Chain sharpening hand file or grind

[dmb2613]

As some of you know I am a Stihl tech at a fairly large Stihl dealer, I grand a lot of chains. WE get $10 for a 20 in chain to grind it. However I hand file mine and about 50% of my customers.
For the life of me I cant see any reason for the average joe not to file his own chain. It is not rocket science.
And every one and his brother sell some type of aid to file them correctly.
What gives?
I am running a pole

 

[Duane(Pa)]

You won’t find a good answer here. Everyone here loves their saw/chain... the doinks that don’t, won’t see your question.

 

[Wolverine]

Agree'd DW.

I file my own but if I have a few new loops or a really long one, I'll send to one of the guys with a square grinder. The conversion of round to sq. is hard on the double bevel. Plus the consistency of those chains off the grinder is really nice.

 

[RI Chevy]

Do you have a square grinder? Or do you square file?
Or just do round?
@dmb2613

 

[dmb2613]

99% round , we do not have a grinder set up for square , The loggers around here don't bring their chains in for sharpening

 

[Moparmyway]

Plus the consistency of those chains off the grinder is really nice.

Yuppers !!

 

[Deets066]

Yuppers !!

View attachment 195317

How’d you get such a tight corner and smooth finish?

 

[RI Chevy]

Real nice Kevin.

 

[Moparmyway]

How’d you get such a tight corner and smooth finish?

I closed my eyes for the last few swipes

 

[RI Chevy]

Kinda looks like a Simington edge to me. They are just a tad different than Silvey.

 

[dmb2613]

also looks like that raker needs to be hit a lick

 

[Moparmyway]

also looks like that raker needs to be hit a lick

You’d stay away from the rakers if’n you ran this chain

 

[Moparmyway]

Kinda looks like a Simington edge to me. They are just a tad different than Silvey.

When you know what you are looking for, and you know how to get it, the file and grinder are the same thing, one just takes less time.

I'll bet you a case of XXX that I can duplicate anything a silvey puts out with my Simington or file, and you wont be able to tell the difference.

 

[RI Chevy]

I was just fuggin with you Kevin. But I bet you can.
Please teach me how to do it. I need all the help I can get...

 

[Deets066]

I was just fuggin with you Kevin. But I bet you can.
Please teach me how to do it. I need all the help I can get...

Gotta start with buying a new simington....

 

[RI Chevy]

YES.

 

[CR888]

Everyone needs a Simmington...

 

[RI Chevy]

I wish they were more affordable

 

[Moparmyway]

Please teach me how to do it. I need all the help I can get...

Gotta start with buying a new simington....

Or buy a box double bevel files and start being your own worst critic

 

[old guy]

I bought a Simington about a year ago and I'm still learning that the chain I ground yesterday is not the chain I'm grinding today.