable while you work.

Find the shortest blade on the chain (the blade is flat-topped). This is where you should start with the saw sharpener. If all the knives are the same height, then you can start with any tooth on the chain. However, remember to mark the first one you sharpened with a pencil, marker, or even nail polish so that you can continue to work in the same chain saw chain direction.

Place the file in the notched part of the cutter head. Hold the file at an angle—the same angle as when you first grind or cut the notch recently—slide the file over the tooth, twisting it slightly to create friction when you stroke it. Refer to the chain saw sharpening angle chart to help determine the correct angle. From that initial cutter, every other cutter was filed around the chain.

Now reverse the saw and continue filing each tooth you left alone during the first pass. After completion, the flat top length of all tools should be approximately the same.

Finally, check the depth gauges (these are the curved connections between the tools). Each depth gauge or rake should be shorter than the adjacent cutter. If you find that the height of the depth gauge exceeds its nearest tool, file the rake down so that it is about 1/10 inch below the height of its corresponding tool.

If you use an electric chain saw sharpener, you need to measure the pitch and specifications of the chain to determine the right grindstone and the correct tooth angle to use with the chain saw.

Place the chain saw chain on the sharpener and tighten the vise to hold the chain in place. After setting all the angles according to the grinding angle table (usually included in the electric chain saw sharpener), you can lower the grinding wheel onto the chain to sharpen the current cutting teeth. Loosen the vise and slide the chain to align the next cutting tooth, then tighten the vise and sharpen the teeth with a grinding wheel.

Whether you don't often use a chain saw to cut firewood, or regularly visit the forest area where the property is maintained, different chain saws operate slightly differently and have different maintenance requirements. Study the manual that came with the chainsaw to understand the needs of a specific model.

Almost always, every part of the chain saw must either be lubricated with petroleum-based rods and chain oil, or benefit from lubrication. This includes simply pouring the lubricating oil into the chain sump of the saw, where the oil is gradually dispersed to help you keep the saw running properly while you are working.

Now that you know how to sharpen a chainsaw, remember that the more frequently you use the tool, the more frequently it needs to be maintained. If you use the chain saw continuously for several hours throughout the day, you may need to pause at some point to restore the sharpness of the chain. Some chain saws may be more prone to wear in certain areas than others. Pay special attention to the area near the tip of the saw, especially if you often use it to cut branches.

Learning how to sharpen a chainsaw is not difficult, which is a daunting task for avid DIY enthusiasts. Just make sure to wear proper safety equipment when cutting and sharpening. Consider using safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, and a chainsaw sheath to help protect you from cuts and stabs.

Learning how to sharpen a chain saw is a useful skill for frequent users and can reduce tool downtime. Although this is a simple process, users will ask many questions. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about sharpening electric saws.

To check the tension of the chain saw chain, pull one or two links of the chain from the bottom of the saw blade. Loosen the chain and it should spring back to its original position.

If the chain is too tight, you will not be able to pull the chain away from the rod. However, if the chain is too loose, it will remain slack. Use the tensioning screws located on the front or side of the chain saw to tighten or loosen the chain.

If you sharpen and properly maintain your chain saw on a regular basis, it should be easy to notice when the chain needs to be replaced. Look for obvious signs of overuse or tool failure, such as severe dents on the chain, rust, uneven cutting, and chain saw blades that often overheat and smoke during use.

The duration between sharpening actually depends on the amount of saw used. If the chain saw is rarely used, it may only need to be sharpened once a year, but frequently used tools need to be sharpened regularly to ensure that the blade does not become too dull. On average, a chain saw blade can maintain its sharpness for about 3 hours when actively cutting wood.

There are many reasons why chainsaw blades can become dull quickly. Some common methods are overuse, steep cutting teeth, cutting dirty wood, or using hard-to-treat woods such as hickory, ironwood, and black oak.

Depending on how much the chain saw is used, you can choose to flip the saw blade during cleaning at the end of each use, or you can keep the saw blade in the same position until the chain saw blade needs to be replaced. As long as the rod is flipped semi-regularly to help balance the wear of the tool, the frequency of flipping is not so important.

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