It's amazing how far chainsaw sharpeners have come in the past few years. It's still wise to have a trusty round file with you in the woods for touch ups, but one hundred dollars will buy you an excellent electric chainsaw sharpener to mount in your workshop for perfect chain sharpening.
A number of manufacturers now sell electric bench mounted chainsaw sharpeners which allow very accurate settings for the angle of the grinder and the depth of cut. Automatic chain feeds quickly move the chain to the next tooth so all you have to do is lower the grinding head for a second on each cutter. As soon as you raise the grinding wheel from the chain the automatic feeder slides the chain to the next cutting tip and you repeat the process.
Some of the more popular models, such as the Garrett Wade 45T01 chainsaw sharpener, are very inexpensive, and do as good a job as any professional chainsaw sharpener. Many of these sharpeners are manufactured in Italy, and are commonly referred to as "easy use" chainsaw sharpeners in Europe.
These types of electric chain saw sharpeners usually come in different configurations, including standard models that sell for approximately - , and quick feed chainsaw sharpener models that sell for approximately 0. The quick feed models include fully automatic electric chain feed mechanisms so all you have to do is lower the grinding wheel to sharpen each tooth professionally.
The average chainsaw chain can be sharpened in one minute or less with this type of electric chainsaw sharpener. Most models include exact angle settings and depth gauges, and are easily bench mounted in any workshop. They are light and compact so they don't take up much room at all.
Some people will argue that the sharpening achieved from a chain grinder is never the same as when using a hand-held round file due to the shape of the grinder and the method in which it moves into the tooth. This may be true if you are a professional logger and use a round file every day to perform your job. But for 99% of the population there is no way that they can achieve the same consistency that you get with an automated electric chainsaw sharpener.
The consistent angle of sharpening that is achieved with an electric chainsaw sharpener, as well as the consistent depth and length of time that the grinding wheel is in contact with every tooth will provide far superior results. Amateur weekend warriors can now achieve professional results in minutes with an inexpensive electric chainsaw sharpener.
