There are a number of key concepts that help you understand how a chainsaw works. The teeth are the cutting surface and they are positioned to remove the least amount of wood as quickly as possible with as little danger to the operator as possible.

Rule #1 when handling a chainsaw chain is to WEAR GLOVES!

There are two major chain saw manufacturers, Sthil and Husqvarna. Sthil offers chains that have two safety classifications – Red and Green. The Red are deemed for professionals as they are more susceptible to kickback. Green are “safer” but a bit slower.

To protect against kickback taking a nasty gash in yo’ head, there is a safety bar on the chainsaw. It is connected to a brake so if the chain saw kickbacks, the operator’s wrist will come in contact with the guard and thus engage the brake. This stops the chain instantly. Secondly, there are depth control guides on the chain that help reduce the chance of kickback. Finally, the teeth are designed to “hold” the wood a bit so it is less likely that the chainsaw will kickback so hard that it would actually come back on the operator.

The cutting edge of the teeth alternate so one is sharp on the right, the next, on the left. The sharpness of the cutting teeth affects the way the saw cuts. If they are not equal, the cut will veer inward or outward.

There is also a depth guide tooth that controls how much wood is cut by the tooth. It has to be very carefully filed to give it the exact length relative to the teeth. There is a little tool for this. Do not file these guides without the tool.

Finally, the angle the tooth is important but I really don’t understand too much about this piece of the chain sharpening puzzle. My advice is to follow the manufacturer’s guide.

Does this sound complicated? It is somewhat. I looked at dozens of videos on Youtube and got dozens of different opinions. Do your own research. Post your findings here. I would love to hear from you.

Personally, as it only costs $5 for a local pro to do it, I take them to him!

Done.

Frank