Chainsaw Sharpener

Chainsaw Sharpener Types

There are a few different types of chainsaw sharpeners. Of course you can go ‘old school’ and just use a file but that will mean a lot of work. Plus the angle will not be accurate when attempting to sharpen a chainsaw with a file.

There are stand alone chainsaw sharpeners as well as attachments you can buy for an existing tool. For example, if you have a Dremel then you can just buy an attachment kit that will allow you to sharpen your chainsaws very accurately. Plus, the Dremel Chainsaw Sharpener kit only costs less than $10 on Amazon.

On the other hand, there quite a few stand alone machines whose sole purpose is sharpening chainsaws. These typically have angle adjustments so they can be set to sharpen just about any chainsaw chain out there. They have small motors and use an abrasive disk to do the actual sharpening. These are, without a doubt, the best solution if you desire speed and accuracy. The cost is considerably higher than the Dremel attachment but once set, these machines can sharpen a chain, or multiple chains very quickly. Keep in mind that they will need 120 VAC to operate so they are not for use in the field. For me, I use a stand alone machine since I have multiple chainsaws and multiple chains too. When out at my property I will just change out the chain that gets dull and then when I get back to my shop I clean all the chains, inspect them and sharpen them all at once. Personally I use the Northern Industrial Chainsaw Sharpener. The unit can be either wall or bench mounted. I have it set so I can attach it to my workbench vise for easy set up.

This is the best chain saw sharpener that I have found. After trying lots of others (some cheaper and some more expensive) I settled on this one. It comes with three different abrasive wheels so it is versatile enough to sharpen any type of size of chainsaw. One feature that I really like is the angle numbers stamped on each side of the case so when you switch from one side to the other, the accuracy of the angles and sharpening are exact. The Northern Industrial Chainsaw Sharpener is not the cheapest out there and it’s not the most expensive either. The cheapest price I have found is at Amazon and there it costs about $125.00. Buy it and you will not be disappointed.

As I mentioned, I cut wood on my property in East Texas and since there is no ready power available I have also used a 12 volt bar mounted sharpener too. These are handy since I can use the battery on my tractor to power the chainsaw sharpener. If you are going to sharpen chainsaw chains in the field then I recommend getting one that is bar mounted. That way the angles remain accurate and the sharpening process goes pretty quick too. A Bar Mounted Chainsaw Sharpener is not as expensive as a stand alone unit and will do just as good a job. The cost is about half of the price of a stand alone unit too. The Granberg Bar Mounted Chainsaw Sharpener costs about $75 at Amazon.

As a final note, be sure to read and follow all safety procedures. A sharpened chainsaw chain is very sharp and even a dull one can inflict some damage too. Always be safe when using a chainsaw sharpener.