Best Chain Sharpener? Bench Mount

Looking for recommendations for a bench mounted chain sharpener, for chainsaw chain.

I’m starting to build up quite a collection of chains. I’ll run a file over them a couple times and then just replace them . I’ve tried most other sharpeners and methods so I’m wanting a bench mounted type to try.

Thanks!

I picked up one about 3 years ago at Harbor Freight (yes, it's Chinese, sad to say). They had 'em on sale, and IIRC, I paid $39 with the bs coupons. I've probably sharpened chains 500 times with it, and never had a problem. Brings 'em back better than new. Still need to do the rakers by hand. Takes maybe 5 minutes to do a chain. You need to periodically adjust all the settings, but I'd gladly do it again for the price.

Jack

If you run a file over them “ a couple of times “ and replace them you will not like the bench grinder . We use a file until the teeth start breaking off in numbers, each chain gets filed ten , twenty , thirty times ? Learn to file the depth gauges as you file the cutters and you will be much happier with the performance and longevity of your chain .

^^^This is what I was going to say.

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I'm gonna post it anyway.
YouTube channel- Buckin' Billy Ray Smith https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsIFvStf9Oz99GMitW4vD_g

I've always hand filed, but after watching his videos, I won't do it any different way. My loops are sharper than they have ever been. (I've cut over 20 cord already this year- red oak, hard maple, ash, mostly)

The guy is a trip to watch and once you know his story, he's dedicated to his craft.

Good luck on finding the right bench mount if that's your goal. Can't offer any advice on that end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-3ia-_knSs&t=539s

I dislike bench sharpeners. They take off so much each time from the cutters. You have to file the rakes every time. I use an air die grinder with a stone(you can get them in all saw file sizes.) Dip the stone in oil to keep it cool. Clamp saw in vise, and get a comfy rest to mind both your angles. I do one side, then flip the saw. Many times the rivets start getting loose before the cutters start getting short. I only have to file the rakes a little. I like to measure .020 height diff running in hardwoods. My .02 worth

I use the Oregon sharpener but replaced the grinding wheel with a CBN disk . The CBN disk has a finer " grit" lasts for years and hardly changes its geometry once you got it where you want it. You can not get a round grind sharper than that.

Got one from northern tool 10 plus years ago. It has performed flawlessly. First day I sharpened enuf chains to pay for itself. When you have the ability to easily sharpen chains, it changes your perspective. Some people will run a chain until it wont cut anymore. When you have the correct machine, the second you start feeling them not cutting "like new", change it out and keep on smiling. That "new chain feeling" can be all the time!

Is this guy on the comedy channel ? If he ever learns the proper way to sharpen a chain he should do a twenty minute apology to everyone he screwed up teaching that method !

When I worked for a county toad maintenace crew we cut a lot of brush in the winter, they bought us a nice Oregon sharpener and it worked great, that’s one of the things I miss most about that job, being able to sharpen my own chains. I’ve never been good with a file.

Beyond the original post, I would advocate learning to hand file.Its just more applicable out in the field.

I have had an Oregon for about 5 years.
I won't go back to a file.
I carry 3 chains with me all the time.
You don't need to take much off to be sharp.
Do the rakers every once in awhile and the chain is almost like new.

get this sharpener, does the rakers and teeth all at once.....Work amazing

https://www.amazon.com/Stihl-2in1-C...&hvtargid=pla-386239199401&psc=1

I like to hand file but it takes time and files these days don't last very long.
I picked up an electric grinder at a garage sale and I've found that when you use a grinder it tempers the teeth of the chain, making it nearly impossible to sharpen with a hand file.

In that case you are grinding to much off in one go or have to much pressure on the grinder. Dial it back a notch or two and the chain teeth will not get that hot. Also a CBN grinding disk helps a lot in that department. They are a little spendy though.

https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/CBN-Plated-5-34-x-316-Chainsaw-Grinding-Wheel-P1108C257.aspx

Wouldn't that reduce the temper?

What Scoob said I learned the "hard" way.
I only grind if I hit rock or metal.
I've ran two brands and neither were best.
I probably need a new wheel and or learn to dress them.

I have one of these, but it doesn't fit between the teeth on the chain that came on the saw. Are there chains that spread the teeth out more?

I bought the Stihl sharpener last winter. Best money you can spend on a saw. Have cut 20 cords this spring and fall, haven't taken a chain off either one of my saws. Sharpened one on the bench mount, cut a couple blocks off of some white oak, took it in and hit it two passes with the Stihl and the difference was very noticeable. It really works better if you can lock the bar in a vice. Learning curve was short even for me. mikec

you have to get one that is appropriate to your chain

.404. 3/8 (.375) .325 1/4 the chain pitch is the distance between rivets that sets the distance between cutters

not what you asked but I also hand sharpen I have a saw horse at the right height for me which is tall it has a vise mounted on it

it has a shelf under it I can put my foot on the shelf to hold or put some weight on it. lock bar in vice

the Bucking Billy ray videos posted above , he is a goof but really understand the working edges of saw chain


get the gullet out , get the working edge a file not even a guide is needed if you like draw lines at the correct angle on the saw horse but most chains already have a line at the angle on them you only need to take material till the cutter is sharp

adjust your rakers to your wood , read the chip.

if your sharpening hundreds of chains off saw for

is it absolutely the sharpest most perfect chain ever , I concede it may not be there may be some expensive grinder that gets them all perfect

but compared to most of the lesser expensive grinders you will get many times the life out of a chain than taking it some place to have it ground or what most people do with a grinding machine

a few files and a raker gauge and a vice and you can do very nice work , make chains cut very well and have chains that last you a long time

a spare bar in your bench vice at home can also make a good filing jig

flip your bar once in a while for even wear every time you get through a 2 gallon can of gas approximately

Sorry, don’t mean to hijack the thread. Both the chain and sharpener are .325. Is the sharpener supposed to ride on top of the previous tooth like it does on mine? I didn’t think it was, but maybe that’s why I can’t figure out how to use it.

