Sharp or not….

Over the past couple of weeks working with and preparing DOT workers in chain saw applications, to be ready for storms,  hurricanes, etc., I have completely convinced myself that chain sharpening is most– if not the most – important aspect of chain saw training.

It doesn't make any difference how weak, powerful, little or huge your chain saw is if the chain’s not sharp things are not going to work well. If you have to push and pull to accomplish a cut – not good. Safety and productivity are compromised at the effective point of the saw chain.

Filing the chain or grinding doesn’t automatically produce a sharp productive saw chain. There has to be a working knowledge of the cutter tooth’s design to be able to really achieve results. If you understand the five parts of the tooth (see Tim’s Tips @ www.forestapps.com) you can begin to recognize the job the file or grinding system is doing. If you don’t slow down and look at the results, after a stroke or two, on the five parts of the tooth most likely you are just filing or grinding – you’re not sharpening.

Watching people filing, I often see them moving the file but not concentrating on what it’s doing. They often say, “I usually make five or six strokes on each tooth. Is that enough?” Well, if those stokes don’t touch the point or the chisel angle of the tooth you are simply filing, not sharpening.

Let me know what you think…. timard@forestapps.com