Sharpening saw chains
TRUST BLUE
The fast way to the
perfectly sharpened saw chain
The brand PFERD
Quality since 1799
PFERD (the German term for horse) is leading in the development, produc-
tion and support, as well as in the distribution, of tool solutions for work
on surfaces and material cutting. In keeping with a tradition that dates
back more than 200 years, PFERD operates as an independent, internation-
ally oriented, family-owned company geared towards the long term.
For 200 years, the company has been manufacturing files of a world-
renowned high quality. Many years of experience as a tool manufac-
turer have led to the steady development of PFERD files.
Application-oriented file shapes and cuts for industry and crafts guar-
antee good economic value. Even after long use, PFERD files achieve
high stock removal rates and an excellent surface quality.
State-of-the-art production technology and strict quality controls
guarantee the outstanding PFERD quality.
PFERD is certified according to ISO 9001.
We have compiled our years of experience and our know-how on
maintaining saw chains in this pocket guide.
For further information on servicing and maintaining
saw chains and repairing other forestry equipment
and accessories, please also refer to our brochure
“PRAXIS FOCUS – PFERD tools for forestry”.
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Sharpening saw chains
Background
Why sharpen saw chains?
Sharpening early enough ensures:
■■ Less wear to the cutting set
and chain saw.
■■ Better cutting performance and
higher cutting speed.
■■ Less fuel consumption and
lower exhaust emissions.
■■ Fewer vibrations and better
work comfort.
■■ Lower expenditure of force and
less physical strain.
■■ Reduced accident risk.
LL Note
■■ By resharpening early
enough, less material needs
to be removed and the time
needed to sharpen is con-
siderably reduced.
LL Note
Please observe the current instructions and recommenda-
tions of the manufacturer of the respective
chain saw or device.
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Sharpening saw chains
Structure and function of a saw chain
Components of a saw chain
Tie strap
with rivets
Left-hand cutter
Right-hand cutter
Tie strap without rivets Drive link
Function of a saw chain
The saw chain on a chain saw
works according to the plane
tooth principle. The chips are lit-
erally “planed out” of the material.
The cutting tooth automatically
works itself into the material. The
cutting corner of the tooth carves
out the wood shavings and the Plane tooth principle
side plate edge cuts them off the
side of the material. Top plate Cutting corner
edge Side plate
The depth gauge determines the edge
thickness of the wood chips and
limits the penetration depth of the Depth
tooth into the wood. Gullet gauge
Structure of a cutting link
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Sharpening saw chains
Angles and depth gauge distance
Depth gauge distance
The distance between the
cutting corner and the depth
gauge has to be the same on all
cutting links.
Depending on the chain type, pitch
and application, manufacturers‘
recommendations regarding the
depth gauge distance are .025”
(0.65 mm) or .030” (0.75 mm).
LL Note
■■ For safety reasons and in order to reduce vibrations, it is
recommended to readjust the shape of the depth gauge as
well.
Angles to be considered
Tooth shape Semi- Full-
Angle chisel chisel
Sharpening angle
30° oder 35° 25° oder 30°
Side plate angle
80°–85° 60°–70°
Top plate angle
60° 60°
LL Note
■■ The optimum sharpening result is achieved by the interaction
of all angles.
■■ Recommended angles vary. Follow the manufacturer’s specified
angles for your saw chain.
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Sharpening saw chains
Chain pitch, file diameter
Chain pitch – choosing the right file diameter
Determining the chain pitch x
■■ The pitch of the chain is established
by dividing the distance
between three consecutive
rivets by two (the reference point
is the centre of the respective rivet). Chain pitch =
Distance (x)
■■ The sizes are provided in inches. 2
Determining the file diameter
Chain pitch File diameter
Inch mm Inch mm
1/4“ 6,35 5/32“ 4,0
.325“ 8,25 11/64“–3/16“ 4,5–4,8
3/8“ 9,32 13/64“–7/32“ 5,16–5,5
.404“ 10,26 7/32“ 5,5
3/4“ 19,05 5/16“ 7,9
LL Notes
■■ In the case of so-called Low Profile (LP) chains, please refer to
the respective manufacturer‘s details.
■■ When sharpening a saw chain, always wear suitable gloves and
safety glasses to reduce the risk of injury.
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Sharpening saw chains
File control
Controlling the file correctly
■■ 1/5 (20 %) of the file diameter
should protrude over the top
plate. 1/5
■■ Guide the file at a 90° angle
horizontally to the guide bar.
■■ A sharpening angle of 30° is
preferred.
■■ File from the open inner side of the tooth outwards.
■■ Make sure to apply light and even pressure to the file while
moving it forwards.
+10°
90°
Depending on the chain or tooth type and the manufacturer recom-
mendation, the file is controlled horizontally = 90° to the guide bar or
with + 10° gradient. The sharpening angle might also differ.
LL Notes
■■ Make sure to only work on the cutting tooth. Do not
accidentally damage other components.
■■ The file only removes material while it is moved forwards. There-
fore, please make sure not to touch the chain when moving the
file back in order to prevent damages to the cutting teeth and the
file itself.
You can find the recommendations of chain manufactur-
ers in our PRAXIS FOCUS “PFERD tools for forestry“.
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Sharpening saw chains
Checklist
Printed in Germany.
The sharpening process:
■■ Clean the saw chain.
■■ Check the saw chain for damages and, if need be, replace
Subject to technical modifications.
damaged components or dispose of the chain.
■■ Secure the chain saw.
■■ Identify the shortest tooth (for orientation) on both sides.
■■ First sharpen all cutting teeth on one row and then move to
the other side.
■■ Check the sharpening result:
-- Has the sharpening angle been maintained?
-- Are the side and top plate angles correct?
-- Are the tooth lengths consistent?
■■ Check the depth gauge distance:
06/2018
-- If necessary, reduce the height of the depth gauge using a
flat depth gauge file.
-- Adjust the shape of the depth gauge.
LL Notes
■■ Increase the chain tension during the sharpening process to
prevent the cutting teeth from moving or lifting.
Final work:
818 199
■■ Remove metal shavings from the saw chain/cutting set.
■■ Lubricate the saw chain.
■■ Readjust the chain tension according to the manufacturer‘s
details.
4 007220 979921
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