How to Use an Electric Chainsaw Sharpener? A 2024 Guide

Richard McMann

Knowledge Based

using different electric chainsaw sharpenersYou can sharpen your chainsaw with a handful of steps; put on your safety, get the stone that matches your saw, adjust the angle and depth and start sharpening. But this handful of steps goes into detail for different types of electric sharpeners.

Sharpening the chain is the basis of chainsaw maintenance and an electric chainsaw sharpener is a great option to do that especially when it is to be done regularly. This article covers comprehensive guides on how to use different types of electric chainsaw sharpeners.

Chains are bound to go dull with time. It is not in your control. But what you can control is providing proper maintenance periodically to increase the chain’s lifespan and the performance of your chainsaw. And electric sharpeners are just the tool for that.

This article, therefore, answers how to use an electric sharpener in detail as follows:

How to Use an Electric Chainsaw Sharpener in 2024?

The first step to sharpen anything is to put on safety and this is an absolute must when both tools involved are extremely dangerous. So before anything else

  1. Put on your work gloves.
  2. Wear safety goggles.
  3. Wear noise-canceling headphones.
  4. Make sure the battery saw is off and cooled down.
  5. Use a sturdy and flat surface to do the sharpening.
  6. Wear safety helmet too for head and eye protection.

Electric sharpeners may differ in one way or another but the basic guidelines are pretty much the same. Some steps may be added or some are removed but generally, it is all the same.

Step 01: Follow precautionary measures

Have your safety on.

Prep the workspace.

Step 02: Examine the chain

Check the chain if it is beyond salvageable.

Mark the most worn-out blade. It will be used as a benchmark on how much to sharpen.

Note down the gauge and pitch. It is in the manual.

Step 03: Sharpening stone

Make sure it matches the specifications of your mini chainsaw.

Step 04: Prep the chain

Take off the chain

Clean the dirt and debris off.

Use any solvent of your choice.

Let it dry out.

Step 05: Mounting the chain

Some electric sharpeners do not require the chain to be taken off. In that case, you can directly sharpen it. In other cases

  • Mount the chain on the sharpener’s platform.
  • Make sure to put the marked blade first for sharpening.

Step 06: Angle adjustments

Adjust the angle of the stone to the chain.

It is usually 0 or 60 degrees. Refer to the manual for the exact value.

The knob on the stone holder can be used to adjust the angle.

Step 07: Depth adjustments

The most crucial step for stationed chainsaw sharpeners.

  • Set the depth so that the blade goes as far as the blade tooth without coming in contact with the chain.
  • A missed step could cut the chain.

Step 08: Sharpening

Slowly lower the grinder toward the blade till it’s touching and a spark is seen.

Grind till you achieve your desired results.

Sharp in the direction from that tooth onwards.

Once it is complete rotate the chain to start the other side/direction.

Change the angle for the other side i.e. if it was positive 60 change it to negative 60 degrees.

Step 09: Equal the cutters

It is an optional step in case the sides of a cutter have a height difference.

File the depth gauge to level it with the top plate.

How to Use a Power First Electric Chainsaw Sharpener?

  • Place the chain on the slide.
  • To lock the chain, turn the support to 30 degrees.
  • Align the grinder to the cutter using adjuster screws.
  • Slightly tighten the chain using the knob next to it.
  • Adjust sharpening depth.
  • Sharpen the blade and turn off the machine.
  • Lose the knob and move to the next cutter and tighten it again.
  • Keep the tool on when moving the chain.

Check out the manual for a picture representation.

How to Use Chicago Electric Chainsaw Sharpener?

  • Loosen the angle adjustment knob.
  • Align the angle arrow to the desired angle, left to 0, and tighten the knob.
  • Turn the chain roller so that the first right-hand cutter is in position.
  • Engage the chain top to keep it from moving.
  • Use the handle to pull down the grinding stone into the gullet.
  • Adjust the chain adjustment knob till the grinder is just grazing the cutting edge.
  • Use the depth adjustment knob till the grinder is just above the bottom of the gullet and tighten that knob as well.
  • Plug the sharpener and turn it on.
  • Let it come to full speed.
  • Squeeze and pull the vise handle till the grinder touches the cutting edge.

