Todays a good day to sharpen some chains for my chainsaw. The wind is brisk outside so I will wait until this evening to go ice fishing if it subsides to a point that my portable hut won't blow over everytime a tipup flag goes off..

So today I sharpen chains, as a sharp chain is a safe chain!

This is how I do it.
I leave the chain on the bar. If I have access to a vice then I put the bar in that.

I find a clean rag and run it under each saw tooth to soak up bar chain oil so that the file will grip the steel.

I mark a starting point with a piece of string or wire.

Since the teeth alternate you can do one side at a time.

The filing angle for my chainsaw is 30 degrees and requires a 5/32" round file. I just bought a new Saw Chain Sharpening Kit from OREGON to replace an old file. It has a metal guide plate attached to the round file to keep the proper angle. I try to keep the file in the groove at the right angle and use pushing strokes to file off steel until it is back to being sharp. It also comes with a flat file to straigten the top plate of the chain link if it needs it. My chain is a simple 90 degree top plate angle to maintain.

Anyone else have a preffered way or tips to sharpen your chains?