Chainsaw Sharpener

Smart Buyers Guide

So your looking for a Chainsaw Sharpener ...

If you are looking for an easy way to fix and old or blunt chainsaw then a chainsaw sharpener is the answer. Chainsaw Sharpeners are electrically powered bench top devices that allow you to quickly and easily sharpen the cutting blades of a chainsaw.

Rather than throwing away or replacing your existing chainsaw a smarter way to make it cut like new again is to sharpen the blades. The process of sharpening blades is easier than you might imagine and will save you money. Your old rusty chainsaw will cut like new again. Below is a buyers guide to getting a chainsaw sharpener that suits your needs and will give you years of good service.

Do you want a powered or hand operated sharpener?

There are two main types of sharpeners, electric and hand powered. Hand powered units operate similar to a hack saw that you saw back and forth by hand to sharpen each of the cutting teeth. These are much cheaper but take longer to operate. These range in price from $20 and up. Electric units are quicker to use but cost more starting at around $40. If you have a cutting tool like a hand held Dremel, you can make use of a special blade that attaches to your Dremel and will sharpen most chainsaws, these cost around $8.

When considering which sharpener to buy its important to look at how you plan to use the sharpener, where you plan to use it and the quality of the sharpening. Professional style bench mounted powered units will always give the best quality sharpening. Hand units are great because the don't require power but are slower and require a bit of elbow grease.

If you want the very best result then a bench mounted fully powered unit is ideal. Look for a unit with interchangable grinding wheels and at least a 1/4 horsepower motor with a good exhaust fan. Aluminium fins on the fan is better than plastic.

Is your chain compatible with every sharpener?

Typically most good quality sharpeners have a simple head angle adjustment system that allows them to sharpen a wide variety of chains. The best units will allow you to make accurate and gradual changes simply and quickly so you can sharpen nearly all types of chain designs. If your have a popular brand of chainsaw most sharpeners will be compatible but always check before buying.

What is the best brand to buy?

There are a wide range of good quality sharpeners on the market. The leading brands include Oregon and Northern Industrial. The highest selling sharpener is the Oregon 541221 PowerSharp. This model is so popular due to its innovative design. The Oregon fits onto the end of your chainsaw like a sleeve covering the tip of the chainsaw, without removing the chain. To begin sharpening you run the chainsaw at full throttle and push the front of the PowerSharp into the ground or a tree trunk. The Oregon PowerSharp does not require and power and can be used anywhere. It is also very light and portable. The PowerSharp is designed for the home and light use market and will not suit all chainsaws. If you want something more professional that gives you full control over sharpening exactly how you want then Northern Industrial make a very popular bench and wall mount sharpener. This tool will sharpen all chains and gives you precise control over its operation. The grinding wheels can be easily replaced. These are two highly recommended products. Links to buy both of these tools are below, we use Amazon for the best price!

Best Selling Chainsaw Sharpeners at Amazon.com

A Chainsaw Sharpener to suit every chainsaw chain

If you choose a more simple home model of sharpener then make sure to look for a unit that has the ability to sharpen a range of chains including chipper, full chisel, semi chisel at a range of pitches. To cover a range of pitches you must be able to adjust the cutter angle from zero to around thirty five degrees, this will cover almost all chains.

Researching or buying your chainsaw sharpener online is advisable as it will enable to you browse many more models than are available at your local hardware store. Also buying online can save you as much as 50% on the purchase price.