Harbor Freight offers manuals for all the models. So, check them out before making a decision.

How to Use a Stihl Electric Chainsaw Sharpener?

Stihl offers two electric chainsaw grinders HOS and USG both are pretty much the same, just one is older and the other is a newer model.

  • Follow the manual to set them up.
  • Examine the chain
  • Mount the chain on the track/slide.
  • It has a moveable stopper that keeps the blade to be sharpened in place.
  • Adjust the angle for your chain. This usually uses 60 for the head and 30 for the top plate.
  • Once a cutter is done you can slide to the next.

How to use Oregon Electric Chainsaw Sharpener?

These instructions are the same for Oregon 520-120 and 410-120.

  • Set the grinder head angle by loosening the clamp on the back.
  • Tilt it to the required angle and tighten the clamp.
  • Rotate the chain vise to set the top plate angle.
  • For left-hand cutters pull the vise adjustment knob towards the operator.
  • For right-hand cutters push them away from the operator.
  • After prepping the chain place it on the slide and tighten the chain stop knob so it won’t move.
  • Lower the grinder towards the tooth til it’s touching the cutter and adjust the depth.
  • Turn off the grinder and bring it towards the cutter slowly till a spark is formed.
  • Complete one direction at a time and then the other.

Watch the full tutorial by the Oregon Company and check their manuals here.

How to Use Oregon Sure Sharp Electric Chainsaw Sharpener?

Oregon sure sharp is a handheld chainsaw sharpener. You can use it directly on the gas chainsaw. The kit comes with three sharpening stones.

  • Choose the one that covers the whole tooth so everything is even.
  • Also fit at the correct angle on top of the tooth.
  • Remove the guide plate and install the stone.
  • Pressing the detent will stop the collet from turning.
  • Tighten the collet.
  • Reinstall the guide plate.
  • Set the depth by loosening the guide plate adjustment screw.
  • Fit the grinding stone in the chain’s tooth.
  • Twist it slightly towards the front of the bar to maintain light pressure on the guard.
  • Turn it on and work back and forth to keep the stone even.
  • Stay within the width of the guard’s end.
  • You might need to file depth gauges to keep the whole blade even.

How to Use Ozito Electric Chainsaw Sharpener?

  • Clamp it on the side of your table so that it stays still while working.
  • Place the chain on the track.
  • Adjust the chain stop on the required tooth by rotating and tightening it.
  • Bring the grinder down toward the chain for depth adjustment.
  • Spin the depth adjuster till the grinder is right to the top of the chain.
  • Once it’s between the tooth and touching the cutter, lock it by tightening the adjustment.
  • Tighten the chain stop when the grinder is just touching the tooth and lock the chain slide.
  • Adjust the angle by rotating the slide platform and locking it.
  • Turn on the sharpener and slowly bring it down till you see the spark.
  • Once a tooth is done, bring the grinder up, turn it off and loosen the stop to move to the next tooth.
  • Repeat this for the whole chain.

You can check the manual and video tutorial for more details.

How to Use Power Care Electric Chainsaw Sharpener?

Power Care electric chainsaw is a beginner-level handled electric grinder that comes with a kit containing three grinding stones. It is quite similar to Oregon sure sharp and follows the same procedure as well.

Final Takeaways

Chain maintenance is the key to perfect cutting. You would know that your chainsaw needs sharpening when it starts producing sawdust, requires more pressure than usual, or stops going through wood than usual.

Electric chainsaw sharpeners are powerful tools that require as much care while handling as the chainsaw itself so safety precautions are a must. Each chain has certain angle and depth requirements when sharpening and which you can find in the user manual. Once you have set the setting, sharpening takes a matter of hours.

Richard McMann
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