[cconcepts]

What is not obvious to the uninitiated is his saw-sharpening skills. His depth gauges, bar rails and teeth lengths are spot-on. Getting these all right is necessary for any kind of board cutting with a chainsaw.

His techniques are innovative if you are accustomed to other forms of board cutting but its certainly not as simple as grabbing a chainsaw and swinging the tip.

The number of people around who use chainsaws and can't sharpen them to a rudimentary level let alone this guys level of precision leads me to think there are going to be some disappointed people who try this off the bat - if you arent reasonably experienced with sharpening then you will get away with a brand new bar and chain cutting straight...for a while.

Also, safety first people. Chainsaws are horrendously dangerous even for experienced people. Always wear boots, leggings, ear and eye protection.

[CPLX]

I mean, you don't have to sharpen them yourself. All it takes is a good stash of chains, and someone in the area who does it, and you can drop off half of them and pick up the other half every time you swing by, it's not that big of a deal.

[eitland]

Yep, there are even machines to do it quickly.

Still nice to know how to sharpen a chain to a certain degree so you don't have to change the chain multiple times before lunch.

Changing the chain easily takes a few minutes (opening the side, loosen the chain, change chains, tightening the new one to correct tension, closing the side.)

[lootsauce]

This reminded me of my childhood. I grew up spending every afternoon in my grandpa’s workshop where the sign read “Bud’s saw sharpening” he also did tv and radio repair. It was a fascinating magical place where I could tinker and look through his old Popular Mechanics while he meticulously sharpened chains and various blades on specialized equipment. He had one small room that was packed with vacuum tubes. I would open each box up and marvel at the technology. I can’t imagine how valuable all that stuff would be now.

[Daub]

Plus one on the boots. I was 19 when I used a chainsaw for the first time. One month into the job, I was given a pair of steel toecap boots. That was also the day I accidentally ran the saw through my feet. The steel toecaps is the reason I can still walk.

Extra anecdote... I worked with a chainsaw master. We worked together on removing a tree that was overhanging a house, leaning heavily into it. With a hinge cut, he got the tree to fall in the opposite direction... essentially to fall uphill.