Sharpen Your Saw Chain with the 2 in 1 Filing Guide
The STIHL 2 in 1 Filing Guide contains two round files, one flat file, a file holder, and a built-in guide to make sharpening cutters and lowering depth gauges easy and convenient.
Before Sharpening
- Always wear proper protective gear designed and rated for your task, such as gloves and eye protection.
- Make sure your chain is adjusted snug against the bar rail. Place the bar in a bench or stump vice, being sure to not clamp the chain itself.
- With the saw off and cooled down, rotate the chain, looking for the most worn cutting tooth.
- Position this tooth in the middle of the top of the bar. Mark this tooth with a red marker.
- Set the chain brake.
While Sharpening
- Note the stroke direction indicator on the filing guide. Never pull back on a sharpening file!
- The inside edges of the plastic handles act as an angle guide. Keep these edges parallel to the bar to maintain proper sharpening angle.
- Always keep the guide level and stroke evenly into the inside of the cutting tooth.
- Make sure to use the full length of the file by starting as close to the end as possible and stroking in the indicated direction.
More on Sharpening
- Always lift the guide and place back in starting position before making another pass. Never pull back!
- Three strokes per cutting tooth should be sufficient. Severely worn teeth could require additional strokes.
- Release the chain brake, rotate the chain as necessary, reset the chain brake, sharpen, and repeat until complete.
- Ideally, you want all your cutting teeth to be of equal sharpness.
