Maintenance (cont.)
Sharpening the Chain
When the cutting edges of the blade become dull, they can be
In order to keep the blade in balance, all cutting edges must be sharpened equally.
In addition, inspect the chain for correct adjustment (more frequently with a new chain). The chain should feel snug but still pull freely. Refer to the section on “Adjusting the Chain” for adjustment procedures.
IMPORTANT!
File all cutters to the same angle and depth! Unequal filing may cause the saw to vibrate or cut erratically!
1.Using a 4.5 mm round file, sharpen all cutters to a 30° angle.
NOTE:
For consistent filing angles, use a filing guide
2.After all cutters are sharpened, use a depth gauge joiner to measure the height of each depth gauge.
3.As required, lower the depth gauges to a height of 0.6 mm.
4.After all depth gauges have been adjusted, use a flat file to round each depth gauge leading edge to its original curvature and angle.
Using a filing
gauge.
Using a depth gauge
joiner.
Using a flat file
to round the
front corner on a
depth gauge.
Correct Filing Technique
Correct angle | Slightly protruding hook | |
on top plate | ||
or point (curve on non- | ||
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| chisel chain) | |
| Top of depth gauge at | |
| correct height below top | |
| plate | |
| Front of depth | |
| gauge rounded |
A
All cutting edges must be sharpened equally
0.025” (0.64 mm)
A=B 
B 
0.025"
Filing Problems
Top plate | Cause | Top plate angle |
| Cause | High depth | Cause | |||||||
angle less than | File held at less than | more than |
| File held at more than | gauge | Depth gauge never filed. | |||||||
recommended | recommended angle. | recommended |
| recommended angle. |
| Result | |||||||
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| Result |
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| Result |
| Slow cutting. Must force |
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| Slow cutting. Requires extra |
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| Cutting angle is very sharp |
| chain to cut. Will cause |
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| 20° | effort to cut. | 50° |
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| but will dull fast. Cutting |
| excessive wear on the cutter |
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| Remedy |
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| action rough and erratic. |
| heel. | ||
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| File cutters to recommended |
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| Remedy | Remedy | |
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| angle. |
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| File cutters to recommended |
| Lower gauges to |
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| angle. |
| recommended setting. |
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Hook in side | Cause | Backslope |
| Cause | Low depth | Cause | |||||||
plate cutting | File held too low or the file | on side plate |
| File held too high or the file | gauge | Wrong gauge setting or no | |||||||
edge | was too small. | cutting edge |
| was too large. |
| gauge used. | |||||||
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| Result |
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| Result |
| Result |
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| Rough cutting. Chain grabs. |
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| Cutters won’t feed into |
| Rough cutting. Chain grabs. |
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| Cutters dull quickly or won’t |
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| wood. Slow cutting. Must |
| Saw won’t pull chain through |
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| hold a cutting edge. |
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| force chain to cut. Causes |
| wood. Excessive wear on the |
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| Remedy |
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| excessive bottom wear. |
| cutter heel. |
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| Check file size. File cutters to |
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| Remedy |
| Remedy |
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| recommended angle. |
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| File cutters at recommended |
| If depth gauges are too |
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| angle. Check file size. |
| low, the chain is no longer |
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| serviceable. |
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18
