The satisfaction of a chainsaw slicing through wood like a hot knife into butter is one of the pleasures of garden power tools. Chainsaws should not operate with brute force, sliding blunt chains across wood to make a cut. Chainsaws should have sharpened blades that spin at a high velocity to make a precise, clean cut.
The best chainsaw sharpeners quickly and effectively bring dull blades back to life. We offer the Multi-Sharp kit, as it is a single pack that offers all the necessary tools for sharpening blades. A clamp may be necessary for stability, but a cut into a log works just as well.
We have spoken before about the importance of keeping lawnmower blades as sharp as possible, to guarantee a healthy lawn and better cut. In the same way that using a dull pair of scissors to cut fabric is a frustrating task, as is attempting to cut wood with a blunt chainsaw.
A clean cut is essential when working on trees for their health, as blunt cutting could do damage, and put more stress on the tree than is necessary. When cutting logs and timber, sharp blades mean a faster job and cleaner edges, for less splinters. Firewood is best cut with a sharp edge, for faster drying and squarer edges for neater storage.
Knowing when you need to sharpen your chainsaw blade is easy. When the wood chips come out as a finer sawdust, the blades are becoming dull and not cutting as quickly or as neatly. If it takes a considerable amount of pressure to cut through the wood, then the blades are becoming blunt.
It is not always cost effective to buy new chainsaw blades. A filing kit costs a minimal amount of money and will last years of sharpening. It is also an essential for blade maintenance, as a quick sharpen after each use will increase the longevity of any chainsaw blade.
We recommend the Multi-Sharp chainsaw sharpening kit, as we believe it is the best chainsaw sharpener. It comes with a round file and a flat file for precise sharpening, specially designed for chainsaw blades. The kits come in two sizes of round file 4.0mm and 4.8mm for different sizes of chainsaw.
The round file slides smoothly between the hooked blades and effortlessly sharpens them to a fine point. Mark the first blade and slide the file through at an angle to regenerate it. Ensure each blade is filed the same number of times, and that the file is pulled all the way through, from top to bottom – do not use a sawing motion. Using an uneven number of strokes will mean the entire saw will cut unevenly.
The kit also comes with a depth gauge, and the flat file means you can file flush any blade that has been misshapen or misaligned. Ensuring all blades are the same length reduces the risk of a stray, blunt blade getting stuck and snapping the chain.
The kit is compatible with most leading brands of chainsaw, including Husqvarna and Bosch. We love this kit because it is an all you need essential, designed for purpose. It is inexpensive at £9.99, and can help save you money on replacing blades, which can retail for twice that much.