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Comments on this dilemma are interesting, have an MS 390, new in '02, friend has a MS 361 new this fall '05. I had not used mine all that much, but eventually it dulled up with moderate use, was careful, and did not hit anything, that and infrequent use, it still cut well for 3 years. I started using it more frequently and noticed it needed a sharpening, was starting to burn the wood on large logs. When I bought it, I also bought the $100.00 file guide/jig that clamps to the bar. I had not learned the correct way to sharpen yet, so I read up on it and when I finally understood it, I went to the Stihl dealer and also purchased the $15.00 file kit, has the depth gauge, correct Stihl file for the 3/8" chain, Stihl flat file for the raker etc. I discovered that the generic file I bought at the time, with the file jig, was not correct size, and was different by virtue of it's texture than the Stihl brand file, that and not wanting to screw up the cutting edge of the cutters,is probably why I waited so long, simply put sharpening procrastination ! Well, I attached the guide, found that all the teeth were still the same size, set up the guide, it really holds a true 30 deg for the file, used the same amount of strokes, and minor touch up strokes for each tooth on each side, tensioned the chain, have my oiler set on max. and it cuts like new, now it takes me 1/2 hour to sharpen the chain with precision. From what I understand, maintaining the specifications called for, by finding the master cutter, making them all the same, depth of cut etc. also makes it a safer saw to use, obviously it will cut with less resistance, kinda why I waited and absorb all the information in the manuals about these Stihl's. I use everything from the manufacturer, bar oil, files, 2 stroke oil, etc. so I suppose I'm sold on their goods, not sure what most people do in this regard, but it does not seem to be cost prohibitive to use what they call for, although sometimes Mfr.'s BS you into buying their goods, is matter of experience and preference I suppose. Friend uses a dremel with a guide to sharpen his old saw and continued when he bought the new Stihl saw. I had told him what I had learned about sharpening and how well mine cut after, and that the cutters seemed to be uniform and equally sharpened, so I offered to sharpen his. I noticed that the 30 deg angle was off on most of his cutters and that the end of the cutter, not the leading point was rounded off slightly, all from the inaccurate dremel guide. I can see the reason a dremel could be a timesaver, but I think the guide is subject to human error, as I saw when I sharpened his chain. His cutters were still uniform, depth ok, did not have to touch the rakers, but did straighten out all the cutters to make them uniformly sharp, which took like 1 1/2 hours and it came out nice. He told me after he cut wood with it the next time, that there was a profound difference in performance, so maintaining the accuracy of the 30 deg angle when sharpening certainly made a difference. He does more wood than I do, but I have started doing more myself, with all this dead elm around and and F-600 truck that is empty, have a lot on a busy road that I can sell firewood from, such a waste to watch all the dead elm rot, hard stuff, burns long and hot, tons of it standing dead around here, most is perfect size no, splitting needed, the rest is seasoned enough, where it will will split much easier, spiral grain pattern seems to weaken. Both of us grew up cutting wood, but never did anything on sharpening except using a file by eye, was fun to learn how to really do them correctly, then see the results.
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