05/07/2026
I often have people ask me how I sharpen a saw. The photos don’t show how, but these are the tools. I sharpen in a bench vise and I sharpen by hand. No guide, just freehand. It took me years to master it. A man mentored me in the early days. He had been taught by the sons in a logging family. He understood. In the early days I didn’t. With small saws and short bars you can get by with poor technique and inattention the the whole picture. If you really want to learn if you sharpen well you need a 36” bar on a big saw. There, your sins are amplified and you receive immediate feedback. Guess I’ve learned well enough. I can make those big saws cut straight and true, pulling big beautiful chips as she goes. But make no mistake. It took a lot of mistakes to get me here and a lot of warn out files. Be safe and happy cutting everyone.
