Stihl "2 in 1" File Guide for Chain Sharpening?

  • Thread starter Thread starter rfwoody
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 102
  • Views Views 16K
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #76
Magnus said:
...Turn file 1/2 a turn so I don't push it in file and wipe after each tooth.

When file loose its bite, I wash it. This works several times.

When this isn't working I dip it in Apple cider vinegar and let it sit a minut with cutters up. Then wash it again.
Click to expand...

Mangus,

Maybe dumb questions.....

When you say "wipe after each tooth" .... how and what do you wipe the file with?

Does it matter which direction you wipe it in?

How do you "wash" the file?

Thanks!
 
I whipe it with the cutters, not against it.
I use cloth, old cheets, anything really that crap can stick to and I can have hanging were I file or near.

I wash it in fuel. The nasty stuff we have is good for cleaning.
When the file is clean but dull I use apple cider vinegar. It eats up the burr on files cutters and cemically shapen it.
Will not work on damaged files..
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #78
Magnus said:
I whipe it with the cutters, not against it.
I use cloth, old cheets, anything really that crap can stick to and I can have hanging were I file or near.

I wash it in fuel. The nasty stuff we have is good for cleaning.
When the file is clean but dull I use apple cider vinegar. It eats up the burr on files cutters and cemically shapen it.
Will not work on damaged files..
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot, Magnus!

Forgive my thick-headedness.... but when you say wipe *with* the cutters.... does that mean *from* the handle *to* the end of the file?

Thanks!
 
rfwoody said:
Thanks a lot, Magnus!

Forgive my thick-headedness.... but when you say wipe *with* the cutters.... does that mean *from* the handle *to* the end of the file?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Don't excuse yourself if you want to add knowledge to you life, Robert...
I happily explain as best I can.

Yes, that is what I mean.
The cutters are angled so they cut when pushed.
Turning it, prevent crap from being pushed harder in to file. A stroke with cloth takes most of it out.
In first stroke there is crap regardless of how you wash or clean chain.
Some of the crap is fine dust that is actually the file cutting imperfections.
It will stick to file easier than the larger metal shavings cut in strokes after.
Lifting file on return also help prevent damages.
 
The choice of a file makes a big difference .For example the fast cutting Oregons will peal the teeth on hard as carbide Stihl chain .Pferd makes a less aggressive file that while it doesn't cut as fast but it will hold up and produce a better job .
Although I have a few I can't comment on the files Stihl sells because I've yet to use one .
I don't buy from Baileys any more but they used to have comments on different files regarding aggressiveness etc .They say save edge makes a good file but again I'm not certain I've ever used one .
 
The Oregon files here will not make a dent on the hard chains. Not sure we have same files as they sell different files on different markets.
Stihl and pfered files work better on harder cutters.

If a gutter is hard and file bounce/vibrate instead of cutting it will be damaged.
 
I agree. I gave up on Oregon files and chains many years ago. The metal is too soft in both. Their files wear out faster than their chains. I run nothing but Stihl chains and files. I get months out of a Stihl chain, even on my daily use saws. If I don't hit anything and I'm not trimming palms I can get 8-10 tanks of fuel between filings (and I file as soon as the chain starts to sag). And Stihl files are the only files hard enough to file Stihl chains. By the time I get to the end of the cutters on a chain I've only adjusted it out about 1-1.5 turns on the adjuster.

I won't run Oregon sprockets either, for the same reason. I have no choice but to run Oregon bars on my Husqvarna saws since Oregon has bought out every other bar maker except Stihl and Cannon.
 
Sounds as you have good sharp chains and figured out a way to keep them so.

I noticed a big difference in filing little and often over waiting and take more. The cutter get tempered as its used. If you keep within tempered surface you get more out of it before filing. But this is very thin surface and more than 1-2 strokes get you behind it and you need to start over.

Blount/Oregon buy stuff from many different mfg's.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #86
Magnus said:
Don't excuse yourself if you want to add knowledge to you life, Robert...
I happily explain as best I can.

Yes, that is what I mean.
The cutters are angled so they cut when pushed.
Turning it, prevent crap from being pushed harder in to file. A stroke with cloth takes most of it out.
In first stroke there is crap regardless of how you wash or clean chain.
Some of the crap is fine dust that is actually the file cutting imperfections.
It will stick to file easier than the larger metal shavings cut in strokes after.
Lifting file on return also help prevent damages.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot, Magnus!!
 
Skwerl2 said:
I have no choice but to run Oregon bars on my Husqvarna saws since Oregon has bought out every other bar maker except Stihl and Cannon.
Click to expand...

I have an adapter for my 390xp that allows me to run stihl bars. Makes it easy for me to buy chain in bulk for my 440, 660 & the 390xp & have decent bars
 
You can run Stihl chains on any bar as long as the bar and chain are correct pitch and guage.

I use springs parted out fron junk to put on bar bolts.
Often the oil hole is placed OK, if not its easy to drill a new.
 
^ Pete, that sounds confusing because the brand of bar has nothing to do with the brand of chain. I've been buying rolls of Stihl chain for many years. Just need to buy the correct size. I run 33RSF on my big Husqvarnas.

I might look into that adapter though, the Oregon bars wear out fairly quickly. You can get many years out of a Stihl bar.
 
Not sure I understand this correctly.
All brands have all the different gauges to all saws. 1.3 1.5 1.6 no matter...
You just need right chain to the bar.
Mfg's like Oregon, cannon, Iggesund, no-namers have all variations.

If you have all 6 brands you can still have same chain on all of them if you like.
 
I filed a Husky (Oregon?) chain with a Stihl file the other day and it just ate that chain!!
 
Magnus said:
Not sure I understand this correctly.
All brands have all the different gauges to all saws. 1.3 1.5 1.6 no matter...
You just need right chain to the bar.
Mfg's like Oregon, cannon, Iggesund, no-namers have all variations.

If you have all 6 brands you can still have same chain on all of them if you like.
Click to expand...

I guess that Pete Mctree means chainsaw's brands and not the chain / bar brand. The chain / bar mfg's interest is to supply all the market, but the chainsaw's brands doesn't want that their customers cheat on them, so they design their saws with specific dimensions and mounts.

We can change the bar and the chain accordingly with what ever we want by some adaptation, but the stock models don't match.
 
I can order Stihl chain in .325 and 3/8 in 1,3 1,5 1,6 guage
Same with Oregon.

If you want same pitch and guage (even length in some cases) on saws from different brands, its fully possible.

I had that before as I ran 3/8 chisel, semi chisel and chipper chains on 4 saws with same B/C setup.
In my case it was 064, 7900 and 372.
I used Iggesund bars with Stihl mount.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Eric H-L
I can’t put a new chain on my saw!
Replies
8
Views
449
CurSedVoyce
CurSedVoyce
Naturarbo
.325 mini
Replies
9
Views
1K
Bermy
Bermy
P
Stihl HS20
Replies
4
Views
479
Kaveman
Kaveman
SkwerI
Chain grinder?
2 3
Replies
73
Views
4K
lxskllr
lxskllr
Noodle
Ripping chain vs cross cut chain efficiency
Replies
19
Views
1K
Burnham
Burnham
Back
Top