I think everyone has some old chains laying around that either you or someone else screwed up. I took one of those chains and got it all fixed up just with the Stihl 2-1 Sharpener
MMfrompa, another great video. I think I'll check out one of these Stihl 2-1 sharpener. After all these years I've been cutting wood I still suck at sharpening
My favorite is to take a Vanguard chain and to grind down the safety rakers and then convert it to a square ground chisel. It will eat that Pine up in nothing flat.
I usually use a Dremel and the Oregon stones for my work chains. I've got it down to a science now, the key is to take equal strokes off with the stone and NOT get the cutter hot.
"Welcome back everybody, Mike here" rubs hands together. <-- never lose that signature opening. Good stuff. I don't mess up my chains during the sharpening process, I just never found a rock I didn't like.
If I mess them up with more than 1/2 a tooth left, I pay 8 bucks to have them sharpened by a robotic sharpener. If less than 1/2, it goes into the pile for "dirty work."
Last week I was cutting with a friend and I was watching from a distance at how long his cuts were taking. After a few minutes I couldn't take it any longer and walked over and stopped him. I told him I thought there was something wrong with his chain. It was literally just making dust! And his cuts were taking 20-30 seconds on a 7" limb. When I looked at his chain it was obvious what was going on. He was using a round file and cutting down into the link. Not touching the leading edge of the cutter...AT ALL! The cutters were rounded off on both front corners... He got his file out, the guide was broke, and he said he touched it up before he came over...but it wasn't cutting very good. I grabbed my 2 on 1 and showed it to him. I used the sharpener on his chain and ten minutes later it actually cut. Not great, great but it was throwing chips again. So we went over the cutters and I pointed out the cutters needed to be square on the corners and the file needed to be up high enough to cut the leading edge. He took the 2 in 1 with him to show his wife, he needed it for Christmas. Let me say! I was never good at sharpening a chain...I always got one side better than the other and then the bar would bind. The 2 in 1 is a game changer for a lot of people. Me included. And now, my friend also