I agree. Read the instructions and watch a youtube video. It works like a charm. They come in multiple sizes for different tooth sizes and pitch.

I always figured I could file sharpen a chain in the amount of time it takes me to take one off and put the other on You dont really need a bench grinder unless your hitting dirt a lot- then they come in handy. I do like the electirc hand held Grandbergs but the stones wear out super fast.

I can file one in less time than i can change one . I run 98 link stihl full chisel 3/8 and the high grade stihl 13/64 file .

Never happen. Simple to change a chain.

Just as simple to file one . as aposed to changeing it then mounting it on a sharpener sharpening it and then changing it again to get it back on the saw .

Have you considered getting a wrench the right size to take the plate off instead of a metric adjustable pipe wrench ?? Because you must be really slow at changing a chain. Either that or you are working towards the chain from the wrong side of the saw

i got a maxx. hit them once in a while with it, mostly i use a stilh 2 in 1.

This is what I have...rakers; I do mine on the machine, you just have to use your imagination!

I sharpen on the saw with a stone in a cordless Dremel. It's the power tool version of hand filing. Faster than hand filing or bench grinding since I do it on the saw. If you can hold a file at the right angle, you can hold a Dremel too. I can grind the rakers in a flash too.

Ill admit i dont carry a stop watch with me , but it sure seems easier to me to give each tooth two or three strokes and go on . If i rock one its a different story I still file it

Maybe you just like to file. You know what they say. Time flies when you are having fun. I have given up on files for the very reason that it is way quicker to just change the chain. I have to add to that though that I use either a 25 or a 36 inch bar, so have a few more of the buggers to file on a full comp chain that if I were to use a small saw with a 14 inch what I consider pruning bar on it.

I know this may ruffle some feathers , I am a surface grinder by trade grind all types of metals daily
I cut over 20 cords a year some timber some muddy butt piles.
Any sharpener that repeats with a a borzon wheel will give ya what ya need . simply put it just more accurate and repeats better than any file no matter who is running the file . A file in your pocket is nice for a few licks but after that take it to the bench . Blades are ment to be exactly the same file are good just not as good
Good luck

Im a logger by trade i run 661s with 30" bars 98 link chains i have one small saw a 461 with a 25" bar and a 84 link chain i keep it because it fits in the skidder cab nicely .I typacaly burn atleast 5 gallons of mix gas a week I keep my chains very sharp Sharpening chains is not what i want to think about when i get home .

Im sure bench grinding is like filing , some folks are better at it than others .

There is a 60 page post on this very subject. Ope forum.

I try and file after every tank. Those chains are sharper and last a lot longer than ones ground only.

To each their own, my sword is littler than those two guys lol.

Those things are a pain in the rear. I worked for a company back in Germany that made wood moldings. I made and sharpened the tooling for them. They always wanted me to do the band saws as well but I managed to finagle my way around them unless I absolutely had to do it because of the guys being sick / on holiday ... other than that I managed to stay well away from those buggers. That 8 foot bar length electric chainsaw was bad enough. They used it to cut whole packets of lumber to length and I will never know why they kept trying to cut the metal straps with it as well.

Once again, I have a Harbor Freight chain sharpener, and it is great for ME! You have to make sure that you're grinding the right angle, and you have to adjust the length/depth when you switch sides. This is not a dial and go (if you want a good sharp chain), but if you pay attention to what is important on a chain, you'll do a good job. Good luck!

I am currently building a band saw mill , so will probably end up having to sharpen band saw blades as well. But these are going to be a lot smaller than the ones we had at work back then . Those suckers were 8 inches from the blade tip to the back of the blade the wheels of the saw where 5 feet across and the lower wheel was under the floor and the other 8 foot above ground. Working in tandem. One saw fixed the other movable and slightly offset. So you could rip a board or slab into three boars upright.

The problem with most cheap sharpeners is the sloppy tolerances. that comes into effect when you try and get all the teeth exactly the same length but the machine has to much loose in to and or flex that you have to be very consistent in your own movements to get good results. The more expensive machines are tighter and make grinding easier and more precise. With those you can just lightly touch op a chain . More so if using CBN grinding wheels. If I take my time, I can get a almost mirror finish on the front of the tooth and gullet. But I have to admit that i am not usually that fussy when I sharpen my own chains. Just sharp is good enough for the most part as here I have sandy soil, so unless I leave a high stump, there is fine sand in the bark that dulls a chain pretty fast anyway. So I go through 3 to 6 chains a day that I have to sharpen in the evening. If i get to fussy, it would cut into my drinking time .

I should also "say" that I don't push a chain very hard, because I have a sharpener that I can touch up with! If my chain doesn't cut like it should, I sharpen it...not everyone has this luxury, but I do, so take that with a grain of salt. And, I'm never very far from my shop, which I understand can change things a bit.