Chainsaw Repair

The chains I filed mostly needed 'touch-up sharpening': a few to several strokes on each tooth, but no real reshaping of the cutters.  Holding the file horizontal is pretty intuitive, and has a very short learning curve: it probably took me more time to think about it than to do it.  File the teeth on one side; flip the bar and saw; file the other side. Being able to see the progress of each file stroke is also a bonus: easy to see when the edges are restored and you are done.

Use with guides?  A lot of people are accustomed to using some type of filing guide when sharpening.  In theory, some of these guides could still be used with the Vert-i-File, such as those that attach to the file to control depth.  But they would interfere with the clear view of the sharpening process, which is a key advantage of the device.  File guides that normally rest on the chain, or on the guide bar, could be problematic due to the bar's orientation when fixed to the Vert-i-File.  The positioning, and stabilization of the cutters, are likely most suited to using just a file and a handle.


Philbert