Chainsaw Sharpening Guide

A dull chainsaw can make cutting firewood a frustrating
and tiresome chore. And a do-it-yourself attempt at
sharpening the chain–especially when the job
is done by a novice–will often only make matters seem
worse.

But I’ve discovered, in my attempts to deal with
this never-ending problem, that a simple chainsaw sharpening guide
fashioned from a scrap piece of wood can help a
do-it-yourselfer be sure that the teeth on both
sides of the chain are filed to the same angle (which, in
turn, will often prevent the bar from curving or binding).

The makeshift guide–which took me only
minutes to cobble up–also guards against the
many scratches, cuts, and burns that can occur during a
chainsaw sharpening operation. Best of all, the filing aid
kept me from spending good money for a commercially
available, mass-produced sharpening brace.

Here’s What You Do

Find a straight-grained section of 2 X 2 hardwood that’s
about 14″ long. Mark the center line on one side of the
board … then nail the piece to another plank or–if
you prefer–clamp it in a vise.

Next, using your chain saw, carefully cut a groove 3/4″
deep and 10″-long at the centerline. Then,
measuring an overall length of 8″, mark and cut the ends at opposing 60° angles (or to the angle
specified In your chainsaw owner’s manual).