Yep. I always touch it up before doing any big logs (to save time) and
before doing anything fussy like pruning. I use a file on the bigger
saw, a stone mounted in the Dremel tool for the smaller saws. I check
the depth of cut teeth every other sharpening.

My newest saw has handy guide marks on each tooth to keep the angle from
going astray.

granpaw wrote:

Hello all.
After reading the numerous posts as to the best chainsaw to have, I was
wondering.
This being a metalworking group, where many are machinists, welders etc.
who, for the most part, seem fairly self sufficient, why is it that
no-one seems to want to suggest that the OP sharpen his/her own chain(s)
manually?
If a person uses a saw for any amount of time at all it *will* need to
be sharpened.
I do not advocate the use of electric sharpening stones, I have used
them and found them IMHO to do more harm to a chain than good, as it is
near impossible to reliably do each tooth exactly the same.

Chain sharpening is the least labor intensive part of sawing IMO and can
save you lots of time,gas,and money.
A few pointers I might add:
Always tighten your chain, if needed, before sharpening and use the
proper sized round file.
Secure the saw by the bar in a vice if possible, so that the chain
turns freely and mark the chain so you can tell when you have filed all
the links.
File all the links on one side of the bar then turn the saw around and
do the other side.
Always use the same number of strokes on both sides of the chain, at the
proper angle and depth in each tooth, if you don't, your saw will
eventually try to cut a circle, as one side of the chain has more "meat"
than the other. IIRC the correct angle is around 35º for most chains.
Don't force the file, it will take off quite a bit of metal if it's a
good file, if it ain't get a new one.

Hope this short spurt helps someone out there.
granpaw
"Cutting wood warms three times..cutting it...splitting it...and burning
it."