How to Sharpen Your Chainsaw

If you’re hoping to get optimal performance and longevity out of your chainsaw, keeping it sharp is crucial. A sharp chain does more than just efficiently cut through wood. It reduces engine strain, enhances comfort, increases productivity, lengthens maintenance intervals, and makes every cutting job smoother and faster. Not keeping up with chainsaw maintenance – which includes sharpening your power tool – can result in dull blades that slow down your cutting speed and increase the risk of kickbacks or injury.

Learning how to sharpen a chainsaw will extend its lifespan, enhance cutting ability, and ensure the safest operating environment for the user and those around them. Here are the essential steps you should follow to keep your saw in top-notch condition. 

How Do I know if My Chainsaw Needs Sharpening?

To determine if you need to sharpen your chainsaw, you need to know what signs to look for.   

How to tell if a chainsaw is dull: 

  1. Wood chips are small and dusty: If your chainsaw is sharp and cutting efficiently, you’ll see large, thick wood chips. However, if you’ve recently noticed the chips are becoming smaller or more like sawdust, it’s a definite sign that your chain is dull and needs to be sharpened. 
  2. You need to use increased pressure to cut: Sharp saws will glide through the wood you’re cutting with relatively minimal effort. When you need more pressure than usual, your chain has likely lost its sharpness.
  3. Performance: When a chainsaw runs at high speed but the saw still struggles to cut through wood, it might be due to a dull chain. If a chain isn’t sharp, the chainsaw has to work harder, leading to potential damage and increased wear on your tool. 
  4. You’re getting uneven cuts: If your saw produces uneven cuts or pulls from one side while using, it can mean the chain is dull or unevenly sharpened.
  5. Burn marks: Seeing burn marks on the wood or the chain itself after you finish a job indicates excessive friction, which is most often caused by a dull chain.
  6. Experiencing a longer cutting time: If it’s taking noticeably longer to cut through wood, check the sharpness of your saw.

Steps for Sharpening a Chain

Sharpening a chainsaw is an easy, straightforward process worth your time and effort. Learn how to sharpen your chainsaw using the steps below.

Choose the Correct Sharpening Kit

The right tools make all the difference in maintaining chainsaw performance. ECHO’s chainsaw sharpening kit has everything you need to sharpen your chain and service the guide bar on your ECHO chainsaw with your tools in one convenient place.

Check your ECHO chainsaw manual or product catalog to see which kit has the right file diameter for sharpening your chainsaw.  

Clean Oil from the Chain

Before sharpening your chainsaw, remove oil residue from the chain and guide bar. After making your final cut, turn off the chainsaw. Once completely stopped, use a clean rag to wipe down the chain and guide the bar. Personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and safety goggles need to be used during this process.

Ensure the Chain is Tight

To do the best sharpening job, tighten the chain on your saw before you begin. Adjust chain tension by slightly loosening the bar nuts and turning the tensioning screw until the chain is snug against the guide bar – you want no slack. Tightening the chain helps you maintain control and accuracy as you sharpen. Finally, don’t forget to engage the chain break before moving on.

Assemble the File Guide

Remove the file guide and insert it into the file handle. Tighten the wing nuts securely and begin sharpening. Start with the shortest or most damaged cutter, which will guarantee everything is uniform in length by the time you finish.

Adjust the Cutting Angle

Your cutting angle can vary between 25 - 30° depending on the type of chain your saw has. 

Check the chart in your filing kit instructions to determine the best angle for your specific chain. Adjust your cutting tilt to the recommended angle using the wings on the handle or the markings on the file guide.

Sharpen the Cutters

File all chain cutters until they’re exactly the same length to ensure smooth, even cutting. Push the file with smooth, even strokes for safe and effective sharpening, keeping the correct angle throughout the process. Sharp cutting angles and an absence of flash or burrs indicate a well-sharpened cutter.

Adjust the Depth Gauges

Adjust the depth stages (breakers) every 3 to 4 sharpening strokes. Using a caged tool helps ensure proper height, which should be slightly lower than the cutters. This adjustment helps you achieve efficiency while preventing the chain from digging too deeply into the wood you’re cutting.

Clean and Service the Guide Bar

It’s also important to clean and service the guide bar regularly. Keeping the guide bar clean will deliver smooth and effective operation and extend the lifespan of your saw – it’s a critical part of maintaining your chainsaw. Use a brush or compressed air to remove debris from the guide bar groove and oil holes.  

Using the steps on how to sharpen a chainsaw here, you can keep your saw sharp, efficient, and safe every time you use it. Regular maintenance enhances cutting performance and prolongs the lifespan of your saw, allowing you to complete your jobs efficiently and accurately in every cut.  

Get all the chainsaw maintenance accessories you need from ECHO.