Your garden is beautiful.
And you keep it that way by working hard on it. You provide your plants and trees with the right food, light, and maintenance.
And one part of such maintenance is to prune the branches of trees so they grow strong and healthy.
One useful tool that comes in handy for pruning a large number of branches is the small chainsaw. You can do the pruning work fast and without breaking a sweat.
But like any tool, the small chainsaw needs maintenance as well. As part of this, you need to keep the chainsaw chain sharp. This will make the chain last longer as well as prevent problems such as chainsaw kickback because of the chain getting stuck in the wood.
It’s quite easy to sharpen the chain with the right sharpening tool. And the Stihl 2 in 1 filing guide is one such tool that you should consider.
- Package dimensions:2.9 cms(L) x8.2 cms(W) x39.9 cms(H)
- Package quantity: 1
- Product Type: TOOLS
Last update on 2024-04-26 // Source: Amazon Affiliates
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How to Use the Stihl 2 in 1 Filing Guide
The Stihl 2 in 1 filing guide needs both of your hands to use. That is why you need a stump vise or a clamp that can hold the small chainsaw while you try to sharpen it.
Once you have placed the small chainsaw in the vise or clamp, you can mark the cutter tooth from where you start filing with a red marker. You can then sharpen each tooth till you reach the marked tooth which means all teeth are sharpened.
You can get a 2 in 1 filing guide for most chainsaw pitches. You can check the supported chain pitch on the handle of the filing guide before you buy one.
The direction of the filing stroke is embossed on the handle of the Stihl 2 in 1 filing guide.
Once you have the filing guide in the right position, you should place the file closest to the saw body into the chain cutter tooth.
The handle with the direction of the stroke arrow should be closest to the saw chain and guide bar.
Hold both the handles of the Stihl 2 in 1 filing guide and use a smooth filing stroke on the cutter tooth. Keep stroking a few times to sharpen the cutter tooth.
Keep repeating the process to stroke and sharpen each cutter tooth. Make sure to use the same number of strokes for each tooth to get even sharpening. The number of strokes you need depends on how dull the chain has become.
You will need to switch the direction of the Stihl 2 in 1 filing guide to sharpen each of the alternating cutter teeth.
Review:
The below factors will help you understand the capabilities of the Stihl 2 in 1 filing guide and make your buying decision.
Chain pitch
A small chainsaw can come with a different pitch so you should know the type that a filing guide supports. This pitch could be 1/4 inch, 0.325 inches, 0.404 inches, 3/8 inch, 12 inches, or 3/4 inch.
You can get the Stihl 2 in 1 filing guide for each type of chain pitch except the 0.404 inches.
Quality
The higher the quality of the filing guide, the better is the sharpening and the longer will it last.
Stihl is a brand that takes pride in building quality tools so it comes with assured quality. The filing guide is made from steel with plastic handles which may feel a bit flimsy but they are of durable quality.
Portability
The Stihl 2 in 1 filing guide is very portable and lightweight weighing just 12.3 ounces.
You do need both your hands while using this filing guide so you will need to put the chainsaw chain in a stump vise or clamp.
Price
The higher the quality of the filing guide the more expensive it tends to be. But that also means it has good sharpening efficiency and lasts longer.
The Stihl 2 in 1 filing guide has a decent price considering the money you will save not having to get your chainsaw chain sharpened by an expert or replacing the chain itself.
You do need to invest in a good stump vise as well that can be used to hold the chainsaw chain in place for filing with the guide.
How Does it Compare?
- PFERD sharpeners for manual sharpening of saw chains allows for flexible use and simple handling
- The sharpener simultaneously sharpens the saw teeth and adjusts the depth gauge of the saw chain
- Even unskilled users can obtain precise and uniform sharpening results with this compact sharpener
Last update on 2024-04-26 // Source: Amazon Affiliates
The PFERD Cs-X filing guide is similar to the Stihl 2 in 1 filing guide and is made of steel with plastic handles.
Like the Stihl filing guide, you can get this one for a variety of chainsaw pitch sizes including the 0.404 inch which the Stihl does not have.
You do need to invest in a good stump vise or clamp because you will need to use both hands when using this filing guide.
This filing guide is quite portable and lightweight because it weighs just 12 ounces.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive filing guide then you can consider the PFERD Cs-X filing guide because it tends to be cheaper than the Stihl filing guide.
Fact Checked, Written, and Published by Kevin Rodrigues
Kevin is the founder of Gardening Mentor, a website that aims to teach people to grow their own food in a limited space. As a self-taught gardener, Kevin has spent several years growing plants and creating gardening content on the website. He is certified in Home Horticulture and Organic Gardening from Oregon State University. He has a Post Graduate Diploma in Horticulture and Landscape Gardening from Mumbai University.
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