The Top Tools To Sharpen Your Chainsaw Like A Professional

A sharp chainsaw gives you a lot of advantages when cutting wood, including safer operation, an easier cutting process, and a longer-lasting outdoor power tool. Learning to sharpen a chainsaw properly keeps it making clean cuts. When it's time to sharpen your chain, you can do it yourself, or you can take it to a professional. If you choose to go to a pro, expect to pay anywhere from $5 to $25.

If you go to a pro for sharpening, you'll probably be without your machine for a day or two, which is why some people choose to make sharpening a DIY job. If you choose to do it yourself, put on work gloves and safety goggles. The teeth on the chain are sharp enough to cut your skin deeply if you slip while using a sharpening tool and aren't wearing heavy-duty gloves. As long as you give the unit at least 30 minutes to cool down after usage and use caution when sharpening the teeth, you should be able to do it safely.

Regardless of which tool you choose to help with this DIY job, it's important to avoid common chainsaw sharpening mistakes, such as not having the right diameter file that matches the chain and using poor technique. Make sure you know the pitch for your chainsaw model, which determines the diameter of the file to use. Many different chainsaw maintenance tools are available, including manual and electrical-powered tools. 

If you prefer using a manual tool to file each tooth on the chain, you'll save some money versus battery-powered tools. One of the most basic options is the Honoson Sharpening File Set, which contains three files in the most common diameters for sharpening a chainsaw. It costs $9.99 at Amazon. These inexpensive files have a 4.5-star ranking for customer reviews on Amazon. Many customer reviewers appreciated the simplicity of use and budget-friendly price of these files. However, YouTube reviewer Project Farm said these files did not last long before becoming dull, meaning they probably work better for someone who only needs to sharpen the chain occasionally.

If you'd like a longer-lasting tool option, the Stihl Easy File Chainsaw Sharpener is a kit that costs $42.99 on Amazon. It has a 4.7-star rating from customers. Online reviewers appreciate the quality of the files included in the Stihl kit. The two-in-one design makes it easier to sharpen the teeth and adjust the depth gauge at the same time.

When using a manual sharpener, it can help to have a guide that clamps onto the bar and keeps the sharpener file at the proper angle. The Granberg Mounted Guide System allows you to use your own files accurately. It costs $59 on Amazon and has a 4.3-star rating. Even though it looks odd, online reviewers appreciate its ability to ensure that every tooth has the same sharpness.

If you'd like to take some of the manual labor out of the sharpening process, power tools can simplify keeping your chains sharp. One of the most popular options is the EzzDoo Electric Sharpener Kit, which costs $59.99 at Amazon. It has a 4.4-star rating from customer reviewers. It's shaped like a Dremel, making it easy to use. It ships with six attachments to handle different sizes of chains. Project Farm said the EzzDoo's sharpening bits maintain their sharpness well and greatly decrease the time required to keep chainsaw chains maintained.

If you'd like another way to use a Dremel tool that you already have, rather than buying a separate tool that's shaped like a Dremel, look for Dremel attachments made specifically for sharpening chainsaws. A Dremel attachment kit is available from Bosch on Amazon for $13.44. It has a 4.5-star rating. It contains a chainsaw sharpening attachment, as well as lawn mower and gardening tool maintenance attachments that fit your Dremel. One customer on Amazon said the attachment kit greatly speeds up the process of keeping the chainsaw in top condition. One online reviewer appreciated the guide attachments included with the kit, which kept the bit at the correct angle to each tooth on the chain. However, most reviewers thought this kit worked better for those who needed only occasional chain sharpening rather than frequent sharpening because the bits wear down quickly.