How do you sharpen saw chain?

Stump vise....I got this idea from Stig...he cuts an on-site tree to the right height...as a logger he is sometimes on-site days at a time. I carry the stump with me...my site is always different.
 

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Nice, Gary.
It never crossed my mind to make it portable.
 
I like holding the powerhead in my lap almost, squeezed between my legs, bar up and in front of me, 18" away from my face (up close view). Its how I started in the woods.
 
Vises make my neck hurt. I feel like I do a good job, and have good posture at the same time. I like to look "down" at the cutter from straight above.
 
Best with this is that it holds bar like a vice, chain is free.
It is like the one you have on truck, Butch but this is of wood and in better position.
You make it as high as you need, porteble too if desired.

Svante make te cut to squish bar low, I made it paralell and wedged from top. Worked but low is better.

I put the saw vertical when I file so my vice is built in from factory.
 
My bar is at about 70 degrees, 90 being vertical, while sharpening in my lap.

If I have a badly rocked chain, grind it. If it is just a touch-up to keep sharp, no more than 10 strokes to Sharp, then the lap.

When working in rocky areas in the woods, I would sometimes just put on two light strokes every tank, most of the time.
 
I'm a vice hammered into a log man on site, vice on the bench at home. Rather boring really.
I worked with a faller for a bit on oaks and he brushed the file over the teeth nearly every tank, only lightly but his saws were mighty impressive.
 
I file 99% of all chains by hand in a vice:
CIMG0119.JPG

The few times I am out and cut I file vertical.
My now older son shows what I mean in this pic:

Filning 004.jpg

Here is me filming a couple buddy's that filer same way:

 
Found this in Photobucket file... Here is a pic of me and Stig when we meet now for second or third time?

CIMG9363_zps7253859f.jpg


Mike Acres running Dolmar.

CIMG9319_zpsa657e2dd.jpg
 
I'm prone to touching up chains each time I fuel up a saw.

Just a few swipes on each cutter till the dull shine disappears, indicating a razor sharp cutter.

Keeping your files in sealed weather proof containers helps a lot.

Any chain over 2 feet gets the grinder though!

Most my sharpenings are by hand, no guide, just a file handle. Rakers should only need attention 2-3 times over the life of the chain.

I like to kneel at my tailgate during sharpening to be on the same level as the chain, so's I can see the reflected light on the dull edge of the cutter, disappear.

Jomo
 
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