Although a chainsaw is capable of destruction on a large scale, you might be surprised to be told that it is a high precision tool and needs to be kept in perfect condition in order to remain productive as well as maintaining the safety of the operator.

It is imperative that a chainsaw chain is kept in tiptop condition. The chain only really has two states - useless or perfect. A chain which is in perfect condition should cut through timber like a knife through butter. Normally it will require barely any downward pressure to cut through wood, but once it is in need of maintenance it will either require extra pressure or simply try and burn through the wood.You must keep the chain on your chainsaw in absolutely perfect condition. The condition of a chainsaw chain has no middle ground it is either absolutely perfect for the job at hand, or completely useless. Once the chain starts requiring more than a tiny amount of downward pressure to get through the wood it obviously needs sharpening. In perfect condition, the chainsaw should cut through timber just like a knife cuts through butter.

If the chainsaw chain needs maintenance it will start producing sawdust, instead of the large chips of wood that it will produce when it is fine. When cutting downwards, if chainsaw tries to veer off to the left or the right this is another sign that the chain needs attention.

A new chain comes with a fine plating of chrome on the cutting tips. It is this chrome plate which does most of the work, and as the chain wears the chrome becomes removed. To maintain and restore a chain to good condition it needs to be filed. You must ensure that you use the right sized file for the chain that you have. Chainsaws are expensive pieces of equipment and will give long and productive service if maintained diligently.

To maintain the chainsaw chain and get it back to its ideal condition one should use a roller guide. You can file a chain freehand, but in most scenarios this will not be as good as using the roller guide unless one is extremely experienced in filing by hand. If the chain has become worn through typical problems such as hitting the ground or coming into contact with the solid object it must be filed down in order to produce a new chrome plated edge. You can file away a good part of the chainsaw chain but there must be approximately 1 mm left on the heel of the cutter.

Even though it can be a time-consuming and fiddly job to re-sharpen an older chain, it is still wise to get as much life out of the chain as you possibly can. Most chain sharpening kits can be snapped up for around $30 and the only other thing required is a pair of protective gloves. Your chain sharpening kit should contain a chainsaw file gauge,a rounded file (which obviously should be the correct size for the chain question) and a flat file to file the depth gauge on the teeth. It is also wise to have a small hard brush at hand (for example an old toothbrush) and a can of resin solvent in order to maintain the chain and prolong it’s life.

The chainsaw file gauge is used for checking the cutting side and the top plate cutting angles of each tooth on the chain. The round chainsaw file is used to file down and sharpen the chain. The flat chainsaw file is used to file the depth gauge on each tooth to the right height and shape. You can use the brush to clear any rubbish off the chain before sharpening.

If you end up accidentally stretching your chainsaw chain it may be the case that you need to replace it rather than sharpening it. If this is the case you should make sure to note down the make and model of your chainsaw before heading to the shop (if you don’t take the chainsaw there itself) and you should consider taking the old chain as well to ensure a good match. With these tips you should be well set to get the most life out of your chainsaw chain.

Remember - Chainsaws are very useful, but are also extremely dangerous. Please take advice from a qualified professional before using a chainsaw yourself.

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